Return Charlestowne to former glory

As an east side St. Charles resident I am deeply disappointed in the leaving of an anchor store in the Charlestowne Mall. Since the California-based real estate investment company has taken over, residents have not seen any sign of progress. Just more stores leaving. When the investment company purchased the mall they planned to revitalize the mall as they have with properties on the West Coast. Do they understand the area?

We don’t live in a warm climate state, and as a mother of small children I love having a place to go where I don’t have to keep getting the kids in and out of the car. St. Charles is losing out on tax money and jobs as shoppers head to Geneva Commons and neighboring malls. I hate to see another empty building on the east side of St. Charles.

Let’s face it, no good restaurant is going to want to go into a practically empty location. And how many of us really ice skate, especially when the Fox Valley Ice Arena is right down the road; I would be more inclined to roller skate, and wouldn’t that be cheaper to maintain or go to a bowling alley?

Redesign the mall if needed. Milwaukee and Minneapolis have great indoor public markets that draw both tourists and locals for food, shopping and cooking and craft classes for both children and adults. Send out a survey and see what the community suggests. See what is working in surrounding malls and bring that to Charlestowne!

I hope the Charlestowne Mall could thrive again with owners that actually care about the community and work with the city of St. Charles. I grew up in Elgin when Charlestowne Mall opened, and it was exciting. A clean, bright mall with a merry-go-round, it converted us from Spring Hill Mall shoppers to Charlestowne Mall shoppers. I would hate to see the mall torn down and turned into another half empty strip mall.

Sarah Hitchings

St. Charles