Two Voices in the Wilderness

A customer stopped in the other day and brought me a column published in The Regional News, a newspaper published in Palos and Orland. The column was titled: Whither all our local mom-and-pop stores? and it was written by Amy Wiest, president of Wildflowers Inc. in Palos Heights. I was thrilled to see it! I am not a voice in the wilderness!
I called Amy immediately, she gave me permission to quote her in my article, and now I’m so excited, I don’t know where to begin. Maybe I should start with her very first sentence: “I am surprised and saddened every time I see another independent business close its doors.” How many times have I thought that, said that, and written about it? “The recent closure of longtime local businesses in Palos Heights such as Rini’s, Flowers of Palos, and Quiznos have left me wondering what responsibility my shopping choices played in their failure.” By this time I was doing handsprings.
I have recently heard about the imminent closing of yet another business in Blue Island, and also was surprised to see that An Seanachai on 127th had closed and the building is for sale. To quote Amy one more time: “It is hypocritical for us to be sad when another little neighborhood gem disappears or gossip about their downfall while on our way to the giant retailers.” Amen, sister! Or to paraphrase Smokey the Bear “Only you can prevent the collapse of your downtown.”
Amy even confronted head-on an issue that has bothered me for a long time, one that I have been too timid to confront, and so now I will hide behind her words: “Even if you don’t work for a small business, if we all go away, where will the community groups go for their donations? Who will sell the tickets for Woman’s Club functions; make donations for the PFA fundraisers; place ads in your group’s ad books; hang your event signage; donate silent auction items and sponsor the civic events? If you think the big retail chains will, you are very wrong.”
In the last month I have received several requests for donations, ads, and auction items from some very upstanding and outstanding community groups. Requests will only increase as the holidays draw near. When I look at the signatures at the bottoms of the letters, I don’t recognize the names. I should know them. If these people have the chutzpah to ask me for money, I would think they would have the common sense to at least make a token purchase at my business and introduce themselves. Imagine the talk around Blue Island if I openly refused to put up signs for Spaghetti Dinners, Vegas Nights, Boy Scout Troops, etc. Worse yet, imagine the outcry if I demanded $5.00 a piece to put up the signs. Community support is a two way street.
Amy asked the question: “When we choose to shop in the big chain stores, can we follow the money trail back into our community?” Let me tell you, I was recently at Target in Crestwood. At the cash register there is a list of the schools they donate to. Guess what? There is not one Blue Island school on that list. Not one.
So once again I ask every man, woman, and child to spend their $5.00 a day in Blue Island. If you are a current customer of mine, let me know what civic groups you belong to, or which local charities you would like us to support, and when those donation request letters come in, I guarantee you that checks will go out.

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

What can gas prices do for Blue Island?

We all know that gas is going up, up, and away, but have you ever thought about how many times you are affected by this each time you go shopping? First of all, each step of the production process of every item we purchase requires fuel of some type, usually a form of oil. Farmers need fuel to run their machinery when they plant, as do miners when they dig for raw materials. The price of that fuel is passed on (1). Then the various products need to get to a processing plant. The price of that fuel is passed on (2). Then the finished product is shipped to a warehouse or distribution point. The price of that fuel is passed on (3). Then the product is shipped to a retail location. The price of that fuel is passed on (4). So the price increase in gasoline or diesel is multiplied by four times before you even get in your car and spend more money on gas by driving to some shopping center to buy the product. What can we do? Shop Blue Island! Save your gas money.
A woman was in the store and said to her friend, “I could probably buy this at Michael’s for a few dollars cheaper.” “Yes, but you’ll spend $5.00 more in gas and don’t forget the time involved, and they may not even have it.” her friend replied. This woman knows what she’s talking about. Why spend an extra gallon of gas and your time to save a few dollars? Shop local, you’ll save money and time.
The increased price of gas may just do what none of us have been able to do; convince local citizens to patronize Blue Island businesses and reinvigorate the Uptown area. It will also open up a lot of business opportunities for Blue Island that have not existed in the recent past. At one point there was a Blue Island taxi company. I don’t know exactly when they closed up, but I’m sure that people in general had learned to rely on their own car to get them places. With gas prices the way they are, it may not be worth it for many of us, including myself, to own a car anymore; but there will be times when we need transport around the city and a taxi would work.
Another business that might do well is a bike shop. As more and more people start biking instead of driving on those short trips they will need a convenient place to buy, repair, and pick up parts for their bikes. We were recently in Madison, Wisconsin, and people were biking everywhere. There’s a bike shop anywhere you look. These people have already figured out how to save gas.
Last idea: a regular shoe store. With all these people walking instead of driving, we’re going to be wearing out a lot more shoes.
Okay, so now we’re all saving money on gas by shopping in Blue Island, and you may wonder where to spend all that hard saved gas money. How about having dinner at Richie’s Too, 12454 Western, 708-385-8900? I haven’t been there yet, but will be visiting soon. I’ll see you there!

