Pool closure leaves hot dog stand hungry for customers

Hungry swimmers want food.

That was part of the genius behind Poolside Dogs, an outdoor hot dog and Italian ice stand located a few hundred yards from Lombard's Moran Water Park.

Entrepreneur Mike Trombetta opened Poolside Dogs, 506 E. St. Charles Place, June 1.

But the primary concept behind the eatery belly-flopped this week when the Lombard Park District voted to shut down the 50-year-old water park, canceling the 2008 swim season because of failing infrastructure and safety concerns.

"It's like a guy who opens his business next to the road and then the state closes the road," Trombetta said. "This will impact my business directly."

Lombard resident Nicole Junior and sons Ryan, 4, and Jack, 1, had many summer lunches at Poolside Dogs.

"We like to make a day of it," Junior said, standing by two strollers Friday. "Going to the park, to the pool and coming to Poolside Dogs."

With next swim season canceled, Junior said, she'll dine on hot dogs less often.

"I guess we'll have to go elsewhere," Junior said.

That's not what Trombetta wants to hear.

Trombetta said he was surprised to learn that Moran wouldn't reopen next season and wished park commissioners had taken action earlier to fix problems at the aging water park.

For at least two years, the board has discussed making improvements at Moran.

But in September 2006, after months of meetings with architects and engineers, the board rejected a major repair proposal when cost estimates unexpectedly rose from $6 million to $8 million.

Commissioners could decide to place a tax increase question on the February ballot to pay for an overhaul of the aquatics center.

But even if voters support funding new construction, it won't save next year's swim season.

Fortunately, Trombetta said, not all of his customers come from the pool. That was evident during Friday's lunch crowd of teens, garbage collectors and a firefighter.

Lombard Fire Battalion Chief Ron Rakosnik said he's been a fan of Trombetta's food "from back when he was downtown."

Unfortunately, the last visit firefighters made to Trombetta's former place, That's-N-Ice, in July 2005 was work-related, battling a blaze that destroyed the business.

Trombetta wanted to stay downtown but couldn't reach a settlement with his former landlord, he said.

Instead, he shifted energy toward opening up at his current location, which was the long-dormant former home of The Scoop ice cream shop. The Scoop closed in 2001 after a teenager crashed a car into the building.

For roughly two years, Trombetta's plans to open Poolside Dogs were met with delays, including a death in his family.

Since the June opening, business has been good, Trombetta said.

"You had people coming over with their suits still wet with the smell of chlorine," he said. "It was great."

Lombard mom Catherine Snyder and her 8-year-old daughter, Molly, were among those families.

"It was Molly's first year on the (park district) swim team, and she loved it," said Snyder, who was "surprised" to learn the pool shut down.

"Now what?" Snyder said.

Trombetta said he faces the same uncertainty.

"To have a business so tied to a pool that's not going to reopen, I guess it is my luck," Trombetta said. "Next year's going to be really different without a pool."