Good News Sunday: Street scene to evoke memories of a bygone era is taking shape in Mundelein

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published recently by the Daily Herald:

A Mundelein business owner is sharing his fascination with the 1940s-era Chicago street scene in a big way by commissioning what will be the largest mural in town.

A team of artists have been transforming the side of a two-story building across the parking lot from Luke's of Mundelein to illustrate Mike Majestic's vision.

Customers, pedestrians and passersby on busy Route 45, just south of Route 176 in downtown Mundelein, will be reminded of another era.

When complete, the selfie-ready scene will depict a city street lined by village-inspired buildings. A dancing couple will be front and center with a hot-dog vendor, and street musicians and other details complete the image of days gone by.

Besides realizing Majestic's dream, the 50-foot-by-19-foot mural marks the first large-scale private contribution to public art in Mundelein.

"This is a big deal for the Mundelein community, as we think it is a promising sign that private property owners and not just public entities are starting to embrace and invest in the arts," said Colleen Malec, a senior planner for the village.

Luke's, a popular Chicago-style hot dog and sandwich shop, opened in 1999 and relocated to 551 N. Lake St. (Route 45) in 2014. Majestic says he began pursuing a project to transform the "big, ugly wall" facing him in 2018.

"The image is a reflection of the type of food I serve, which is Chicago-style sandwiches," he said while watching the mural take shape. "We're kind of looking back and celebrating what we have now."

For the full story, click here.

$66 million project will get Brookfield Zoo's primates outside

At 26 years old, Jontu left his bachelor pad in St. Louis to take charge of an all-female troop of western lowland gorillas at Brookfield Zoo. The new silverback is the dominant male, the peacekeeper, the undisputed king of a man-made jungle.

Jontu and his five female companions live inside Tropic World, a 40-year-old primate building with rainmaking machines, concrete floors and slabs of artificial rock. Like clockwork, thunder echoes through Tropic World.

"We've had animals that have just never been outside before, and it's just not the way that we want our animals to be living," said Dr. Michael Adkesson, the zoo's director.

A $66 million project will give gorillas, orangutans and several species of South American monkeys a lush outdoor complex on the north side of Tropic World. The new primate spaces will be filled with grasses, vines, running water and abundant sunshine. The zoo also plans to add a group of bachelor gorillas.

"It's a huge undertaking for us, but it's going to transform this entire West Mall into four outdoor, immersive habitats that are just absolutely spectacular from a design standpoint," Adkesson said.

For the full story, click here.

Naperville native brings Duck Donuts to his hometown

Kevon Gardner couldn't lose that craving.

The Naperville native had just returned from visiting his brother in Arizona, and the taste of the Duck Donuts he'd tried for the first time stayed with him.

"Quite simply, it was the best doughnut I'd ever had," Gardner said. "I kept craving it. It has a sustainability. People talk and think about these doughnuts for years and years."

So Gardner called the company headquarters and got the franchising ball rolling. About a year later - last weekend, to be exact - Gardner and his family opened Naperville's first Duck Donuts.

With lines nearly stretching out the door, it's quickly become a local sensation. His shop offers fresh, warm, made-to-order doughnuts and a variety of topping choices at no extra charge.

Gardner, a Waubonsie Valley High School graduate, has been so impressed with the response, he's hoping to open a second Duck Donuts elsewhere in Naperville once he gets settled in his current location.

For the full story, click here.

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