Another Geneva chocolate shop good for sweet tooth; good for business?

The next thing we’ll see is Willy Wonka building a chocolate factory in Geneva.

Then again, maybe not. He’d have quite a bit of competition.

But the chocolate guru would definitely give Third Street in Geneva four stars for its chocolate production.

I love chocolate. That’s been well documented in this column. I find it delightful that another chocolate retailer is going to set up shop on Third Street, but my business side wonders if that retail area really needs another.

Regardless, Kilwins is about to open in a location at Dodson Place.

Michigan-based Kilwins specializes in chocolate, fudge and ice cream. That means it goes up against Graham’s and the All-Chocolate Kitchen, as well as the bakeries and cupcake shops.

The franchise has locations throughout the Chicago area, but this is Kilwins’ first foray into the Tri-Cities.

Good day for chef: Just to prove Geneva is becoming well known for its chocolate makers, the city of Chicago is throwing significant recognition to one in particular.

Thursday will be “Chef Alain Roby Day” in Chicago, as proclaimed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

So why is the pastry chef extraordinaire who operates the All Chocolate Kitchen in Geneva being honored in such a way?

He went to a place he fully deserves last week. He was inducted into the Chicago Culinary Museum’s Chefs Hall of Fame.

That’s a vision: The company planning to buy the Charlestowne Mall is drawing some pretty pictures. The concept drawings of what a new mall setting might look like gets you thinking the near-empty place on St. Charles’ east side can actually be saved.

What the drawings don’t have is a surefire formula for merchant and consumer adoption.

Someone built this place before and, after several years, the merchants and consumers quit coming. Some spit and polish, and an entirely new concept, would give the place a fighting chance. Mostly, it needs owners willing to see their vision through and adjust it as needed over time.

Area residents likely have their fingers crossed in hopes that going to Charlestowne could mean something quite entertaining in the future.

Downside of projects: First, St. Charles breathed a big sigh of relief when the Route 64 construction work was finally finished.

Now, Batavia is trying to encourage its merchants and residents that the headache known as the Wilson Street streetscape project should be far more manageable for pedestrians and commuters in another month or so.

All of this great news has a downside. The construction projects end just in time for Old Man Winter. And that fellow has a tendency to ruin our roads and sidewalks.

Pretty beat up: Yikes! That’s about all I can say when walking through Island Park in Geneva and glancing at what a wreck the abandoned Mill Race Inn property is becoming.

It wasn’t that long ago, it seems that the gazebo at Mill Race was filled with diners enjoying the outdoors. Now, it looks like an abandoned boat dock along the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

Let’s hope a developer with a vision sees that something good can still come of this key Geneva location along the Fox River.

Canine strolls: It appears pet lovers have enjoyed having a Two Bostons shop in downtown Geneva, especially if they enjoy walking their dogs with other dog owners.

The weather was cooperating quite well through last week, allowing Two Bostons to continue holding its Weekly Walks from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. every Thursday.

As the weather and the lack of daylight put an end to those fun strolls this year, dog owners may want to remember to check out this fun event next spring.

The Two Bostons location on State Street marks the third for the business, with its two other spots in the Naperville area.

Helping Becky: Friends and family of Becky Nelson, a 2004 Kaneland High School graduate who was struck by a car last summer, are gathering Sunday to raise money for her medical bills stemming from her serious brain injury and broken pelvis.

In the spirit in which she would appreciate, the gathering is a kid-friendly event from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Kaneville Community Center. Nelson was a preschool teacher before her accident.

Among the many prizes being raffled, Bears fans may want to know they can buy a chance to win two tickets for the Nov. 10 game against the Detroit Lions.

Here’s a zombie: So, the Geneva Park District was looking for volunteers to be “zombies” in its Zombie Apocalypse taking place from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Wheeler Park.

And, I’m thinking, that would describe me by the end of the workweek, nearly every week.

Correct that name: My apologies to Irene Burden, a resident at Carroll Tower in St. Charles. She was the key organizer of the recent Victorian Tea Party at the facility.

She became Irene Bradley in my column, I believe, because I hit the wrong button on a spell-checker. That’s my excuse, because when typing her name, I recall wondering if Irene’s last name was spelled the same way as the frontman for The Animals. It is not. He is Eric Burdon.

I also should have mentioned Fran Barnes. She helped Irene and worked “tirelessly” to get that event put together, I’m told.

dheun@sbcglobal.net