Golf Road stretches through the heart of Schaumburg, a community that’s succeeded in becoming a regional retail center, anchored by the bustling Woodfield Shopping Center.
But the hope always was that Golf Road would be a little more, bringing to the northwest suburbs the kind of glitz and glamor found along Michigan Avenue.
That dream dimmed with every burger joint and car dealership that popped up along Golf over the last two decades. But if plans quietly taking shape among Golf Road businesses are an indication, this aging commercial district is experiencing a renaissance.
Several strip malls are making significant improvements to their facades to bolster their appeal, while other businesses are choosing to start over by demolishing their old structures in favor of new ones.
Recently, the Schaumburg Planning Board gave preliminary approval for the construction of two hotels, which are expected to improve fortunes of Golf Road businesses.
The road has always been an important thoroughfare, running near Interstate Highways 90 and 355 and Illinois Highway 53, and leading to Woodfield. But recently it has become a good deal classier.
“What’s changed is the face of Golf Road and the quality of the retailers,” said Mark Smithe, a vice president of Walter E. Smithe Furniture, a store that offers glasses of Chablis alongside high-end furniture.
In January, the Chicago-area retailer put its flagship store on Golf, taking a spot near Marshall Field’s Home Store and Carson Pirie Scott’s furniture store. Ten years ago, Golf Road would have been an unlikely bet.
“Back then, the quality of the malls was less,” Smithe said. “I don’t want to say downscale, but that’s what comes to mind.”
Schaumburg Assistant Village Manager Ken Fritz acknowledges that a few years ago, parts of Golf needed sprucing up. There was an old seafood place that sat empty after a fire. There was the Handy Andy hardware store that went belly-up. Other places went begging for tenants.
But since the renovation of Woodfield and the construction of other shopping centers, such as Woodfield Village Green, success is giving way to success. The old Handy Andy, for instance, now houses Bed, Bath & Beyond and Golfsmith stores.
“It’s a domino effect,” Fritz said.
One sign of the rising tide along the Golf Road corridor is a 128-suite AmeriSuites Hotel going in just north of Golf at the intersection of the Northwest Tollway and Illinois 53.
“The developments along Golf Road are all conducive to our prosperity, providing services for our guests (such as) Woodfield Mall, restaurants, entertainment, theaters,” said Ethan Kramer, vice president of development for New Jersey-based Prime Hospitality Corp., which owns and operates the AmeriSuites chain.
The revival of Golf Road through Schaumburg and nearby Hoffman Estates is partly the result of a strong economy. To survive, fiercely competitive retailers know that bigger buildings mean more products. And mall owners say they need to make cosmetic changes to attract tenants willing to pay higher rents. The alternative–treeless parking lots and 1970s facades–just won’t cut it these days.
“Some of those buildings along Golf Road are 22, 25 years old. Economically, they’re obsolete. They served their purpose,” said Chuck Wiercinski, a broker for McLennan Commercial Properties in Park Ridge. “That style of building is just not conducive to that type of retailer. So you try to convert the use of the building or throw it away and build a new one.”
Perhaps the most noticeable redevelopment is at the Schaumburg Corners shopping center at Golf and Roselle Roads, a busy intersection where it would seem that stores would do well. But the shopping center has sat in a sorry state for years.
The problem began when two big anchors, Kmart and Dominick’s Finer Foods, moved out, leaving empty storefronts. Only recently have those leases expired, allowing the property owners to seek new tenants.
Several tenants already have moved in, including a baby store and an office supply store. And money is being sunk into some facade and parking-lot renovations.
PetCare Superstore in Hoffman Estates is moving across the street to Schaumburg Corners into the former Dominick’s site. Blockbuster Video, which is next to the former grocery, is jumping across the street to a retail outlet replacing a former restaurant.
Others are interested in expanding their businesses with larger buildings. It’s one way to increase the product line and cater to the one-stop shopper.
Dominick’s, for instance, recently moved out of two of its older buildings into newer, larger structures. The idea was to create room for more convenience items, such as prepared food and ready-made meals.
“Consumers are quite savvy now, and they are looking for convenience because their time is crunched,” said Nancy Siler, manager of consumer affairs for the Northlake-based grocery chain.
Fast-food restaurants also are updating their appearances. Crews recently tore down a 27-year-old McDonald’s near Golf and Higgins Roads and built a restaurant next door.
