Street-legal scooters a great way to zip around town
It's been just over a year since Bruce and Christy Erbeck opened Flat Squirrel Scooters along Randall Road in Lake in the Hills.
In that time, they've helped introduce numerous customers to the fun, economical way of zipping around town.
Their business sells gas-powered, street-legal scooters, which can be seen driving all over the Randall Road corridor, and pretty much anywhere else you travel throughout the suburbs.
Flat Squirrel also is home to the Fox Valley Scooter Club, which already has 190 members from throughout the Chicago area, Bruce Erbeck said.
Members, who range in age from 18 to 73, and who consist of everyone from stay-at-home moms to fire fighters, meet every other week in front of Flat Squirrel and head out for a scenic drive on their scooters.
"We're a big hit in the community," Bruce Erbeck said. "It's a very diverse group of individuals who've found us."
As the business enters its second year, the Erbecks are hoping to get even more recruits to the scooter mode of transportation.
On May 22, they're hosting a Demo Day, where they're hoping to show others the fun and economical benefits of owning a scooter.
Flat Squirrel's largest manufacturer, CFMOTO, is heading to their parking lot on Randall with a semi-truck full of scooters to showcase for the community.
"It will be a chance for a lot of people who've never ridden a scooter before to do so in a safe environment. But they'll also get to hear and see how eco-friendly they are," Erbeck said.
"They'll have all of their ergonomical, eco-friendly scooters there, some that get over 100 miles per gallon," Erbeck said. "Many have unique looks to them. We're expecting hundreds of people to attend it "
As part of the community event, they're also holding a barbecue to celebrate their success in the area, thank their existing customers and to meet more community members.
"As bad as the economy is, especially for new businesses, we're very blessed to be doing as well as we are," Erbeck said.
Demo Day will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 22 at Flat Squirrel, 421 N. Randall Road, Lake in the Hills.
Blooming fun: Gibby's Wine Den along the Randall Road corridor in Geneva is taking the show on the road.
From 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 29, Gibby's will hold a wine tasting at Shady Hills Gardens, 42W075 Route 38, Elburn.
The greenhouse will be in bloom as you stroll through the aisles, enjoy the sights and sip some wine. There also will be some treats to nibble on.
The event is free and no reservations are required.
Kids and trucks: On Saturday, May 15, Algonquin Commons along Randall Road is hosting its first Touch-A-Truck event.
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., families can come out to literally touch, and even get inside, some of the coolest emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks.
There also will be heroes from local fire stations, police stations and the military on hand to greet youngsters.
The event is free.