Geneva business saves (graduation) day for Batavia couple
This could easily have been a story about the emperor wearing no clothes to a graduation ceremony.
Luckily for Marc Winkleman of Batavia, a dose of old-fashioned customer service saved the day.
The night before their niece's graduation at NIU on May 9, Winkleman's wife tried to wash the clothes they planned on wearing to the event. The washing machine filled up with water and then got a mind of its own and would do absolutely nothing else.
"I checked the outlet, fuse box and everything else, but I couldn't even get water to drain out," Winkleman said. "So here I am on Friday night, and we have to be at the graduation by 9 a.m. Saturday in DeKalb - and I can't get a repairman out until tomorrow."
He called Midwest Appliance in Geneva and got a repairman named Mike on the phone. Mike wasn't available until Saturday either, but he gave Winkleman an idea of what might be the problem and told him he would keep his store open late so he could run over and get the part and try to fix it himself.
"When I arrived, Mike had made copies of the machine diagram of where the switch is located and how to replace the part and he also explains everything I needed to do," Winkleman said.
About an hour and a half later, Winkleman had his washing machine up and running - and some clothes to wear to graduation.
"That's great customer service and why they have been in business so long and why I will keep going back there to buy parts or have a repairman come to my house," he said.
They offer support: You hate to see any small or large business go under because of the current economic malaise, with the most obvious reason being it eliminates jobs.
But we should also remember that major players in the business world provide a lot of opportunities in other ways.
I am reminded of this by a note sent from proud parents, George and Nancy Gladis, in Batavia.
Their son, Michael Gladis, a senior at Batavia High School who will attend Bradley University next fall, was the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship from Best Buy.
The recognition was part of a program, offered since 1999, in which the electronics giant honors students with good grades and a record of community service.
Other corporations can point to similar programs, and when you consider that Best Buy has pumped $14.5 million into student scholarships in the past 10 years, it is easy to see why we'd like to see all of our businesses survive.
Getting the word out about this program, George Gladis said, "Would be a nice way to not only recognize the achievement and Best Buy's generosity, but also serve as encouragement for other students to get involved."
Waiting for a break: It's possible that St. Charles is as anxious as any city in the country to see the economy stabilize.
You don't have to travel very far on either side of town to see numerous complexes with office space available.
dheun@sbcglobal.net