Elgin marks 8 new downtown businesses since January

Robert Mikulski moved his accounting and income tax business to Elgin at the end of January. He said the location at 23 Douglas Ave. is excellent, the people downtown are great and the building is roomier than his former office space in Schaumburg. Plus his taxes are about half as high.

“Kane County certainly is a lot more favorable to business than Cook County,” Mikulski said.

Robert M. Mikulski & Co. PC will open its doors Thursday along with eight other Elgin businesses that have moved downtown in the last few months or, in the case of Spacetaste Gallery, opened in a new downtown location.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association organized a series of ribbon cuttings between 4 and 6 p.m. Thursday to give people in the community an easy way to visit all of them while also celebrating the downtown's success.

“It's a great way to show just how much has changed in the past couple of months in the downtown,” said Jason Pawlowski, DNA's promotions coordinator.

Besides Mikulski's accounting firm, the ribbon cuttings will feature a variety of new businesses — retail, restaurant, health care and transportation management — on Chicago Street and Douglas and Grove avenues. Charles Fast Foods is opening in the former Quiznos location, 57 Douglas Ave., and adding a permanent location to its presence at the flea market. The restaurant has burgers, tacos, tortas and burritos on its fast food menu after officially opening Monday.

A ribbon cutting will take place every 30 minutes between 4 and 6 p.m. with each business planning treats individually. Some will serve light refreshments, and Mikulski plans to hand out Deduct It books that help keep track of charitable donations.

Many of the businesses are operating in full swing but some, like Prairie Rock Grill, are still planning their grand openings. Spacetaste Gallery just finished its move Sunday and is still getting settled in the Chicago Street location.

Attendees at the open houses are encouraged to tweet about it using Twitter hashtag #DTOpenHouse.