Western Springs Restaurant Spending Jumps: Consultant

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – Customers' spending at downtown Western Springs restaurants rose nearly 20 percent from 2022 to 2023, a consultant told village officials at a meeting this week.

That increase signals potential demand for "experiential" businesses, said Michael Blue of Teska Associates, who performed a downtown market assessment.

Western Springs residents dine out 2½ times the national average and more so than their counterparts in peer towns such as La Grange and Clarendon Hills, he said.

But vacancies are rare downtown, so turnover in businesses is low, Blue said. Part of this is because customers show notable loyalty to local businesses, more so than other towns, he said.

Blue compared Western Springs to three neighbors – La Grange, Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills – all of which generally bar office uses on first-floor frontage of downtown buildings. Western Springs, by contrast, does not.

Officials in other towns note that stores and restaurants bring sales tax income, unlike office-based businesses. Shopping and dining, they say, also give downtowns vibrancy.

Blue said Western Springs should consider trying to attract restaurants, particularly breakfast places and those with cuisines unavailable locally.

He also said the village should look at bringing a microbrewery, distillery or taproom.

Village Trustee James Tyrrell said it looked like Western Springs needed breakfast places and other restaurants.

"We don't even have any vacancies – one or two at best," he said.

Blue said the village has barriers to adding more businesses to downtown.

"It's long and narrow. It can be a bit of a challenge," he said. "There isn't a lot of space for redevelopment."

The board is expected to review Blue's report again Jan. 27.