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

Take a Breath

Now that the St. Francis Hospital emotional rollercoaster ride is coming to an end, I think it’s safe to say that we all were affected. Not knowing what would happen put a lot of stress on the community. Who would end up unemployed? What would happen to the building? Just as people held their breath waiting to see what would happen, they also held their wallets, and many of the small businesses suffered. Curiously, we all have this illusion that things will remain the same, especially when we are not paying attention or keeping in touch, but things change whether we pay attention or not. And even though the closing was not related to the turmoil surrounding St. Francis Hospital, I have to report that we have lost another business on Western Avenue.
We can all breathe a little easier now. Things will return to normal. Hopefully, we will appreciate and pay attention to all the businesses that remain in Blue Island more than ever. Let me ask you this; What is your favorite store? Where do you go out to eat all the time? Who has that thing you want? Why not splurge this week? Go ahead, spend $10.00 in Blue Island.
On a lighter note, I have to tell you how great Stefanelli’s is. My husband and I are cheese lovers, and we have developed a fondness for English Stilton. We were buying it at Trader Joe’s since good Stilton was not available in Blue Island. We promised Stefanelli’s that if they brought in Stilton we would buy it, not the whole wheel at once, but eventually we would take it all. I’m happy to say that for six weeks we have been buying and enjoying our private stash of Stilton, and now I hear reports that someone else is starting to buy it too. All I have to say is; HANDS OFF OUR STILTON! Luckily, Joe Stefanelli has assured me that he will keep the supply coming.
Last but not least, if you missed the Cinco de Mayo festival in the park at York & Western, you missed some great music and equally great food. On behalf of the merchants and restaurants that set up, I would like to thank Ruth Sheahan and the Chamber of Commerce for their help, the City of Blue Island for their support, and the FORUM newspaper for the ad.

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

St.Francis Hospital

I have lived in Blue Island, IL for most of my adult life. Blue Island is a beautiful city reminiscent of small town communities across the country. It was built on a very human scale, meaning that most residents can walk to the business district and indeed to almost any part of the city within twenty minutes. Groceries, medical services, restaurants, and other everyday needs are always just a few blocks away.
Twenty eight years ago, when we first moved here, the city was a thriving community with an active business district. Over the years we have witnessed the fall and rebirth and faltering again of the uptown business district, the increasing decay of our infrastructure, and the slow degeneration of our industrial base.
The announced closing of St. Francis Hospital has come as a huge blow to the residents of Blue Island. Some argue that it will make no difference to the city since St. Francis Hospital is a not-for-profit organization and does not pay real estate tax. Some say that the impact of losing over 1400 jobs will be minimal because there is a great demand for medical professionals of all kinds, and these people will easily find other employment. There are other hospitals in the area, although it’s clear that none are as convenient not only to our residents, but also to many of the surrounding cities and towns. However, the psychological impact of the closing and the effect on other local business is immeasurable. In a struggling city, the closing of yet another major employer is disheartening, and the uptown restaurants and stores will be losing a profitable source of business. As a business owner I realize that none of the above is a sound financial reason to keep an unprofitable hospital open.
Residents are concerned that many doctors who have offices in our city will close these offices in order to move closer to another hospital. The closing of the hospital will no doubt result in an increased strain on other nearby hospitals, and a general decrease in the quality of healthcare in the south suburban area. The increased travel time and expense to the next closest hospital will no doubt result in an increased loss of life. The ultimate cost of the closing of the hospital will be much greater than the $20 million a year that the hospital is said to be losing.
The long term solution will be difficult. However, if a long term solution is not found, St. Francis Hospital will be another casualty in the ongoing national health care crisis, as will the people who have depended on St. Francis to provide quality medical care.
The fact that everyone, from the janitors at St. Francis, to the doctors, to myself, to my neighbors and neighboring businesses, to the mayor of Blue Island, and the local Representatives and Congressmen, was blind sided by this announcement is a testament to our lack of community. How was it that no one knew what was about to happen?
People have mocked me when I mourned the closing of some mom and pop business on Western Avenue, but it’s not funny anymore. It’s no longer just one family needing to find another source of income. For the 1400 employees facing the possible loss of their jobs, and for the city of Blue Island as a whole, the closing of the hospital borders on catastrophe.
I will not suggest that we each donate $5.00 to St. Francis. That would be ridiculous. I ask that we each do what we are able to do. Call, write, and e-mail your local officials, your Representatives and Congressmen, St. Francis Hospital, the Sisters of Saint Mary, and the Archdiocese of Chicago. We must all fight not only for the hospital, but for our city as well.
Let me ask you this: What are you prepared to do?

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

What comes first?

Whenever I am met by a thought or opinion that differs from my own, I immediately suffer from brain freeze. As you might imagine, this has not served me well. Once, in kindergarten, a schoolmate said “Your brother is a moron” and my snappy rejoinder was “So?” which, if nothing else, made me look like I supported that position, which I did not. A few years later, when another child hurled an insult at me, my potentially fatal reply was “You wanna make something of it?”, not realizing that I was about to be pummeled in the school parking lot. I learned to keep my knee-jerk reactions to myself after that episode, but this technique also has limited success. My silence is often misinterpreted as apathy, anger, agreement, disinterest, defiance or any number of other responses, depending on what reaction the other person is expecting from me.
I was grateful then, after reading the last issue of the FORUM, that I had a few days think about some of the things that had been written. Two letters were published, with two very different tones. One was measured and thoughtful; the other was angry and accusatory. I read and re-read the letters, waited for the impact of what was being said, and tried to view them objectively.
What I finally realized is that Tom Hawley, Gus Fuller, and I are all asking for the same thing, just from different points of view. What we all want is a better city, more involvement by the community, and a better business district. We are looking at the same problem through the filters of our own personal experiences.
I have been asking residents to spend their money locally. $5.00 is an arbitrary amount, picked by me because it is a non-threatening sum. My initial challenge was this: “Take $5.00 and visit a business that you think has nothing you want. Introduce yourself and buy something you can use....” It is my hope that if people do this, they will become more aware of what’s available here in Blue Island. It would be a manageable step toward being more involved in our community.
Tom Hawley is asking businesses to be more aware of the time constraints that working residents have. I have to agree that the business hours kept by most of the businesses in town are difficult to explain. It is equally difficult for the businesses to determine what would be a good time to be open. We can sit with the doors open, lights and heat on, during peak shopping hours, and not a soul wanders in. Conversely, if we stop by the shop at some odd hour of the night or day, invariably someone sees us and comes rushing over to shop.
Gus Fuller is asking that residents demand more from our elected officials. He would like to see a more aggressive stance toward recruiting and maintaining better businesses for our business district. Perhaps he is unaware of the efforts that have been made over the years. Even the ubiquitous Starbucks Coffee is not interested.
What comes first, the chicken or the egg? Do customers willing to spend money in Blue Island bring in better businesses and compel them to be open longer? Do businesses with better hours bring in better customers who spend more money? Does a city government with a strong business recruiting mindset bring in more customers and better businesses?
In my opinion, all of these are necessary; none will succeed without the others. It’s like a great symphony, where the piece only sounds right if all the instruments are played well. I will continue to play my part, and improve where I am able. We can only ask that everyone else do the same.

