August 2010
|
1
www.fdlreporter.com
JR’s Sports Bar & Grill features Battle of the Bands
Fondue Fest Returns for its Tastiest Year Yet!
Upcoming events in Downtown Fond du Lac
Lillian’s
offers fashionable purses and accessories for limited time each month Dorothy Bliskey | Special to The Reporter
Lillian’s, located at 171 S. Main St., Fond du Lac, features a party-like atmosphere, with freshly-brewed coffee and sounds of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra typically setting the stage for shoppers. The Reporter photos by Patrick Flood
Lillian’s of Fond du Lac, 171 S. Main St., has become a popular monthly gathering spot for women and girls in hot pursuit of trendy yet reasonably priced purses and accessories. The downtown shop opened four years ago, just a year after Lillian’s was founded in Minnesota by two women. It is among 36 franchises located across the country. Wallets, scarves, jewelry and other accessories complement the handbag hot spot. A new addition to the Fond du Lac Lillian’s this month is a boutique clothing line called Moon Goon. An interesting concept is the fact that all of the Lillian’s Shoppes are open only four to eight days a month. Lillian’s of Fond du Lac opens four days per month on the second weekend from Thursday through Sunday, year-round. “The idea behind this unique retail concept,” explained Tracy Mathweg, who along with her husband Tony owns the local franchise, “is to offer a moderate quantity of the trendiest women’s accessories and seasonal fashions at ridiculously affordable prices — for a limited amount of time.” The concept drives customer curiosity and interest. “They have to come in each month to see what’s new,” Mathweg said. Each Lillians receives about 50 percent new inventory each month. If an item doesn’t sell on the main retail floor within three months, it gets marked down and placed in a bargain area, according to Mathweg. “This model keeps the inventory moving out the door, so there is plenty of room for new, incoming
items each month,” Mathweg said. A party-like atmosphere with freshly brewed coffee and sounds of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra often sets the stage for shoppers at Lillian’s. “For customers, we truly offer a fun and engaging shopping experience,” Mathweg said. The ringing of a bell occurs to signal occasions like a woman entering Lillian’s for the first time or someone winning merchandise due to a filled Moon Goon punch card.” “We cater to ladies of all ages, from teenagers and college students to working women and hip seniors,” Mathweg said. “Because we offer a wide selection of merchandise, we see just about every age group represented at any given time.” “Our walls are dripping in hundreds of fashionable handbags, stylish wallets and sunglasses, statement jewelry and trendy seasonal fashions at reasonable prices,” said Mathweg, adding that the price point is key. “There are so many women who say they haven’t come in before because they thought we carried expensive designer handbags,” Mathweg said. “They are delighted to get numerous handbags and accessories at Lillian’s for the price of one designer handbag. Let’fs face it, women like to change their minds, and Lillian’s makes it affordable for women to change their look and style.” Lillian’s is open the second weekend of each month. This month the shop is open Thursday, Aug. 12, to Sunday, Aug. 15. Next month, Lillian’s opens from Thursday, Sept. 9, to Sunday, Sept. 12. Store hours on those dates are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.
To learn more about Lillian’s online, go to www.lilliansshoppe.com.
August 2010
2
| www.fdlreporter.com
r e m seuxmcitement
Battle of the Bands brings
to JR’s Sports Bar & Grill Dorothy Bliskey | Special to The Reporter The Battle of the Bands competition runs from mid-August to Sept. 10. Bands will begin performing at JR’s at 10 p.m. on Fridays. Local radio stations are helping to promote the event.
While burgers, nachos and mojitos are menu highlights at JR’s Sports Bar and Grill, 65 N. Main St., the establishment is shaking it up a bit this month with a Battle of the Bands competition. A month-long “battle” will focus on judging one or two area bands on Friday nights, with the winning band being the featured group at Downtown Fond du Lac’s annual Fondue Fest on Sept. 11. Celebrity judges, along with JR’s’ patrons, will decide the winner. Criteria for judging includes sound clarity, stage presence, originality, likeability and audience interaction.
