July in Naperville means two things – Independence Day and Sidewalk Sales. For many long-time Napervillians, both of these events take your thoughts back to when the town was much smaller. I remember when I was in grade school in the 60s, we would watch the fireworks show from my Grandparent’s rooftop. They had just moved out to the edge of town to a brand-new subdivision – Maplebrook. The trees were all new, so the view of the fireworks was great.
My family watching the Naperville fireworks from the rooftop of grandpa Kester’s house in 1967.
Sidewalk Sale in Naperville During the 1960s
Naperville Plaza was brand new at the time and downtown was still Naperville’s primary shopping district. The sidewalk sale always followed the Fourth and my Mom would drag us from Dean’s to Horsley’s to the Main Store to Broeker’s Department Store in search of bargains on clothing. Then we were off to Van Ham’s for shoes. In between these stops, however, was where my siblings and I found the good stuff. Toys at Soukup’s Hardware, Ben Franklin, and Woolworth’s. Office and school supplies at Erlenborn’s. Trolls, gifts, and candles at Jan’s Gift House. I think just about all the merchants got involved except the Sears catalog store and the taverns. But a cheeseburger at the Lantern or Bob’s corner was a great way to break up the monotony of value shopping.
The best part of the sidewalk sales, though, was being able to hang around my Grandpa’s Pharmacy with all the big kids working the cash register outside. There were toys, cameras, zippo lighters, cosmetics, pen and pencil sets, Christmas leftovers, and my personal favorite – the grab bag! I still remember scraping together 99 cents for a bag and one of the big prizes inside was a men’s hairbrush. What a thrill for an eight-year-old kid with a crew cut!
Most of the stores in downtown at the time were locally owned. The only thing resembling the chain stores of today were the A&P and National Grocers, and Woolworths. Most downtown businesses employed Naperville residents, so the dollars spent usually stayed right here in Naperville.
Shopping in Naperville Today
Today we live in the third-largest town in the state. We have every imaginable chain store in town and internet sales are increasing every year. On top of everything else, this year we are coping with the effects of the COVID-19 crisis. I would like to use this month’s OzzieGram to encourage everyone to shop at local independent businesses.
Why? For starters, your local merchants are always supporting community events, schools, and fundraisers. Many local merchants take an active role in local service organizations and charitable boards. Local businesses donate to charities at twice the rate of national chain stores. When you spend $100 with a local merchant $68 stays in your community. When you spend $100 with a chain store only $43 stays. And when you spend $100 on the internet with Amazon or other national retailers, the return to our community is close to zero! We have added online sales, curbside pickup, and deliveries 7 days a week to our service offerings this year. Many other local shops have done the same. Think local first!
If you were wondering about this year’s sidewalk sale—it’s still on! We will be having our Sidewalk Sale this year – with a few precautions due to the COVID-19 situation. The sale is scheduled for July 17-19 and we will have some great merchandise outside on tables and carts placed safely apart for you to shop and save. Happy July everyone!
