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Window shopping: A look at some creative displays in the Tri-Cities

For more than 10 years, glancing at The Limited women's clothing store window display in the now empty Charlestowne Mall in St. Charles provided me with ideas for holiday and birthday gifts for my wife.

Granted, the store had a captive audience because I was ringing the bell for Salvation Army during the holiday season, and the kettle was located right outside The Limited.

It might have been the only way to truly lure a man into gazing at clothing, but it illustrated the effectiveness of a good window display.

A month before the pandemic hit in 2020, I was working on a piece for this column about how area retailers still use their storefront window displays as a key element to their business.

When the pandemic hit in full force and we went into shutdown mode with the rest of the country, I set aside the idea. It seems a good time now to remind people as they start to move around our downtowns and other shopping areas more often that "window shopping" remains an interesting American sport - and the creative process involved in it for merchants is as important as any other marketing tool at their disposal.

A strong website to lure e-commerce shopping is an important part of any marketing strategy, but if you also operate a brick-and-mortar location, especially a small downtown business, you have to make good use of that front window space.

Readers on occasion will send a note about an interesting display, and the Clean as a Whisker dog grooming shop in St. Charles has been cited for its creative and funny displays in which the pet mannequins partake in human activities.

"My mom does the displays; she is really good with all of that (creativity)," shop owner Jill Krauss said of her mother, Anna Krauss.

Jill doesn't interfere with her mom's process, feeling the end result of the window display at 322 W. Main St. works fine with a solo artist.

"I give her full control of it," Jill added. "She draws out a sketch, and then she builds it from there."

Possibly the most striking window display in the Tri-Cities region unfolded each holiday season at The Strawflower Shop in Geneva, now rebranded as Geneva Design House by Strawflower.

Owner Mike Haas said the window display would still show plenty of creativity with the new brand.

"My wife Susan and daughter Kelsey are the artistic ones in changing the windows all of the time to keep something vibrant and fresh out there," Haas said.

The lure of window-display creativity has been instilled in the Haas family for some time.

"Our parents used to haul us down to the old Marshall Field's in Chicago at Christmastime in the car or on a train to look at the window displays," Haas said. "We did the same in taking our daughter down there in a stroller along Michigan Avenue."

Home décor locations generally have the best opportunity to stage a front window display, or in the case of Vintage Villa and Farm Home Décor at 913 E. Wilson St. in Batavia, it spills over to the outside.

"My dad is a former engineer, so he builds the displays you see in front of the store," owner Carolynn Maltese said. "He also builds some of the items for sale in the store."

Her father, Raymond Melby, also built some wooden children figures that look to be running with their pet close to Wilson Street, each with words painted on to direct shoppers to Vintage Villa.

Traveling through downtown Batavia indicates merchants are making good use of window displays, partly in knowing traffic moves fairly slowly along Wilson Street. Drivers and walkers alike are sure to catch glimpses.

Red Hive Market, Batavia Academy of Dance, and children's clothing shop Ruby Jane Kids all have sharp displays, while Craig Foltos uses the window display at his Foltos Tonsorial Parlor to illustrate his business logo as well as showcase the traditional red, white and blue barber pole that has attracted attention at barbershops for decades.

Geneva's Third Street, of course, has to have attractive window displays, with State Street Jewelers having one of the largest at the corner of Third and State streets.

It's pretty common to see clothing stores stand out in this category.

Edie Boutique, Flair on 3rd, Always in Style and Flourish in Geneva or the Jeans and a Cute Top Shop in St. Charles are examples of how the color and style of clothing fashions for the season are always luring the ladies in for a closer look.

  Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn & More window display at 316 W. State in Geneva entices shoppers to stop for a snack. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com

As far as that goes, has any young lady about to be married or be a bridesmaid or go to a prom ever passed a wedding gown or special occasions shop without staring at the dresses in the front window?

Another front window that almost always catches our eye in Geneva is Kernel's Gourmet Popcorn at 316 W. State St. It always tells you that having popcorn or candy in your possession is not only fun, but simply the American way.

Art shops fall into the same category of having a specific way to attract attention - just showcase your most compelling pieces of art.

With more of us getting vaccinated and still wearing masks for protection, it's time for merchants to make sure their front window displays are doing what they are supposed to do - make us stop and look.

They are thankful:

No doubt, restaurant owners who have been able to weather the storm of the pandemic have been thankful for the patrons who ordered carryout or delivery, as well as those who have taken the proper precautions to return.

Some restaurant owners weren't fortunate enough to stay in business, but those who have are doing everything they can to keep current momentum going.

I've written about how owners have adjusted their businesses and what it has been like to deal with, for nearly all of us, an unprecedented health emergency.

"Mom-and-pop businesses want their voices heard to thank the community for all who have been there for support," said Frank Spano, owner of Franky's at 2526 E. Main St. in St. Charles.

More so than other businesses, Franky's may have had at least a partial advantage in that it has a drive-through window and sells what people like for carryout - pizza, hot dogs, beef sandwiches, fries, etc.

Still, Spano expressed the effort of "what it has taken for us to survive" and how customers have come through.

"It's hard to express our thankfulness with limited funds that we have had to work with this past year," Spano added. "But I hope that the newspaper can really help us in letting the community hear our (small business) voices."

We're definitely thankful that so many small businesses kept at it, and let's hope the coming year will be the start of much better things.

To help Haitians:

The Hope for Haitians organization is planning on offering its on-site 5K Fun Bun Run on Saturday, May 8, at the Kane County Government Center in Geneva. But it has included a virtual version as well.

Information and registration is available at funbunrun.org. Cost is $25, while those 12 and younger can participate for free.

Participants will receive a T-shirt, goody bag, and a wrapped Cinnabon treat.

The first race group starts at 8:30 a.m.

The organization wants to raise money for a school it built in Garde Saline, Haiti to educate children in nearby villages. The organization has built 14 villages in Haiti, providing more than 600 homes for the "poorest of the poor."

Medical care and hand-washing stations are common in the villages.

Time for bikes:

It seems like a case of good timing for Cykel Cycles to be up and running at 427 Stevens St. in Geneva.

The full-service bicycle sales and repair shop is catching the wave of warmer weather and pandemic weary world of bike riders who find that taking a long bike ride was probably the safest thing they could do the past year.

Plus, owners are promoting the fact they are located next the Penrose Brewery. Drop off your bike for repairs and go get a beer.

• dheun@sbcglobal.net

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