“I personally am excited to get the bands and JR’s noticed,” Kamholz said. “It is a fantastic facility — a class act, and I’m very excited to be a part of it.” Rachel Wise brought 18 years experience working in the food industry with her when she and her husband Jasen moved to Fond du Lac from Minnesota two years ago so he could accept the role as head hockey coach at Marian University. Local sports teams such as those at Marian are spotlighted on special wall-hung bulletin boards. Although JR’s is a sports bar with televisions galore for watching the games, it is also a family restaurant and gathering spot for bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, class reunions and more.
“The winning band also gets a cash prize, one that is constantly being added to by sponsors,” said Larry Kamholz, a marketing and public relations consultant for JR’s who is directing the Battle of the Bands event. “Bands across the nation are struggling financially,” Kamholz said. “The cash prize will help with their promotions, equipment and the ability to take their band to another level.”
JR’s, a former bowling alley that underwent a transformation to become a sports bar, eatery and meeting place, is huge inside. The new owners have divided it into smaller spaces for various types of gatherings and activities. Seated dining at the front has received a lowered ceiling, a fireplace and partial walls around booths to give a cozy, quieter dining atmosphere. On the opposite end, comfortable leather living room-type furniture surrounds a fireplace area for cozy, relaxed gatherings. Popular menu items include nine varieties of burgers and seven different kinds of JR’s signature nachos in which freshly made tortilla chips are loaded with goodies. Customers might choose a Jack Daniels burger or Crabstation Nachos. The owners like their downtown location. “We enjoy the feeling of being a part of a larger group,” Rachel Wise said, noting her husband serves on the board of the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership. “It’s a feeling of community. We also take pride in working with other surrounding businesses.” While there are some who might jump to conclusions and think JR’s is just another downtown bar, Wise suggests they stop by for a personal visit, a burger or their Friday night fish fry.
Hours for food service at JR’s are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, stop in at JR’s at 65 N. Main St., Fond du Lac, or call 920-921-5640.
The site of JR’s on North Main Street was formerly a bowling alley. The building underwent a transformation to become a sports bar, eatery and meeting place. The Reporter photos by Patrick Flood
art M framing Visit Us During Fondue Fest Saturday,Sept.11 Saturday,Sept.11 For A ChanceTo Preview New Holiday Giftware Free Redlin Calendar with any Redlin art purchase
Lying in bed at night, you’ll hold it up in the darkness
Free ornament stand with purchase of 3 ornaments Register to win door prizes
...wondering if it will reflect the glow of your alarm clock. Good news: it will.
Custom Framing Since 1975
Gallery & Frame Shop
94 S. MAIN ST | FOND DU LAC | 921-1144
www.galleryframe.net
6:30 a.m. - Noon City-County Government building parking lot (Western Ave. & Linden St.)
WEDNESDAY 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Open: Mon-Thurs 8am - 5pm Fri. 8am - 8pm; Sat. 9am - 12pm 5001156497
Mon thru Fri 9:30am-5:00pm Sat 9:30am-4:00pm Wed ‘til 7:00pm
SATURDAY
Hamilton Park (Division St. & Sophia St.)
(920) 921-2475 105 N. Main St., Fond du Lac
EXPERIENCE DOWNTOWN FOND DU LAC is published by The Reporter, Fond du Lac. Contents of this section are published for The Reporter. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent of The Reporter. For more information, contact Michael Mentzer, managing editor, at 920-907-7910 or e-mail mmentzer@fdlreporter.com.
