Waukegan Main Street was very sorry to learn this morning that El Buen Gusto Panaderia Bakery closed its doors after thirty years at 32 N. Genesee Street.  The family business was a longtime supporter of our downtown neighborhood and will be strongly missed in the community.

Congratulations to the staff of Lake Surf Designs, whose grand opening over the weekend featured professional skateboarders and opportunities for everyone to get into the sport. 

Stop by the shop at 118 S. Genesee Street and check it out for yourself.  Visit http://www.lakesurfdesigns.com/ for more info.

Photos by Jay Stephen

Thank you to the crowd of over 1,000 people who joined us Friday night for ArtWauk!

The grand opening celebration of our new galleries was a huge success and we look forward to another great event in May.  To participate in planning the next ArtWauk or to submit your art, please contact the team at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .   Send us your pictures and let us know what you thought about the art explosion on South Genesee Street.

Special thanks to Jorge Torres of Forever Construction and Kent Moon of Lakeview Contruction for their visionary generosity in inviting artists to showcase work in their spaces. 

And of course, huge thank yous to the City of Waukegan, Dinosaur Studio, Green Town Tavern, Joplin's Java, Natural Balance Massage Therapy, Theophilus Jamal, Dandelion Gallery, New Frontier Gallery, and State Rep. Rita Mayfield and staff for their extrodinary efforts to put the art in pARTy!

Follow Facebook.com/ArtWauk for more info about upcoming events and to suggest your ideas.

More photos coming soon!

Last but not least, thank you to all of the artists in Waukegan who have been a part of this movement for decades and made ArtWauk 11 possible. 

Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh was in town on Monday to film his newest movie, Contagion.

Mayor Bob Sabonjian, Director Steven Soderbergh, WMS Director Violet Ricker, Producers Gregory Jacobs and Michael Polaire on the set. Photo by David Motley

Traffic was temporarily re-routed from the Amstutz to Genesee Street and Sheridan Rd, giving communters the opportunity to dirve through some of the streets of downtown Waukegan they don't see every day.

These photos are of the National Guard vehicles and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters featured in the film.

Congratulations to Dinosaur Studio and Clockwise Theatre!  Both of these new businesses were welcomed to Genesee Street with unanimous approval from our visionary and dedicated City Council.  Thank you to Aldermen Cunningham, Koncan, Moisio, Figueroa, Newsome, TenPas, Needham, Larsen and Rivera who voted to support the artist community and the growing arts as economic development model in downtown Waukegan.  Come visit Dinosaur Studio and Clockwise Theatre soon.  WMS members will be the first invited to the upcoming grand openings!

Dinosaur Studio is a wonderful new art gallery and tattoo design studio that is looking to make downtown Waukegan its home. Two weeks ago the proposal from Mark Hoffmann was unanimously approved by the City of Waukegan Development Commission, and last week he also received unanimous approval from Judiciary Committee.  The last step in the process is approval Monday, November 1st at City Council.

Who is Mark Hoffmann?

We at WMS have truly enjoyed getting to know Mark Hoffmann and his wife Tarah and learning more about their business plan for Dinosaur Studio. As you will hear from Mark on Monday, he has an artist's passion for what he does, as well as the experience and business savvy to make a tattoo studio successful. Mark's plan is in line with city's vision of establishing Waukegan as an arts destination, and Dinosaur Studio will be exactly that - a destination.  Mark will draw new customers to our downtown who will have the chance to see what else Genesee Street offers. Mark's proposal is very different from the common perception of a tattoo parlor. His utmost priorities are artistic integrity, safety, customer service, and a family-friendly neighborhood atmosphere.

In Mark's Own Words:

"Dinosaur Studio is an art gallery and tattoo studio; our goal will be to promote art and the artists within the community. When any client comes to Dinosaur Studio they will expect exceptional custom artwork, as well as extremely high standards in sanitation and hospitality. Dinosaur Studio will be a destination, bringing in many new visitors to downtown Waukegan and Genesse Street. The type of clientèle I have always attracted are upper middle class with disposable income, your "soccer mom" if you will. My clients range from tradesmen, police, firefighters, lawyers, doctors, nurses, librarian, pharmacist, etc.

Dinosaur Studio will host earlier shop hours to help deter a less than desirable type of client. Dinosaur Studio will be open from noon till eight, Monday - Saturday (closed Sundays), therefore helping to attract only serious clients. Dinosaur Studio will not cater to any inappropriate tattoos or underage tattoos. I myself as the business owner have a degree in Illustration [from the American Academy of Art] and continue to grow in my artwork by ongoing art education.

My goal with my business is to show people a different side of art. Dinosaur Studio will host art gallery shows. We look forward to working within the art community of Waukegan to promote the local artist, whether it be painting, sculptures, photography, or any other medium of the artist choice. Again, Dinosaur Studio will be a destination for art, therefore bringing in new visitors to downtown Waukegan and Genesse Street.

Thank you,

Mark Hoffmann"

The Main Street Board unanimously voted to support the conditional use permit and Mark Hoffmann's tattoo studio and art gallery, and all of the business owners we have had the opportunity to speak with are not only glad to hear of a new shop potentially opening its doors downtown, but are happy to welcome another artist into our community. On Monday you'll hear from even more supporters.

For more details, follow this link: More About Dinosaur Studio

Are you interested in supporting WMS financially and are you an Abbott employee?

From Monday, October 11until Friday October 22, Abbott Laboratories is having its annual Employee Giving Campaign.

We are very excited and grateful that Waukegan Main Street is once again one of the selected charities for Abbott.

By designating Waukegan Main Street for all or part of your payroll deduction, you would be supporting the mission of our organization: to stimulate the physical, economic, and cultural vitality of downtown Waukegan through community and business partnerships.

Visit our newest restaurant in the neighborhood!  The Mojarro Family welcomes you to Jerry's Tacos at 120 N. Genesee Street.

Hours:
Monday-Wednesday:  10am-9pm
Thursday & Friday:  10am-10pm
Saturday:  9am-10pm
Sunday:  9am-3pm
Call 847-249-4838 to place your order now!

Great news for the neighborhood! The historic Karcher Hotel on the corner of Washington and MLK Streets is finally on its way to renovation, thanks to years of dedication from the City of Waukegan, Waukegan Main Street, and Artspace - America's leading developer of affordable live/work spaces for artists and their families. Making the project possible is the newly awarded $9,233,930 tax credit from the Illinois Housing Development Authority to be paid annually over the next 10 years.

Hey, we're on Twitter!  You can follow us here:  Waukegan Main Street on Twitter

Hello Neighbors!

Most of downtown Waukegan was buried under snow Wednesday morning, but our dedicated business owners are digging out and opening back up.

I'm writing this from Joplin's Java at 114 S. Genesee Street - open today and serving delicious coffee.  Scroll down to see the latte Brendan made.  If you're venturing outside today, come join us!   -Violet

There are a few sidewalks shoveled on Washington Street

Waukegan Public Library

Look out, Genesee Theatre!  TIDAL WAVE!

Who's got a thumb and too much snow?  This guy!

Snow drift or metaphor for modern society?

Kent, a working man's landlord, clearing snow at Harbor Place

Photos (and captions) from our awesome adventure by Bob Bjork, Brendan Alviani, and Violet Ricker.

Got pictures of downtown in the snow?  Email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Stop in to visit artist Mark Hoffmann and check out the growing art gallery!

For more information, visit facebook.com/dinosaurstudio