SURPRISING STUFF
The Thrift-in, created by Sally Nimmow.
From the humblest of beginnings, starting out in the basement of what used to be a local mortuary, from one tiny room in a damp environment with rent costing about as much per month as a decent dinner, this amazing woman began. Business that’s gone mainstream on Main Street.
Now located in the Fancy Fair Mall At 830 W. Main St., Lake Geneva
Her eye for finding things of value to sell at the deepest, sometimes ridiculous, discounts, has attracted a core following that is matched by very few retailers in this small city or even in larger surrounding cities. On any given day her selection and discovery of furniture pieces from all over (she drives a big truck and does all the hauling herself) will amaze anyone who walks through her door. Way in the back, deep inside the valley-like alley of the Marketplace on Main, the warmth of her “Inn” radiates out to draw anyone passing inside.
The name of the Thrift-In was so accurately and poignantly selected. Not only is her stuff terrific and affordable but the woman herself is amazing. For years she was a local reporter and editor so her accumulated life experience in and around Geneva Lake is quite extraordinary. Catch her there when not many customers are around, and you can learn a lot about the community you might live in or be visiting. Beautiful, friendly and so helpful, this woman is the epitome of what retail in a small town is all about.
The new development in the Town of Linn.
79 acres are set for development in the Town of Linn. The property is located just to the west of Reek School off of South Lake Shore Road. Originally zoned for residential conservation (one house to be built for every five acres) the plan commission in Town of Linn gave approval for the parcel to allow for five homes per acre (changing zoning to residential development). This change will allow for the potential development of 400 homes along Geneva’s south shore.
This Arizona developer, the one insisting that the five houses per acre of land for residential development be approved, is not going away. The outrage of the community surrounding that potential development was evident and fully expressed at the last plan commission meeting, but that will not likely stop him. What is to be done? The idea of Town of Linn incorporating is back on the front burner. Right now, all zoning is controlled by the county because the Town of Linn isn’t incorporated. Town of Linn has a single difficult impediment to becoming a village or city. The strange nature of the geographic layout of the town prevents incorporation of both parts (Town of Linn is divided by Geneva Lake waters into two parts) being brought together.
However, the Town of Linn, short of full incorporation, can vote to control its own zoning. Why is that important at this time? Because the Town of Linn is the last community close to Geneva Lake that possesses large tracts of land which can be developed for both commercial and residential needs, wants and desires. Developers, like this Arizona guy, are going to come and they can rip and tear the Town of Linn apart, as well as neighboring communities can also do by annexing. The vast property tract purchased by Mirabal Hummel and then from them by Pritzker, was taken by Lake Geneva from the Town of Linn with almost no discussion at all. There’s almost no defense for an unincorporated county chunk of land, as is Town of Linn, in the court of law, to prevent such legalized ‘theft’ of town property.
The Town of Linn is a very wealthy community, in fact the wealthiest in the state. It’s time to spend some of the town’s financial reserves (which are very significant0 to hire attorney firms and lobbying firms to protect the place,