General Manager/Executive Editor: RICHARD ROESGEN Managing Editor: MICHAEL MENTZER | Contributing Writer: DOROTHY BLISKEY Photography: PATRICK FLOOD | Graphic Artist: HEATHER NOHR Advertising Director: JOE BEMBNISTER | Advertising Manager: JEN MEMMEL Circulation Manager: GREG FYVIE | Regional Ad Production Center Manager: TINA TWEEDALE
August 2010
| www.fdlreporter.com
3
Fondue Fest
Returns for its Tastiest Year Yet! Now in its fourth year, Downtown Fond du Lac’s Fondue Fest will feature live entertainment on three music stages, a free Kids Zone, arts and crafts vendors, food and beverage vendors, and of course … fondue! The free community festival will take place on Saturday, September 11, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival’s centerpiece – delicious fondue – will be prepared by culinary arts students from Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac. What can you expect to dip into to? Cheese and chocolate! Delicious cheese fondue will be paired with artisan breads, while your sweet tooth will be satisfied by chocolate fondue paired with cookies and brownies. Be sure to check out the 1,000-pound stainless steel Guiness World Record Fondue Set. This is the pot’s last public appearance, so make sure to check it out. Three live-music stages will entertain attendees all day. The South Stage, presented by MAG and The Nielsen Co., will feature Kevin Fayte Rock & Roll Trio from 10 a.m. to noon, Hot Pursuit from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Copper Box from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Windhover Center Stage, presented by Jackson Kahl Insurance, features Four G Jazz from 10 a.m. to noon, Lighthouse Big Band from 12:30 pm. to 2:30 p.m. and Disciples of Dixieland Jazz wrapping up the day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The North Stage will highlight many unique community performers, including students from Champion Martial Arts, ballroom dance demonstrations from Shut Up and Dance, belly dancers, and KFIZ’s annual Quick Fire Cooking Challenge. Also, JR’s Sports Bar & Grill will host a “Battle of the Bands” competition from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; come cheer for your favorite. In addition to fondue and live entertainment, the event is overflowing with family fun. The popular Kids Zone, presented by The Garden, will keep all ages busy with a golfing green, bounce houses, a bungee run, an obstacle course, a ballthrow challenge and make-and-take craft projects provided by the Fond du Lac Public Library, Family Resource Center and the Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac. The free Main to Marian: Agnesian HealthCare’s Family Fun Bicycle Ride starts at 8:30 a.m. from the library parking lot. Main Street will be closed to traffic and chock-full with more than 100 unique art and craft exhibitors, Farmers Market vendors, food and beverages vendors, a classic car show fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes, an in-store basket tour, fashion shows, a poetry reading by Wisconsin Poet Laureate Marilyn Taylor and, in honor of all our veterans, a 9/11 tribute. Parking at the festival is easy – a free shuttle will run from the large MAG parking lot at Macy and Johnson streets to various convenient stops throughout the festival boundaries, with pickup stops every half hour. The shuttle will run all day. The Fondue Fest is downtown Fond du Lac’s biggest event. Presenting sponsors are Jackson Kahl Insurance, Windhover Center for the Arts, The Nielsen Co., The Garden, MAG and Waste Management. The World Record Fondue Set is presented by Brenner.
Fondue Fest is a program of the Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership. For more information, visit www.fonduefest.com or call the partnership at (920) 921-9500. The Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership aims to establish a diverse, prosperous and healthy district that is the social, commercial and cultural heart of our community.
Customer
Appreciation
SALE Friday & Saturday
August 20 & 21
1 - Beadalotta
8 - Krail Jewelry
2 - Botanicals
9 - Lillian’s
3 - The Clothes Line
• Free rose to all shoppers • 20% off anything in the store *Excludes wire out orders
10 - The Nailbox
4 - Commonwealth Management Corp.
11 - Ramada Plaza Hotel
5 - Fond du Lac Association of Commerce
12 - Set In Ink, LLC
6 - Fox Valley Savings Bank 7 - Gallery and Frame Shop
5001156506
Your Distinctively Different Downtown Designer
13 - Trinkets and Treasures 14 - Woods Floral and Gifts
Our “Advertising Hot Spots” displays the locations of our valued advertisers in this special section. You can easily find their locations on the map and then find their ads within these pages to find the great specials and deals that they have to offer you!
33 S. Main, Fond du Lac 906-9632 BotanicalsOnMain.com
www.ramadafdl.com
Hungry? Indulge yourself with Cibo’s new exciting Lunch Buffet and new Lunch Menu!
Serving Buffet Monday-Friday 11am-2pm and
urry In A H our y Call in they’ll n a R d ORDE ready for have it dine-in. or pick-up
Lunch Monday-Saturday 11am-4pm Cibo Steaks & Spirits is more than a dining destination. It is a sensation you’ll return to experience again and again!
1 N. Main St., Downtown Fond du Lac
5001156237
5001156216
Located inside the Ramada Plaza Hotel
920-923-3000
August 2010
4
| www.fdlreporter.com
For more information on what’s happening in downtown Fond du Lac, call 920.921.9500 or log on to www.downtownfdl.com
Tuesday, August 17
Friday, August 20
Wednesday, August 25
Paws to Read 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. FDL Public Library. Children ages 6 – 12 can read 1-1 for a 15 minute period of time with a certified dog/handler team.
