Welcome to the Neighborhood of Downtown Elgin

A few months ago I went to visit my brother in Bucktown, a neighborhood of Chicago, and had an epiphany.

Downtown Elgin is Bucktown.

Okay, we are not literally Bucktown, but we are very much like an up-and-coming neighborhood of Chicago. We are on the uphill climb towards revitalization. We have an urban backdrop of beautiful architecture. Our arts scene is on the verge of exploding. We have a good sampling of restaurants and bars and people are hungry for more. We are attractive to young professionals and real estate developers. And the community that exists among the residents and businesses in a neighborhood is very present here in Downtown Elgin.

Bottom line – we are cool. And unlike any of those neighborhoods of Chicago, we have parking. Booyah!

But the neighborhood of Downtown Elgin is not just for the residents and businesses with a downtown address. Downtown Elgin is “everyone’s neighborhood.”

So, please join me in welcoming two new businesses to our neighborhood – Villa Verone Ristorante Italiano and the Chicago Bandits corporate office and retail store.

Villa Verone, located at 13 Douglas Avenue, is now open for dinner and will open for lunch later in the month. Along with fabulous authentic Italian food, you’ll enjoy a diverse wine list, very knowledgeable and entertaining servers, live jazz music on Thursday nights and Pietro, the owner.

The Chicago Bandits, a professional softball team that will open its season at Judson University this summer, is having an open house Saturday, March 8 at their office at 72 South Grove. Check out the Bandits wear and meet their great staff. As the Bandits tagline says, “They’ll steal your heart.”

So, get out there, be neighborly and enjoy your neighborhood.