Geneva's Third Street showing new signs of life
The Provincial House shop that operated on the corner of Third and James streets in Geneva served as a centerpiece of sorts for that popular shopping district.
It was, after all, front and center for the crowds attracted to the courthouse lawn across the street during the main stage musical acts of the city's Swedish Days festival.
So it was a sign of these rough times for that location to be relegated to just another empty storefront the past few years.
But it's also a signal that things could be changing for the better, as Artemisia will soon open at that location.
And some other things are brewing along Third Street that also tells us things could slowly be getting better.
The Fiora restaurant will soon open in the site of the former La Maison D'Elodie shops next to Geneva Lutheran Church. This is important for the face of Third Street, as this is another of those buildings that symbolize the aura of this shopping district.
It is also nice to see how the Designer's Desktop on James Street has turned out in the former Kris Kringle Haus building that was moved, or actually flip-flopped at a different angle, from its Third Street location to front James Street.
The great outdoors: We sure do enjoy dining outside during the few months we have to enjoy our eats al fresco. That seems to be the logic in place for anyone operating a restaurant these days - that an outdoor seating area is popular with diners.
Most of our area restaurants and taverns offer outdoor dining, even though some face busy highways or parking lots. But if the food and weather are excellent, location doesn't matter.
The most recent addition to our outdoor dining choices is the Real Time sports bar on the west side of St. Charles. On a nice summer evening, it draws as many outdoor diners as The Filling Station downtown.
Some street smarts: A few folks in Elburn may think Dave Anderson has been shooting from the hip since he took over as village president because of his quick and sometimes difficult decisions.
But anyone who knows him well realizes that this gentleman has spent a lifetime talking to people at his former grocery store and in his role as a Blackberry Township official. He has a fair amount of street smarts and a foundation of ideas, insights, complaints and kudos that come from village residents to use in formulating what he believes is best for Elburn.
Scientific honor: As we ease into summer, I don't want to forget to pass along this education note: Sending my congratulations to the students, teachers, administrators and supporters of the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora.
The school was recently tabbed the top high school for science education in the nation in a contest sponsored by the Intel Foundation.
Each year, one school earns this School of Distinction honor from Intel, and IMSA was declared the winner this year, proving something we've known for a long time - there are some intelligent young people filling the halls of that institution.