The Brick Cafe

[ClassicalLib17]

I went shopping this afternoon at the downtown Ace hardware, and on my way home decided that I had a taste for a brownie, or two, and a cup of coffee. So, I stopped at the Brick Cafe to satisy my desire and was told they are closed and won't be opening anymore. They didn't last very long. I wonder why? So, I then drove to the greentown tavern for the next best thing, BEER. As I was talking to the bartender I happened to mention the closing of The Brick and she told me that they have pastries there, which came from The Brick. Two kahlua brownies and two heinekens later, my craving was satisfied. I would have never guessed how well chocolate brownies go with beer. Go figure. Sad to see another downtown business fold.

[Danno]

It would not have been very difficult to predict their future from the first day they opened. There are things that will work in the downtown and things that won't work in the downtown. It should be in the city's best interest to figure out what enterprises will work and which won't but they aren't doing a very good job at it.

[Dennis_Ista]

Maybe holding a market research under a slice of the populace to ask what they would like to see in the Downtown area, so the planning department can plan according to the wishes of the populace?

A questionaire to be filled in by <person> for the development of the Downtown Area.

1. What would you like to see in the Downtown Area?
2. Would you like to have more Eateries/BArs in the Downtown Area?
3. Would you like to have more places of venue in the downtown area?
If Yes, please state which venues you would like to have.
4. If interested, would you like to assist in keeping the Downtown Area clean by donating an hour per week?
5. Should there be more Green Spots (parks etc.) in the Downtown Area
6. If interested and you are a landscaper, would you like to assist in tending the Green Spots (parks etc.) in the Downtown Area by donating an hour a week?

Something like this would be a good start, so the local government can see what the people want.
And react according to it!

[TeacherThoughts]

I passed by this morning and it was open! Signs on the door stated a 50% on books so maybe they are going out! But they were open.

[Danno]

Maybe holding a market research under a slice of the populace to ask what they would like to see in the Downtown area, so the planning department can plan according to the wishes of the populace?

A questionaire to be filled in by <person> for the development of the Downtown Area.

1. What would you like to see in the Downtown Area?
2. Would you like to have more Eateries/BArs in the Downtown Area?
3. Would you like to have more places of venue in the downtown area?
If Yes, please state which venues you would like to have.
4. If interested, would you like to assist in keeping the Downtown Area clean by donating an hour per week?
5. Should there be more Green Spots (parks etc.) in the Downtown Area
6. If interested and you are a landscaper, would you like to assist in tending the Green Spots (parks etc.) in the Downtown Area by donating an hour a week?

Something like this would be a good start, so the local government can see what the people want.
And react according to it!

I'm sorry Dennis but that wouldn't work very well. What a few people want in the downtown area and what would work are two very different things.

The marketplace will decide what works and what doesn't. People wanted a book store downtown. The Brick was a bookstore. The marketplace decided that would not work.

What we need are UOPE's.... Urban Oriented Pioneering Enterprises, a phase I made up. These are exterprises that would be attractive to the rest of Lake County and even the other surrounding counties such as McHenry and Kenosha.

These enterprises would have to be unique enough that the people who would be attracted to them couldn't get what they offer in their own communities. I like to think of such unique enterprises as BCUO's... Big City Urban Offerings.

Waukegan should aim to be the Urban Center of Lake County. The deciding factor should be whether or not you can only find such an enterprise in Chicago or Milwaukee or other big cities. These UOPE's will serve to "prime the pump"... to get people down there on a regular basis. After that occurs, and only after that occurs, can you go in other directions. To me it's realistic, simple, and possible, but you have to follow the formula or it wont work.... as demonstrated by The Brick and all the others that failed before it. If the mayor hired me on at $100,000 a year I'd get it going

[lucy199014]

First they need to get rid of the parking meters. Having to pay to shop is a big turn off for many people. I never go to the downtown Subway because I'm not going to pay to buy a sandwich. Other suburbs with viable downtowns have free parking.

[verenablock]

I heard from a friend that they are officially closing Saturday.

[ClassicalLib17]

Danno, Are you trying to type with more than two fingers again ?

[gmg77]

To bad about the Brick, although the food was better than the books.

Danno,
From my experience UOPE's or whatever you call it need art, culture and education for the seed. Most renaissance areas in Chicago and Milwaukee are pioneered by low rent seeking young students and artists. The coffee houses,bars and book stores will fill the niche and soon people flock to the trendy neighborhood. Gentrification kicks in and art studios, restaurants and theaters are built next to shiny new condos. The rent gets too high for the pioneers and wealthy professionals and yuppies take over.

The problem is Waukegan puts the cart before the horse, build it and they will come mentality. You need more shimer colleges,art fairs and cultural events less city sticker parking hassles, tow ordinances and roadside safety checks.

IMHO
GMG77

[Danno]

To bad about the Brick, although the food was better than the books.

Danno,
From my experience UOPE's or whatever you call it need art, culture and education for the seed. Most renaissance areas in Chicago and Milwaukee are pioneered by low rent seeking young students and artists. The coffee houses,bars and book stores will fill the niche and soon people flock to the trendy neighborhood. Gentrification kicks in and art studios, restaurants and theaters are built next to shiny new condos. The rent gets too high for the pioneers and wealthy professionals and yuppies take over.

The problem is Waukegan puts the cart before the horse, build it and they will come mentality. You need more shimer colleges,art fairs and cultural events less city sticker parking hassles, tow ordinances and roadside safety checks.

IMHO
GMG77

I'm sorry to be so blunt.

Every community has their local art and culture stuff. I go to the "cultural events" here. They are very local. They are not unique enough. I see the same 30 people at all of them. They fail here. Look at the Dandlion Wine Festival... utter failure. Same with the Mariposa Festival and the Wine and Art Stroll. All are local 3 mile radius events and all are relative dismal failures. I drove by the Benny Park tonight during the wine and Art Stroll. It was sad and pathetic. There were more people hanging out in front of my neighbors house. It just doesn't work here now. We need uniqueness. Something that will attract from 30 miles away. The theater does it on a certain level but even that is not really unique enough and we need more. I went to the steering committee that produced the Mariposa Festival. What a joke. I went to the meeting with the purpose of collaborating and promoting a Regional Lakefront Music Festival that would have drawn people from a 20 mile radius. Those people have their head up their asses when it comes to producing something that will work.