Why not have another bank, real estate office, retail clothing store, or a cooffee bar put there - oops there are way to many of those already. Or they can put the Dunkin Donuts there so now all the parking can be taken over again. Or have the city and the owner(s) of Market Square real estate drop the rents so companies can stay and survive. Otherwise, MS is going to loose more businesses like:
-Toy Shop
-Penny's from heaven (now on Westminster)
-Helanders
-Marshall Fields (please no more Macy's)

Market Square's current business model was invented by the PC and the decentalizing power of networking, desktops, in the early 1980s. Now the same computing power is on smart phones, and in December we had a meeting at the Donnelley and Lee Library with one of he participants on a sky lift--doing business remotely. Change has been unrelentingly brutal for the owners of MS: both upstairs with further office decentralization and downstairs with internet shopping (toys, travel, shoes, even banking). That leaves retailers scrambling. We all lament the loss of a hardware store in east LF, but who will pay $20 for that screw we used to get at O'Neills? What might work, though? Some sort of entertainment? A kids' party site? The post office (again)? An Apple store? The one thing concentrated in east LF is upscale electronics. Part of the downstairs MS rent problem is the decline of upstairs tenants, the old desktop users. What we can do is patronize those still on the Square for interesting gifts, high end clothing and shoes, books (most of what went in Miller kids' Easter baskets), pastries, etc. IF we do that it will encourage others to take up new store leases, too! And we could still use a good toy store that assembles bulky stuff you can buy on the internet, but don't want to fuss with (we bought the last Radio Flyer assembled thing from the Toy Station in December).

MS is a disaster and will continue until someone has a plan to diversify the retail in LF. We need more stores similar to J Crew and/or encourage J Crew to open a larger store to offer the crewcut and men's line of clothes. LF lost its downtown spirit more than twenty years ago when they let the movie theatre go. There is no place for young people to hang out. With all the money in this town, the downtown lacks purpose. I do praise the addition of Fresh Market, although they should have been able to get Whole Foods. Too bad we cannot get an Apple store. Retailing is a tough business so I don't minimize the problems the town is having in luring big name stores. But, with that said we don't need more banks, real estate, or coffee shops.

Wine bar!

I'm curious what the rent is. I think Lake Foresters would be surprised what retailers are paying throughout town.

Payday loan store? Liquor store? Or how about one of those cash for gold places, those seem popular lately.

Ideas for retail need to REALIZE and BE AWAKE that Lake Forest is a small community in the corner of the North Shore. In other words, large box retailers will not be drawn to our town since we are faraway from the majority of shoppers. The proposed store/office needs to be a "destination" shopping experience or one which will pull people to visit LF just for that store as well as the other unique offerings we have. Look to Highwood......people came for the "special" restaurants, Carlos and Froggys, and then the it expanded to unique consignment/art shops and more lower end restaurants. Don't have any good ideas but know the truth hurts.

A Tim Hortons

The way to "encourage" J. Crew is to buy stuff there!!!! As for Whole Foods, we should remember that east Lake Forest and Lake Bluff population density is low (vs. Lincoln Park, etc.), even if incomes are high. Many of our houses that used to have growing teenage athletes (voracious eaters) now have just a couple of weight conscious empty-nesters. But there is really a limit on how many Apple products we can have, is there (my house has three, but there could be more...)?

That should read: But is there really a limit on how many Apple products we can have, is there (my house has three, but there could be more...)? They should do more boutique size stores in high-end areas.

I think the space should be either of two things...A movie theatre, big mistake to take the one out on Deer Path all those years ago...kids in this town need a place to "go" and just hang with friends. The movie theatre could have a small soda fountain type gig set up or some other focal point. Or, it could become a restaurant that young adults would like to frequent, possibly with a bowling alley attached. I've been living here over 54 years and the downtown used to be fun! We certainly don't need another bank or grocery store. I feel more people shop on line for clothes/shoes if they know what they want/like and for invitations, etc. This town needs some sort of "destination" place for people 21 and over. Young adults are swarming to other towns to get movies, bowling, food/drink and entertainment. Just my food for thought. :)

I can see an Apple Store at this location, I dont think they would need all the space. You could sub divide and get 2 retailers in same space.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Having been a person who worked in a retail environment for 13 years in Lake Forest and now in Highwood, I can tell you the charm of Lake Forest was lost when Mom and Pop business's were lost to skyrocketing rents. We cannot support the space if we have to charge the prices needed to pay the rent. That is proven! When prices went up, the former patrons who sup[ported downtown Lake Forest got in their cars or got online and shopped elsewhere! If you want good business in town, then you must support it. R Hickson Glore did everything to keep the movie theatre in town. Including partnering with Edens theatres in Northbrook to be able to get first run films. Unfortunately, very few utilized the theatre and it had to be closed. The renovation of the space is beautiful, but poorly supported as well. So it sits with empty space. The bottom line is, nobody will put a buisiness where the residents won't support it. And remember, when looking at a spaces desireability, we look at the customers in a cewrtain mile radius, and Lake Forest to the east like all lakefront communities only has a short distance to the Lake and then east of that, No customers!! So from that stand point it loses desireability as well. So the real issue becomes rent! The rents must come down or the space will remain empty.

A business must be able to support itself and not rely on other locations to pick up the losses. It is not good business to run a buisiness at a break even or loss. And even the big chains know this! So your stuck with Banks, Coffee shops and any type of business that can serve the masses and even then they may not be able to support the space either!! Landlords take note, we need space we can afford so we can bring business baclk to your community! Because guess what? We would love to be there!! I miss Lake Forest and it's residents. But until Lake Forest can compete on rent, we need to be where we can afford.

I grew up in LF in the early '70s before my parents moved to a different North Shore suburb. I remember the old stores, restaurants, car dealership & the movie theatre. None of these were in Market Square probably do to high rents:
Stores on Western included are:
-toy train store on Western
-Woolworth - Paint store - Lumber yard

Things Westminter:
-Lakeside Grocery Store - O'Neill's hardware
-Gallery Restaurant

Things on Deerpath:
-movie theatre - Robertson's
-Wenban Buick/Funeral Home (DP & Oakwood)

The Outdoorsmen store on Bank Ln

All of these except the funeral home is still in business but at a different location.

I believe you meant all of these are out of business except for the funeral home correct?

Lake Bluff seems to have figured out how to keep small, unique businesses in town, with reasonable rents. Voila, Peg Ann's, & Bluffington's are great examples. They've been there for several years and in the case of Voila & Peg Ann's, have even expanded or moved to a larger location. Why can't LF figure this out?

I'm afraid Chris the reason is simple. Downtown Lake Bluff does not draw the traffic downtown Lake Forest does. So as a result the landlords believe the space they have is of greater value than in Lake Bluff. Simple matth unfortunately. Now if you wish to really get upset, look into this further, Big Box stores such as Best Buy and the like all get romanced by comercial landlords as they will be the anchor store in a given location. They will pay far less rent per sq ft than any of the smaller stores because they are considered the draw location. Is this right? Is this fair? The companies that have the biggest budgets get all the breaks? They can afford the higher rent, but they don't have to pay it. There is a huge inequity here. If we all are in business shouldn't the playing field be even? Yes I think Lake Forest as a city has to decide what they want to be as a downtown. Do they want Banks and large corporate stores to dominate the face of the city? Or do they want smaller privately owned businneses to be the charm of the town like they once had. And when they had it, the town flourished and the local residents supported it. I think you can see which way I think they should go. And the city has the power to make this happen. They decide who gets in ultimately. They issue the occupancy permits.