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

Real Businesses

I thought that I had the article for this issue written, and then a man I had never met before came into the store. He started by telling me that his mother was coming into town from Canada. He was looking for places to take her; shopping, restaurants, the sort of thing you do with guests from out of town. He moved here last summer, and really liked living in Blue Island. We talked a while, and then he made an interesting comment. He said, “Some of the businesses on Western seem to be playing at being a business.” He mentioned the odd hours some places have and the non-opening during regular posted business hours. It seemed to him that many places in town are not real businesses. It’s almost as if we are just hobby businesses.
It reminded me of a conversation that I had with a fellow business owner just a few days before. He told me that for years he felt that he had only been playing at being a business, but finally, and with a few changes, things had picked up and now he felt that he had a real business. He has left his other job, the one that had truly been supporting his business, and is now counting on his Blue Island business to support him.
I had been turning this conversation over in my head for a few days already when the aforementioned man came in. I know that many business owners on Western have other jobs. In our case, either my husband or I at one time or another are working at some other job to keep our cash flow moving. The fact that so many businessmen in this city need to work other jobs puts our uptown business district at a disadvantage. If you hire help to cover your business while you are working, you can never be sure that they are taking care of your customers the way that you would. If you close your business while you are working elsewhere then people inevitably come when you are closed. Either way you lose customers. Of course, like many things in life, it comes down to money. But it also comes down to awareness.
The businessman I talked with had become aware that he was not attracting the number of customers he needed for his business to thrive. He told me that if he just had maybe 10 more customers that would frequent his place that he could make it. He made some changes that worked, and now he has those customers and then some. I know that all business owners are constantly becoming aware of problems and are fine tuning their business every chance they get.
The other side of the coin is the residents of our community. We all need to fine tune our awareness of what’s available in Blue Island. I still get complaints (another one this past week) that there’s no place to buy a greeting card, and when I mentioned a few other stores that carry them, the response was, “I never thought of them.”
A woman complained that the Jewel is too expensive, and when I brought up the suggestion that she shop at the Hispanic grocery stores she replied, “I don’t like Mexican food.” For anyone who has never ventured into one of our city’s Hispanic grocers, let me tell you that there is a lot more in there than refried beans and chilies. Milk, bread, butter, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables, and a butcher are all waiting right inside, and many times for less money than the chain stores are charging. Don’t be afraid to go in.
As a community we need to become more aware of the businesses that surround us, and what they offer. If we continue in our efforts to support the existing businesses on an ongoing basis, then money becomes less of a problem, and more of our businesses will be able to operate in true business fashion.

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

Share the Love

There is a familiar saying “Everyone brings happiness here...some by entering, some by leaving”. Patty Wanninger, the Director of the Blue Island Public Library has left us. Patty was a wonderful director and a Blue Island booster and from the very beginning brought me happiness. I was sorry to see her go, but family called her back home to her former state of Wisconsin.
I attended her farewell luncheon and while I was there I ran into a fellow business owner. After we had eaten, he stood up and made a short speech about the wonderful things Patty had done, which are many. One thing he mentioned has stuck with me and I’ve been thinking about it. He said that often, when Patty was on her lunch break, she would stop in just to say hello. His business is not the type that you can stop in and spend $5.00 every now and then. In fact, the average resident may only visit this business once or twice in a lifetime. Many of his customers are able to do business by phone. He was touched that Patty made the effort to spend just a few minutes chatting every now and then.
As a business owner, I have days when I might see very few people, or even none at all what with the winter snow the way it has been. On a day like that it would be wonderful to have someone stop in just to talk for a few minutes. It brightens your day to think that someone cared enough to visit, even if they weren’t going to buy something.
Patty had a way of sharing her love of Blue Island with everyone around her. We all could take a page from her book. Some of us say “I love Blue Island” and then fail to demonstrate it. So even if you’re not prepared to spend $5.00 you might think about stopping in a few places just to say hello.
By the way, my friend Richard Wiseman wrote a letter to the editor asking businesses to please shovel a foot path through the snow banks to provide easy access for older pedestrians. I have to add to this by asking drivers to take care not to park across the foot paths that are shoveled out. Stop and consider for a moment that it may be your grandmother who has to climb the snow bank.
One last thing. The Forum Newspaper is the only newspaper that we have in Blue Island. It is the only independent source from which we can get our local news. Their funding is from advertisers and donations. So I’m making a personal appeal to you to share the love and send the Forum a note of thanks, and it wouldn’t hurt if you included a donation. A mere $5.00 from each adult would end up being a donation of $50,000.00, and I know that it would be greatly appreciated.

