Business Matters: Yorkville chamber offers holiday buying events

Sherri Farley, director of the Yorkville chamber

Updated: December 14, 2012 6:07AM

Ready or not, here they come! The holidays, that is.

I don’t like to take away from Thanksgiving, but there’s no denying that the approaching Christmas season is making its presence known.

I knew somebody once who had all of her shopping done, and the gifts wrapped — by Halloween. I wouldn’t know how it feels to be that super-organized, but the one thing I think would be great is that by having all that hustle and bustle out of the way, time would be freed up to just enjoy the magic the season has to offer.

Therefore, this year I’m going to give it a try. Not by Halloween, of course, but at least before the date where panic sets in. My first stops will be to shop local businesses set up at Yorkville’s Holiday Under the Stars on Nov. 16, and Jingle Mingle on Nov. 29.

At Holiday Under the Stars, I’ll visit the outdoor “Kris Kringle Market” while strolling downtown. A chamber Leads Group is serving s’mores over the campfire. Children will be visiting Santa and skating on the all-weather ice skating rink. The new theater downtown has some nice entertainment planned, and the evening will close with a fireworks display.

Jingle Mingle will present another fun opportunity to shop locally for the holidays. During this evening, booths will be set up from 5 to 8 p.m. at the spacious Heritage Home Décor & Design Center (formerly St. Joseph Cabinetry & Designs) on Commercial Drive in Yorkville. There is no admission fee, and there will be food and beverages, demos, and in case you missed Santa at Holiday Under the Stars, he’ll be there, too! As we’ve noted, driving and traffic will be more challenging with the Route 47 expansion project under way, so visiting so many businesses in one stop carries an appeal.

If you are a crafter, vendor or business that would like to showcase, there is still time to register for either of these events. Call the chamber at 630-553-6853 or visit yorkvillechamber.org for details.

The Route 47 expansion project was the topic of last Friday’s PAY (Professionals Advancing in Yorkville) program. Julia M. Messina, community relations manager for IDOT D-3, gave an informative presentation and answered questions from attendees who wanted to learn more about the impact on their businesses. We were particularly impressed with the fact that Julia handed out her business cards and encouraged businesses to contact her directly with questions or concerns throughout the anticipated three-year project. We were joined by State Rep. Kay Hatcher, who is sponsoring legislation to help businesses throughout construction projects, and by a developer, real estate representatives, a city alderman, school board member, and business owners who had questions about the impact on business operations and commuting routes. Keeping communication lines strong and coordinating with businesses on a day-to-day basis were identified as critical factors. City leaders are meeting with IDOT regularly and posting updates on their website and through social media. The chamber also will pass updates along via member e-blasts and on the chamber’s Facebook page. To receive these updates, find the United City of Yorkville or the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook, or contact us to be added to an email list of news and events.

It may sound cliché to say that we’re heading into the season of thankfulness and good will. Let’s keep that spirit alive by practicing patience, knowing that we’re all sharing the stress of a hectic schedule that will only be made worse by construction delays. For me, planning ahead (such as getting that holiday shopping out of the way early) to avoid being rushed will alleviate some of that stress so I can focus on enjoying the season.

Sherri Farley is executive director of the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce.

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