Editorial: Drawing inspiration from the positivity driving Arcada's renovation

When the ceiling started to fall apart years ago at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, some people wrote off the 1920s showplace as having no life left in it. The same rumblings were heard when the place was closed to make emergency electrical repairs.

But Ron Onesti just kept chugging along - frazzled but undeterred.

The affable and omnipresent pitchman for the Arcada has never wavered in his quest to fully bring the theater back to its Roaring Twenties glory.

In the 15 years he's helmed the operation, his enthusiasm and energy has never wavered - even during the two months the theater has been shuttered to music fans during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Much credit goes to the father-and-son team of local developers Curt and Conrad Hurst.

They purchased the theater a year ago from its Seattle owner and immediately began making improvements, including buying neighboring properties to allow for expansion and diversification of the business.

Instead of hunkering down and trying to ride out the stay-at-home order, which surely will last later than June 1, the Hursts and Onesti are going all-in on building out their vision for the downtown edifice.

As Onesti said, "By the time we're ready to open our doors again, we're going to be a bright, shiny new penny."

Some of the knocks on the Arcada over the years have been that it gets unbearably hot, especially upstairs in the Speakeasy; there are inadequate bathroom facilities; the sound system is so-so and it takes too long to get a drink at one of the bars.

Regulars, of course, overlook the freckles. But Onesti says that all of the suggestions he's gotten over the years to improve the place, along with a few of his own, are being addressed while some of the more ardent music fans are watching concerts livestreamed on computers and smart TVs.

Work on the Arcada has been ongoing for about nine months, and while the closure has put a dent in the concert business, it has allowed workers to expedite some of the work being done. Onesti expects it to be completed by July.

Improvements include upgraded lighting and sound, a refurbished floor and a reconditioned stage, more bathrooms, an outdoor patio, new bars and an updated HVAC system. The former box office will be a lounge with video gambling.

"We had no intention of closing at any time during this process, even though it was like running in between raindrops," he told our Lauren Rohr. "But now if you went in there, you wouldn't recognize the place."

As many of us worry about the state of our health and our jobs, Onesti's brand of boundless positivity is inspiring.