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

Big Money

You might not have noticed. I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t. Not at first anyway. Another Blue Island business has closed on Western Avenue. I had only been in there once or twice and it wasn’t a regular stop for me. There are roughly 100 businesses on Western between 127th Street and Grove, so if one closes here or there it’s easy not to notice. But you can’t help but notice the cumulative result. There are a lot of vacant buildings in the Uptown area, and the number is increasing.
Any business, big or small, good, bad or indifferent cannot stay open if they are not making money. And new businesses are reluctant to move into a community where other businesses are closing due to lack of support by the local citizens.
The question is “What can we do?” Let me start by telling you about a woman who visited me. I’ll call her Katherine. Katherine stopped in the other day to discuss my writings to the Forum newspaper. She wanted to know why there are no good grocery stores in Blue Island. She doesn’t like Jewel and apparently feels that she has been mistreated at the independent grocery stores that are here. She told me that she couldn’t find a reasonably priced hairdresser that she was happy with. She told me that there’s no place to buy a greeting card. “How can I spend money here when there is no place to spend it? When are they going to open some good stores?”
I was talking to another business owner who told me that “There is nothing us little guys can do. We need some big money business to move into Blue Island before things will get better. Until they do that the little guy is just marking time.”
The thing is that there is no magical THEY. There is only us. So, what can we do? A successful business district is really a partnership between the business owners and the citizenry. We have to be willing to work with each other or nothing improves.
So let’s start with Katherine. I don’t know where she is buying her groceries now, but she should go back to the stores she’s been in and try again. One grocery store she’s only visited once, and didn’t like the way she was treated. Maybe it was a really bad day for the business owner or the clerk who waited on her. I don’t say that as an excuse, but it does happen. Try again, and if things haven’t improved, then a complaint is in order. The same is true of the hairdresser; if you don’t like the haircut, speak up. Picking a greeting card is a highly personal thing, but there are several places in Blue Island that carry them.
On the part of the business owners, there are things we can do. Number one is treating our customers well, and listening to complaints with an open mind. We can improve. It is easier to keep an old customer than to find a new one, and that is where our attention should be focused. The owner of the grocery where that woman visited probably doesn’t realize that a customer was lost through a careless word, or act of neglect. All customers are created equal and should be treated that way.
As far as big money is concerned, make no mistake, there is already big money in Blue Island. With an average per capita income of $16,000 and 23,000 people we have an income of $368,000,000 a year.* We just don’t spend it here. We’re spending it in Crestwood, or in Chicago, or who knows where. If we want to see a better uptown business district then there are things we need to do. Talk to the business owners, and tell them what you want. Visit a business you have not been into before. The business owners can try new products and see how they are received. Explore new vendors, be open to customers suggestions. Last, but not least, spend your $5.00 in Blue Island today.

Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

*These figures are rounded. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Island,_Illinois

A New Year, a New Beginning

There seems to be some concern about whether or not spending money at Walgreens or Jewel is as beneficial to Blue Island as spending money at the independent stores. Let me answer this question. If you spend $100.00 on groceries at Jewel it provides many benefits to the city. Some of my own neighbors are employed at both Walgreens and Jewel, and so it contributes to overall employment and I’m all for a fully employed city. And, the tax dollars collected are distributed the same no matter where you spend your money as long as you spend it in Blue Island. However, if you feel that you have fulfilled your desire to support the city by spending $100.00 on groceries or prescriptions and stop there it won’t be long before the only businesses in town will be Walgreens and Jewel.
It was back in August that my first letter to the Forum was published. At that time, I urged people to spend $5.00 a day in the uptown area. I asked people to visit stores that they hadn’t been in before. Explore your neighborhood. If you have always bought your groceries at Jewel and always eat breakfast at DeMar’s the money that you spend there helps the city, but not in the way I was describing. I’m asking for an investment of $5.00 a day that you would have ordinarily spent elsewhere. Find a way to buy the other things you need somewhere in Blue Island.
So how did we do in 2007? The results are mixed. Some businesses did very well, and others did not. Our own Christmas sales from Blue Island customers were up a whopping 46.5% over last year. What I say to that is WOW! Followed by thank you, thank you, thank you! That is an incredible increase, and it makes me realize that many of you made a concerted effort to shop Blue Island, and to shop our store. This allowed me to bring in part-time help when I needed it the most. Thank you again to everyone that went out of their way to shop here.
It bothers me that other businesses did not do as well. We all should have experienced similar increases. It may be that because I have been writing, people feel that they know me and feel comfortable coming in, but I can tell you this: Walk into any business on Western and say “I’m here to spend my $5.00!” and you will be greeted with a smile, a handshake, or a hug.
This is the time of year when we all want to stay home and stay warm, and for that exact reason this is the time of year when most businesses are slow. People avoid going out and only do the things that are necessary. This is also when those Christmas bills come in and we are in shock. Nevertheless, I urge you to get out this month. Pick a warmer day and check out the uptown area. If you usually stop in at County Fair for a few of your groceries, try visiting Stefanelli and Sons or El Ranchito. Need a haircut? There are several hairdressers and barbers here, no need to go to BoRics.
We are at the beginning of a brand new year. Let’s make it a good one for ourselves, for the businesses, and for the city. Here is the math for the coming year. Approximately 10,000 adults live here. At $5.00 a day spent by each one, that would be an investment of $50,000.00 a day, $350,000.00 a week, $1,500,000.00 a month, and $18,250,000.00 by the end of this year. That type of investment would be huge. The city would be thriving. Let me ask you this; where do you spend your money?

