Downtown La Grange merchants this summer have turned to their own forms of art as a means of showcasing the village’s revitalized business district.
About 40 businesses are participating in the La Grange Renaissance Walk, which features decorated plywood plaques attached to light poles downtown.
The La Grange Business Association asked local businesses to each sponsor a blank 8-foot-long piece of plywood, carved in the shape of three squares, to be decorated with an original design that depicts the past, present and future of La Grange.
Many of the businesses enlisted local artists to come up with their designs, which range from montages to hand-painted storefront scenes. The creations tend to incorporate the sponsoring business and how it sees itself fitting into the community, said Sue Reardon, a project organizer and the owner of SoTish, an art gallery and midday cafe.
“The only restriction we put on it was we didn’t want it to turn into billboards,” she said.
Organizers said they hope the project will entice visitors to stroll the downtown and check out all 40 of the plaques while discovering the area’s array of shops and eateries. They’re also encouraging visitors to pick up a Renaissance Walk map and ballot form from a participating business and vote for their favorite piece.
“Our intent was not just to bring some art into the parkways of La Grange, but to have people get an understanding of the new businesses in town,” Reardon said. “We’ve had, in the past couple of years, a renaissance in La Grange–a rebirth–and we wanted to represent that.”
