![Within the U.S., the busiest shopping period of the year is Cyber Week, the time from Thanksgiving through Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, shoppers spent 3.3 billion on Cyber Monday, which is a 7.3% year-over-year increase from 2023. “When I was younger, I would always be out with my mom getting Christmas gifts or just shopping in general. Now, as she has gotten older, I've noticed [that almost] every day, I'll open the front door and there's three packages that my mom has ordered. Part of that is she just doesn't always have the time to go to a store for 30 minutes to an hour, but the other part is when she gets bored, she has easy access to [shopping],” junior Grace Garetson said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/DSC_0249.JPG-1200x801.jpg)
![French teacher Marieme Toure serves a plate of the Senegalese food she prepared for her AP French Language and Culture class, to senior Faiza Syed. “I never had Senegalese food before,” Syed said. “I thought it was so cool that she was able to bring a part of her culture [and] background to us.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_0798-1200x906.jpeg)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
The roads and sidewalks of downtown West Chicago tell a story of potential. Once a bustling railroad town, it now grapples with challenges common to many smaller cities: adapting to changing shopping habits and fostering a vibrant downtown community.
Residents and local business owners alike have shared a clear vision for the city: create an inviting downtown that supports local businesses and encourages foot traffic. Patrick Harms, a co-owner of Kindred Coffee, highlighted the need for a unique experience.
“Kindred is successful because we offer more than just coffee; we provide a welcoming atmosphere where people can gather and connect,” Harms said.
Building on this community-driven momentum, the City of West Chicago recently announced the Downtown Investment Program, an initiative offering grants of up to $100,000 to property and business owners within the Downtown Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District No. 2. The program aims to strengthen the local economy, preserve the historical integrity of downtown buildings, and create modern spaces for new businesses.
“Downtown revitalization has been a goal and a priority of the city for many years,” Kelley Chrisse, the city’s business and community relations director, told the Daily Herald. The program recognizes the financial challenges of updating historic properties while incentivizing private investment.
In addition to maintenance and interior upgrades, the program supports streetscape improvements and other enhancements to create a more vibrant downtown environment. As Chrisse noted in an interview with the Chronicle, recent successes such as the expansion of The Whistle Stop vintage clothing store show the potential for growth in West Chicago.
For many locals, the need for reinvention extends beyond grants. COVID-19 forced the community to rethink how small businesses can thrive.
“We have to figure out how to create infrastructure, support structures, and marketing promotions that keep people in our downtown,” David Sabathne, CEO of the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, said.
The Downtown Investment Program may be another step in this direction, giving hope to a community determined to adapt to changing times. For more information on the program and how to apply, visit westchicago.org.
Update
This article was updated on Jan. 16, 2025, to include additional information about the Downtown Investment Program and recent developments, as reported by the Daily Herald.
This story was originally published on Wildcat Chronicle on January 14, 2025.