Look for me on Western, with a fiver in my hand!
Candace Carr
CARR home-garden-holiday

The Season of Giving

Commercials at Christmastime are very troubling. They make us overspend and/or feel inadequate. You haven’t bought your wife that Christmas Lexus? You haven’t picked up that Cadillac your husband’s been eyeing? Only two days left to pick up that monster T.V. or buy your teenagers the cell phone of their dreams!
Worse than these however, are the commercials that make us believe that we are doing something that we are not. You’ve seen the commercial in which people are happily prancing through a door with little 5% bull’s-eyes floating over their heads. It’s a Target commercial, and in it they tell us that 5% of their net profits are given back to the community. It makes you feel good about shopping there. You can think “5% is going back to my community”, as you pay at the check-out. But be warned, net profit is what is left after a company pays out all of its expenses. Not 5% of what you’ve spent, but 5% of the profit that they made from that sale. For my purposes I’m going to call this contributing off the bottom. Giving from what’s left over.
Most of the business owners I know here contribute money off the top. They may or may not decide to contribute to your particular cause, but they don’t go to their accountant to find out what’s left over that they can give. They give without considering the bottom line. I got curious. I e-mailed Target asking how much they have given back to Blue Island. This is the response that I received “I'm sorry for any disappointment, but we don't distribute a list of organizations who receive Target grants.” So I started calling around various organizations in town, trying to find out if any of them had received grants. I did find one. Then, oddly enough, I was at Target the other day, and they have a list of grant recipients posted by the bathrooms. According to that list they have contributed a little over $1000.00 to educational facilities in our city. However, they did not list the one place that I talked to. Giving Target the benefit of the doubt, (they might have contributed to other places they did not list at the store) I’m going to say that they have contributed maybe $3000.00 to Blue Island. I think our business is fairly typical. We have contributed to School Districts 130 and 218, the Fourth of July fireworks, the Blue Island Park District, the Blue Island Library, Blue Cap, the Blue Island Historical Society, Main Street Blue Island, St. Francis Hospital, the Blue Island Chamber of Commerce, and Neighborhood Watch Group #37. The amount donated will be over $1000.00 by the end of the year, one third of what Target may have donated and that does not include the tickets for spaghetti suppers, pancake breakfasts, raffles, Girl Scout cookies, and school fund raisers. What does this mean to you? The percentage of your money that is given back to the community is far greater when you shop your local businesses. So next time you spend $5.00 in a neighborhood store, you can think “I’m contributing to my community” and it will be a lot more than a percentage of somebody’s net profit. On top of that, 1% of your purchase is given back to Blue Island in the form of sales tax. Let me ask you this: Where do you spend your money, and is it truly helping your community? Candace Carr CARR home-garden-holiday
P.S. In 2008, we are allowing our customers to determine where we invest our donations in the community. When you shop with us, please let us know which organization you would like us to support.

Think locally, act locally

I recently ran into a customer at a Blue Island Park District event and she confided that since she started reading my articles, she feels guilty if she spends money outside Blue Island. She has begun to stop and think about whether or not she can find what she needs right here at home. Another person that I explained the spend $5.00 a day in Blue Island theory to remarked that it reminded her of Rudy Giuliani’s speech after 9/11 in which he urged New Yorkers to get out and shop as if nothing had ever happened.
It is not my intention to make people feel guilty. I know that many things are not available here, so if you have to shop elsewhere for what you need, then do it, guilt free. And I certainly don’t advocate shopping just for the sake of shopping. That is irresponsible. What I am trying to say is that like my customer mentioned above, we should think before we shop. Is what we want available here, or might it be if we looked around?
Many people I know, including myself, make trips out to Trader Joe’s in Orland Park because they have very unusual, hard to find, and delicious foods. Not to mention the fabulous two-buck-chuck wine. I’ve been taking a closer look around Blue Island and I think we may have Trader Joe’s beat.
At Stefanelli and Sons, 13012 Western, you can find wonderful homemade pumpkin ravioli in the frozen food section for $4.95.
At Iversen’s Bakery, 12948 Western, try the Chocolate Pecan Delight cake for $5.50.
If you were disappointed in the flavor of your Thanksgiving turkey, try ordering a fresh turkey for Christmas from The Corner Store, 12458 Maple. They get their turkeys from Ho-Ka Farms and they have the flavor you remember from years past. Ho-Ka only sells to independent grocery stores, so you won’t find them just anywhere. As an added bonus, Ho-Ka Farms is right here in Illinois so you are supporting local economy twice!
Dieting? Pick up a can of Dolores brand tuna with vegetables for $1.29 at Joe’s Fruit Market, 12958 Western. It adds just the variety you may be looking for.
All of these places are less than a mile apart, so think of the gas you’re saving. For the average person in Blue Island, Trader Joe’s is about 23 miles round trip. That’s roughly a gallon gas, or about $3.00. Not to mention your time. Might I suggest that you take that $3.00, add it to the $2.99 for a bottle of two-buck-chuck, and buy yourself a nicer bottle of wine from Korbakes Wine & Liquors, 12747 Western, Miska’s Liquor Store, 12435 Western, or Stefanelli and Sons, as mentioned above.
If you’re looking for a quicker and easier way to spend your $5.00 today, stop at one of the following stores and buy a chance on a gift basket. Proceeds benefit the Forum newspaper, which is delivered FREE to every address in Blue Island.
Back in Action Wellness Center – 12757 S Western Avenue
CARR home-garden-holiday – 13114 S Western Avenue
Complete Tranquility Salon & Spa – 2824 W 127th Street
D’Masti Catering Inc. – 11915 S Western Avenue
El Ranchito Produce, Meat & Grocery – 12742 S Western Avenue
Flowers by Cathé – 13022 S Western Avenue
Iversen’s Bakery – 12948 S Western Avenue
Jebens Hardware – 13311 S Olde Western Avenue
Korbakes Wine & Liquors – 12747 S Western Avenue

