Fran Grobelny has lived in Winnetka for 36 years. A retired teacher, she now works as an office manager. Grobelny was in one of the village’s parks one day with her daughter-in-law and grandson, age 3 and a half, who were visiting from Colorado.
Q: What made you move to Winnetka in the first place?
A: To be close to my husband’s work. We were in the city, and the reverse commute was not good.
Q: What do you like about Winnetka today?
A: The playgrounds. We’ve been exploring the playgrounds and I love the playgrounds.
Q: What don’t you like about Winnetka today?
A: There used to be two hardware stores, two or three shoe stores, there was a five and dime (store), we had a Carson Pirie Scott, a fabric store, a knit shop and now they are all gone. Those are all things I like to shop for.
Q: Is that Winnetka’s fault?
A: It is just sort of the trend. I don’t think Winnetka has any control over it. It has more to do with rents and real estate taxes.
Q: What is your biggest frustration?
A: They have to fix the stormsewers. We had a sewer backup. We are at the summit of our street and the sewer still backed up. So they need to increase the pumping or main drain capacity.
Q: What was the favorite thing you did this summer?
A: The best thing I have done this summer is explore playgrounds with my grandson.
Q: What is the difference you see today in education as opposed to when you taught?
A: I think the district, in my mind, is doing fine, and there are people who still believe in the Winnetka progressive education. That’s a good thing.
Shout Out is a weekly feature in which we get to know and introduce our readers to their fellow community members and local visitors throughout suburban Chicago.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
