OUR PLACE
It’s cold and everyone deserves to have somewhere warm to stay, instead of being out in the weather and suffering or freezing to death.
Walworth County has designated ‘warming stations,’ where those who need them can warm up for a bit. All the public libraries offer their buildings up as safe warm places to get out of the cold, except in Lake Geneva. Lake Geneva’s public library is currently undergoing renovation and is running a makeshift library out of city hall. This creates a problem for people needing to get in out of the cold, and so is the fact that the other libraries only offer somewhere warm during regular business hours.
Where can a needy or homeless person go to get out of the cold during a bitter night? The Walworth County Department of Health and Human Services directs people in need to the libraries, or to go online to www.211.org or call 211, or text 898-211 for more resources. This is great, but when you access this online there’s no list of places for the homeless, or those in need, to stay. None of this is easy and none of the recourses are simple or convenient. Improvements need to be made to help all those in need and keep everyone safe and warm.
What was once a theater…
The guy from Burlington rolled in a couple of years ago and delivered a promise about rebuilding the downtown Lake Geneva Theater. He got hundreds of thousands of dollars from the city in support of doing exactly that. He did, indeed, do exactly that, but then failed to show much of anything in the way of movies. Now, he’s back, having decided to open a restaurant and live stage review kind of presentation series. He will keep one little theater in order to avoid violating the terms of his contract with the city.
Well, he is violating that contract and that must be noted here and legally. Without having a real theater, he owes the city back its money. What’s going to be done about that? The owner’s contractor and the city attorney attend the same Lutheran Church in Lake Geneva That church got out of local politics a couple of years ago, following a major scandal about missing funds. Are the new leaders coming back? The Geneva Shore Report is watching closely to see what develops with this issue and with the state of the city when it comes to politically influential organizations.
What’s coming for Veteran’s Day later this year?
The Business Improvement District (BID) is planning something big for the coming Veteran’s Day celebration set to occur in September of this year. Veteran’s Day has not been much celebrated in and around Lake Geneva over the years. That’s about to change. The GSR is bound by a confidential promise not to reveal (yet) what the BID is planning, but that binding promise will soon be released. All the staff of the GSR can say further, at this time, is that it’s about time.
Wicked Poke Hut at 120 Broad Street Lake Geneva has sold.
The last day open for business still run by original owners Josh and Karen was December 21, 2021. The new owners are wasting no time getting the place ready for opening in spring 2022. The new owner is not naïve to the restaurant game here in Lake Geneva, due to the current co-ownership of the thriving Riviera specialty snack shop “Going Bananas”. Wanting to do something more, and not having that option at the Riviera space, the purchase of The Wicked Poke Hut opened a new potential possibility. The new owner’s plan is to open on March 1, 2022, and the food will not be the same. Instead of poke bowls, the new business will be featuring tacos and other similar grab-and-go Mexican food.
The cold is here, and the snow has come, so it’s definitely winter in Wisconsin.
The outdoor igloo experience has become a craze, and the snow and cold have enhanced the usage of those structures. Lake Geneva has many different places in and around it to cozy up in a heated igloo. The Ridge, just west of downtown Lake Geneva, just off Highway 50, has a wonderful and protected igloo. That business offers several different options and packages; from a full meal to drinks and charcuterie (fancy cracker and cheese plate).
Mars Restaurant, on Lake Como, is another very popular igloo location, offering different package options. Quite naturally, the Ridge and Mars require a reservation and charge fees for the renting of the igloos and services that might be rendered. In downtown Lake Geneva potential customers can check out the very large grand igloo at Maxwell Mansion, located on the corner where Wells and Baker Street cross. This heated outdoor igloo includes a fireplace. This is a great way to enjoy a cocktail without the cold and other people being around. Niche Coffee Shop and Wine Bar also offer heated igloos that are very comfy cozy and a wonderful experience.
This has become a very popular way to experience the outdoors in winter and the Lake Geneva area is perfect for this unique experience. Expect to pay between twenty-five and fifty dollars to rent one of these exclusive retreat places, although all the businesses having them usually defer the rental by crediting drinks and food ordered and delivered to them.