I’ll see you on Western,
Candace Carr

To the Merchants

Just the other day we visited PetSmart, looking for aquarium gravel. The type we needed was out of stock, although it is not unusual. We asked when they would be getting more and were told “We get deliveries every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.” We returned a week later and found that there was still no gravel. We asked for the manager, who informed us that the gravel was ordered by computer, and she would have to check when it was due. Ten minutes later she returned and told us that it showed on a plan-o-gram for delivery in two weeks, they have little control over their stock.
This got me thinking about big business vs. small business. It seems that big business would have all the advantages; money, corporate support, a team of strategists. Certainly, there must be advantages for us small business owners to take advantage of. I turned this over in mind for awhile and came up with these three advantages we have over big stores.
We have windows.
We know our customers.
We are able to order in small quantities.
We have windows. The big box stores are called that because from the outside they just look like big boxes. No one stops to window shop when they go to Kohl’s or Target or Walmart. Window shopping used to be a national pastime. As merchants, we can help beautify our downtown area, increase foot traffic, and improve our own sales by keeping up our windows.
We know our customers. When was the last time you walked into Menard’s and someone said, “Hi, Bill! How are you? How’s that new car?” Um....maybe never? The big stores don’t know you and couldn’t possibly know everyone that walked through the door. Even my 13 year old granddaughter can see that they aren’t very welcoming, even if they do hand you a shopping cart. No one is fooled when they check the name on your credit card and then say, “Thank you for shopping at our K-Mart, Mrs. Smith.”
We are able to order in small quantities. Back to PetSmart. No doubt they have to wait until the order is large enough to bring in a truckload of aquarium gravel. That’s the only way to keep their prices down. That’s why our prices are a little higher, but our flexibility can’t be beat. If we need an item, we can probably order 6 or 12 or maybe even only one. If Target wants to test market an item they probably have to order at least 1,000 so that they can gauge public interest. We can order a dozen or two and figure out pretty fast if it’s an item that will work for us.
We have a lot of other advantages. We don’t have to wait for an executive decision, or a committee, or the purchasing department. A small business consultant once told me, “Small businesses can turn on a dime. Turning a big business is like trying to turn an ocean liner.”
Let’s use our advantages to better our city, create a welcoming atmosphere, and offer a wider variety of products to our customers.

We the People....

Many people have suggested that somebody start a program based on the $5.00 a day theory. They think that Main Street, or the Chamber of Commerce, or the City of Blue Island should get all the businesses involved. I think that these people are missing the point, which is that the we, the people of Blue Island, are the ones who have to spend their $5.00 a day.

If I may quote from my original letter:

“I have an idea to help revitalize the downtown business district. This idea does not involve any additional meetings, we do not need a committee, and we do not need a fundraiser, a permit, or approval from anyone.

Ask yourself “How much money do I spend each day?” Now ask yourself “How much of that do I spend on Western Avenue?”

I challenge each of us to spend an average of $5.00 a day in the downtown area. Take $5.00 and visit a business that you think has nothing you want. Introduce yourself and buy something you can use; a chocolate bar, a bar of soap, a can of tuna, salt & pepper shakers, a cold beer, a belt, a purse, a tire gauge.”

I know that the Chamber of Commerce is working on a program to involve the citizens and the businesses, and I am grateful that something is being done. My greatest fear is that we, the people of Blue Island, will immediately become complacent, believing that “the Chamber has everything under control”. So let me make this perfectly clear: the Chamber of Commerce, or Main Street, or the City of Blue Island is not going to spend your $5.00 a day. You have to do that yourself.

A woman stopped in and told me that she had read an article which stated that 45% of the money you spend in a town stays in that town. I believe it. I checked to see how the money we take in is spent, and I would say that we are slightly above that percentage. The rest of it is scattered around the country and around the world. If you ever wished you lived in a wealthier neighborhood, all you have to do is spend your money in Blue Island. If you spend $100.00 in Chicago, Alsip, Homewood, or Crestwood you are taking $45.00 directly out of Blue Island and investing that in some other town.

People are coming in from all over; a lady from Wilmington, and another from Palos, and another from Midlothian. A man came from the north side of Chicago, and even a woman from Iowa. They all want to know how the $5.00 a day thing is going. I don’t really know how it’s going, it’s too early to tell, but now I know that people are watching, and I want you, the people of Blue Island to know that people are watching. They say that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but I am hoping that what’s happening in Blue Island the whole world will see, stand up, and applaud. It is up to us, we the people of Blue Island.

When you care enough.....

