LITTLE  GEMS

 

More about parking in the City of Lake Geneva and the downtown beach.
Looking ahead to the new year there is little question that a movement is afoot to increase parking rates and also the charges for beach attendance.  With the obvious influx of more visitors into the city during the winter months it’s likely the city will also consider and then implement paid parking year around.  Hourly rates are likely to increase to three dollars.  Look for parking passes and stickers to increase as well.  The beach revenue was way up but everyone having anything to do with the beach also witnessed (during the 2021 summer) that there was no end to attendance enthusiasm.  Look for that enthusiasm to be explored further and taken advantage of.  Beach toys and other stuff making beach attendance more pleasurable should also be considered.

The Kite Lady is not likely to return to business at her Kite Store.  The amazingly productive businesswoman has taken seriously ill (her store right down across from the Library Park American Legion hot dog stand on Wrigley has been closed for six months, so far) and it begins to appear that she will not be back.  Quite possibly, the beach management should consider opening some sort of beach tent for sales of much needed beach equipment (towels, pails, shovels, floating stuff and more) to those who show up with nothing.  The Legion hot dog stand has not been a success for a few years now, and it should be consulted about how to do that.  The hot dog stand is leased to the Legion for free on Library Park property.  That place should be made to ‘jump’ with hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and a few other supporting items.  Providing services to the beach would go a long way in making price increases more palatable.  Beach passes for residents (up to six per household) cost three bucks each. They should be free, that that’s another issue entirely.

 

Seemingly small business.
The Su Wings Chinese restaurant on Broad Street in downtown Lake Geneva is still here.  The building is still owned by Su Wing but the business is not being operated by a different Chinese family here from Quangdon Province, China.

Paul Lei and his wife Kelly, along with select members of their nuclear family are now running the business.  What a difference.  You simply have to have the egg rolls.  Nothing like them anywhere we’ve found. To die for.  Their beef, in everything, but especially the steak or beef with peapods. The wonton in their wonton soup is a meal in itself.  This is world class stuff and the GSR does not normally write reviews like this.  Get over there. Get in line.  Do whatever you have to do.  Really. What a pleasure to have this operation drop into Lake Geneva’s soon-to-be loving arms.

 

Another small success story.
The Dollar Tree in Lake Geneva is beloved by one and all.  The public, many of whom don’t have a lot of money, can get stuff there for terribly reasonable prices.  A dollar, or less, for specially marked items, is the price for everything.  Dollar Tree is certainly the best and cheapest of all the dollar chains out there. But that’s changing.  The public has put up with the fact that Dollar Tree always has too few employees and waits at counters can be long and frustrating, while stocking has been sporadic at best.  But the public has depended upon that price and put up with the downsides.

Now, due (according to Dollar Tree) the company has come under the control of ‘activist investors.’  These bean-counting Scrooges are going to change everything.  Goodbye to the dollar price on January 1 of 2022.  Now, it will be 1.25 to 1.50 per item, with three and five-dollar items thrown in.  The company made 25 billion in revenue in 2020.  It makes 5 billion in profits.  The company is worth 40 billion.  It was not enough.  The activist investors want more.  Lake Geneva, through the Dollar Tree experience, is about to go through the Motel 6 adventure.  In 1962 the price for a night’s stay really was six bucks in those hotels.  The Baraboo Motel Six, the closest one to Lake Geneva, is 90 bucks a night now.  Stand by for the Dollar Tree to go crazy, as the ‘activists’ take over.  But, don’t worry, they’ll leave a light on for you…

Persons of the Week

George Anderson Newly Published Author

George Anderson, a new author, celebrating getting published at Richmond Cafe with son Brant.

 

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