I felt very guilty. I was sure that someone would recognize me and then the ugly truth would be out. I’ll confess right here and now; I was shopping at Kohl’s. I bought a set of fluffy bath towels, some underwear, and a pair of pajamas. I hate to admit it, but not everything is available in Blue Island. We don’t have a bead shop, a toy store, a bike shop, or a shoe store (other than orthopedic). So if you’re thinking of opening a business here there are lots of opportunities. How about a bath/bed spa store, with thick towels and robes and pajamas that you want to live in? I didn’t think you could buy a Monopoly game nearby, but was surprised when I called Walgreens and was told that yes, they did have them. Things are available in places we don’t think of.
It has happened more than once that a customer will be standing less than 10 feet from our two spinners of greeting cards and lament that there is no place in Blue Island other than Walgreens to buy a card. In these busy lives of ours we sometimes fail to take off the blinders and look around us. So let me help. Many stores in Blue Island carry greeting cards, and this is a great way to spend your $5.00. If you stop in and buy two or three cards you’ve spent your money.**
The following Blue Island stores sell greeting cards
Flowers by Cathe at13022 Western
Flowers by Bartle at 12755 Western
Jewel-Osco at 2320 Burr Oak Ave
Walgreens at 12625 Western
Family Dollar at 3026 Burr Oak Ave
Family Dollar Stores at 2418 Vermont
Dollar Express at 2355 Vermont
Dollar Mania at 12112 Western
Three Sisters Antiques at 13042 Western
Vermont Antiques at 2403 Vermont
Lillian’s Antiques at 13035 Western
Carr home-garden-holiday at 13114 Western
The Corner Store at 12458 Maple
Many of these stores carry cards in English and Spanish, and the antique stores often carry both new and antique cards.
I’m positive that there are others that I haven’t listed. Call me and I’ll list you next time. It seems the city is awash in greeting cards, so think Blue Island first. There is probably a store you could walk to and buy the card you need.
One more thing. The customer in line ahead of me at Kohl’s spent $235.00. As the checker was packing the purchases it occurred to me that the customer probably didn’t need all that stuff. I didn’t need the pajamas either, but I saw them and liked them, and oh....what the heck. Wouldn’t it be great if we could adopt that attitude when shopping in our own community? Why do we tend to be so stingy with our own merchants, and gladly open our wallets for the big box stores? Let me suggest this: Next time you need a greeting card, go to one of the above businesses, and while you’re there think “what the heck” and buy yourself something extra. A couple of flowers, a candy bar, some trinket, that pair of antique earrings, an extra can of hash. Not only does it feel good to treat yourself, it helps our community on many levels.

**Approximately 10,000 adults live here. If each of them spent an average of $5.00 a day in Blue Island in a store that they usually don’t visit, that would be $50,000.00 a day, $350,000.00 a week, $1,500,000.00 a month, and $7,500,000.00 by the end of this year. That type of investment would be huge. The city would be thriving.

Your tax dollars at work.

People continue to stop in and share their shopping adventures. A burly gentleman stopped in just to let me know that he ordered new tires from a local repair shop after reading my article. A very sweet mature woman came in because she realized that it had been awhile since she spent money uptown. Another woman came in to let me know that she spends almost all her money in Blue Island, and outlined for me where she buys her groceries, gets her hair cut, etc. Yes! I love it!
I love this city. Really, I do. I walk to work most days and I see a lot of it on my travels. It’s a wonderful place and the people are friendly. Really. At least to me. The other day while walking home I noticed the street repairs in progress and also, in some areas, the lack thereof. I have walked down quite a few alleys too, and I know that many are in a state of disrepair. My own alley gathers water every time it rains, and becomes nearly impassable by foot, which is important to me because I walk.
Citizens have been complaining a lot lately about the poor condition of our streets. They say that they’ve talked to their alderman and yet nothing gets done. In the August 16th edition of the Chicago Tribune, and in our own Forum, it was reported that two of the bridges in Blue Island have been closed to truck and school bus traffic because they are structurally deficient. It will cost us $2 million to have them repaired. Your alderman does not reach into their pocket and pull out money for street repairs, and I’m not suggesting that they should. Improvements and repairs to our city and its infrastructure depend on tax dollars. Some of that is sales tax dollars. Ruth Sheahan, Director of the Blue Island Chamber of Commerce, recently reported that Blue Island’s annual share of sales tax revenue is roughly $1.6 million. If all of that money were available for street repair it still would not cover the cost of the bridges.
The cost of gas is on everyone’s mind these days. I know people who buy their gas outside our community because it’s a penny cheaper per gallon. In a large vehicle with a 30 gallon gas tank, that represents a savings of 30¢. If that gas is purchased outside Blue Island at the rate of $3.09 a gallon, it represents missed revenue of approximately 90¢ to the city. What does 30¢ mean to the average person? Very little if anything. What does 90¢ per vehicle a week mean to the city? Roughly $468,000 a year. Every time we drive to Crestwood or Alsip or Evergreen Park or Chicago and spend our money there, we are contributing to the repair and improvement of their streets and in doing so we are contributing to the detriment and disrepair of ours. It is our own fault. Be kind to your city; keep your tax dollars at home as much as possible.
The following gas stations are located in Blue Island
Clark at 12932 Ashland
Citgo at 12548 Western
Citgo at 127th and Kedzie
Speedway at 5320 127th Street
Thornton’s at 12052 Western
I took this list out of the phone book, there may be others.
Let me ask you this: Where do spend your tax dollars?

Overcoming objections

Since the appearance of my previous letter in the Forum, I have received a lot of feed back from the community. Some of it is touching. I heard a story of one woman who had moved away several years ago and then recently moved back. She has been disappointed by the city and the attitudes of the people. When she read my letter she felt that at least there is hope for us. Some of it is quite funny. People call and tell me of their shopping adventures, or they stop me on the street, point to a bag, and let me know that they spent $6.00. Some of it is dutiful. People come in to my store and announce that they are here to spend their $5.00; and believe me, it is appreciated. I applaud you all, this is what I’m talking about.
However, two comments have surprised me, and since they were made by people who purportedly are working for the betterment of our downtown I was flabbergasted. The first one was “I’m certainly not going to buy something I don’t need.” and the second was “Some of these stores don’t deserve our business.”
After hearing the first comment I was alarmed! Had I inadvertently suggested that citizens squander their hard earned money needlessly on Western Avenue? I looked back on what I had written. No, I had not, and I quote, “Take $5.00 and visit a business that you think has nothing you want. Introduce yourself and buy something you can use.” The question of need is a relative one anyway. For instance, I don’t need those beers or those chocolate bars, but I buy them because I feel like it. I’m not recommending that you spend your money on unnecessary plastic objects. The stores on Western have good, useful things, and also things you may just feel like buying because they’re cool or delicious.
In regard to the second comment: After further inquiry, I discovered that the reason that the person felt that certain stores did not deserve our business, is that they are dirty, disorganized, unfriendly, they don’t keep regular hours, etc., etc., etc. Before you jump all over me, let me say this: I know all about Store X, and how dreadful it was. They are closed now and we have another vacant storefront. There is a store that people complained made Western Avenue look like Maxwell Street. They are closing also and we will have another vacant storefront. Is this what we want for our city? Being a small business owner is like being a single mother of quintuplets; you do everything yourself. Bookkeeping, buying, customer service, maintenance, advertising, the list goes on and on. Many of us cannot afford to hire help, and we do the best we can. So forgive us if the windows are dirty, or there are packing peanuts on the floor. I think I speak for 99% of us when I say that we would do better if we could. We would hire help, or hire more help. It all comes down to money, really; just like most everything else in life. That $7.5 million is looking awfully good, so let me ask you again; Where do you spend your money?
Just for clarification, in case you missed my last letter, here is a portion of that: Approximately 10,000 adults live here. (If each of them spent an average of ) $5.00 a day (on Western Avenue), that would be $50,000.00 a day, $350,000.00 a week, $1,500,000.00 a month, and $7,500,000.00 by the end of this year. That type of investment would be huge. The city would be thriving.

Blue Island on $5.00 a day

I recently read the following challenge at a Main Street Blue Island board meeting, and it was suggested that I send it to the Forum to also challenge our residents.
"I would like to start by reading the Main Street mission statement:
Main Street Blue Island is a volunteer based not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening downtown businesses, creating an inviting physical environment, and attracting residents and visitors to historic downtown Blue Island.
I feel that we have done an excellent job creating an inviting physical environment; we have the planters and we have people who constantly work on façades and signage. The Pro-Am bike race and the Christmas Light Parade are proof that we are putting forth a tremendous effort in attracting residents and visitors to the historic downtown. It is the first mandate where we seem to be lacking. We are to be "dedicated to strengthening downtown businesses."
I recently spoke to a business owner who told me that their total receipts for the month of July so far are $78.00. How much longer can they remain open? Soon there will be another vacant store front on Western Avenue. Is this what we’re working for? What can we do? We are to be "dedicated to strengthening downtown businesses."
I have an idea to help revitalize the downtown business district. This idea does not involve any additional meetings, we do not need a committee, and we do not need a fundraiser, a permit, or approval from anyone.
Ask yourself "How much money do I spend each day?" Now ask yourself "How much of that do I spend on Western Avenue?"
I challenge each of us to spend an average of $5.00 a day in the downtown area. Take $5.00 and visit a business that you think has nothing you want. Introduce yourself and buy something you can use; a chocolate bar, a bar of soap, a can of tuna, salt & pepper shakers, a cold beer, a belt, a purse, a tire gauge.
There are 19 board members, a director, and a secretary here at Main Street. If we each made a commitment to do this we would be investing $105.00 a day, $735.00 a week, $3160.00 a month. By the end of the year we would have invested $15,800.00 towards strengthening downtown businesses.
Many of the businesses I talk to feel that when they give money to Main Street there is little or no return on their investment. What would the return on our investment be? I can only speak from personal experience. I’ve met new people that I would not otherwise have met. I’ve gotten a few hugs. I’ve eaten better peaches than I could find at the major grocery stores. I have a candle, a bar of soap, and salt & pepper shakers. I’ve had a few cold beers and a sausage sandwich. I have a new purse and a new hair cut. I also have a better understanding of what is happening in our business district."
I would like to add the following, addressed to residents of our fair city:
I frequently talk to people who speak poetically of the old days when Klein’s was here, Tots and Teens, the Mayfair, and other stores, and restaurants that they loved. I’m actually old enough to remember when. Some of these places may have closed because the owners retired, or moved; but the biggest reason that businesses close is that the neighborhood does not support them. And so, I challenge each of us to spend an average of $5.00 a day at a Blue Island business. Visit places you’ve never been in. Introduce yourself. This is how a sense of community is formed. This is how a thriving downtown is formed.
If I may, allow me to do the math once more, based on our population. Approximately 10,000 adults live here. At $5.00 a day, that would be $50,000.00 a day, $350,000.00 a week, $1,500,000.00 a month, and $7,500,000.00 by the end of this year. That type of investment would be huge. The city would be thriving. Most anything you need is available here, and if it’s not, I can guarantee that some shop owner will get it for you. Let me ask you this; where do you spend your money?