Birthday Bash 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac. Come and celebrate our 2nd Birthday! Activities will begin inside the Museum at 9 a.m. and the FREE Street Carnival will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Day Trips Around the World (Spain) 9 a.m. to noon. Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac. Experience the Spanish culture through hands-on projects and play time.
Songs Around the Campfire 11:30 a.m. Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac. Enjoy the summer while singing around the campfire.
Farmers Market 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Hamilton Park, Corner of Division St. & Sophia St.
Saturday, August 21
Teen Program: Hunger Games 1 to 2:30 p.m. FDL Public Library. Enjoy trivia, challenges, food, prizes. Open to all 6th – 12th graders.
Pop Right in Book Club 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. FDL Public Library. Kids ages 9 – 12 are invited to join a fun discussion about recently read books and new additions to the library collection.
Wednesday, August 18 Day Trips Around the World (France) 9 a.m. to noon. Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac Experience the French culture through hands-on projects and play time. Farmers Market 2 to 6 p.m. Hamilton Park, Corner of Division St. & Sophia St. First Steps to Kindergarten 10 to 11 a.m. FDL Public Library. Children entering kindergarten and their parents are invited to celebrate this important step in their child’s life.
Come to Lillians for Guilt-Free Shopping!
Farmers Market 6:30 a.m. to noon. City-County Government Building, Western Ave. & Linden St. Paws To Read 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. FDL Public Library. Children ages 6 – 12 can read 1-1 for a 15 minute period of time with a certified dog/handler team.
Tuesday, August 24
Paws to Read 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. FDL Public Library. Children ages 6 – 12 can read 1-1 for a 15 minute period of time with a certified dog/handler team.
Now Offering Fall & Winter Special
Wednesday, Sept. 1 Farmers Market 2 to 6 p.m. Hamilton Park, Corner of Division St. & Sophia St.
Saturday, Sept. 4 Farmers Market 6:30 a.m. to noon. City-County Government Building, Western Ave. & Linden St.
Find your back-to-campus or back-to-work fashion and accessories!
Wednesday, Sept. 8 Farmers Market 2 to 6 p.m. Hamilton Park, Corner of Division St. & Sophia St.
OPEN SEPTEMBER 9TH - 12TH
SIGN UP NOW FOR SNOW REMOVAL... GET A FREE FALL CLEAN-UP!
The Second Thursday through Sunday each month Hours: Thurs. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sun. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
920-924-SNOW www.commonwealthlandscaping.net
171 S. Main St. • Fond du Lac • 920-322-1844
5001157683
Farmers Market 6:30 to noon. City-County Government Building, Western Ave. & Linden St.
Paws to Read 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. FDL Public Library. Children ages 6 – 12 can read 1-1 for a 15 minute period of time with a certified dog/handler team.
GET THE LOOK FOR LESS AT LILLIANS
www.lilliansshoppe.com
Saturday, August 28
54 East First St • Fond du Lac 5001156472
Saturday, Sept. 11 Fondue Fest 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Main Street, Downtown Fond du Lac. Free, family street festival with live music, kids fundue zone, arts and craft vendors, food, and fondue.
Wednesday, Sept. 15 Farmers Market 2 to 6 p.m. Hamilton Park, Corner of Division St. & Sophia St.
Saturday, Sept. 18 Farmers Market 6:30 a.m. to noon, City-County Government Building. Western Ave. & Linden St.
DD510
Visit us during Fondue Fest Saturday, Sept. 11 for great values on home decor, giftware, floral, candles and more!
womens consignment
Serving Fond du Lac and area since 1916
BLOW OUT SALE o
n all summe r items, to make room for the new s eason.
922-6780
mon-fri 11-5, wed 11-7, sat 10-3
5001156511
5001135088
36 N. Main St., Fond du Lac
13 East First Street, FDL • 922-3371
Fall F all iis sc coming! oming!
Fall is coming!
Fond du Lac’s First Detox Pedi-Spa!
What a great gift to give – something handmade. Start learning how to make those gifts now. We will be closed September 4 for Labor Day weekend – Have a safe and happy end to summer!
Stop In And See Our Brand New, State Of The Art Pedi Room!
September 11: We will be celebrating Fondue Fest with free demonstrations throughout the day. Worksheets will be available. And who knows? We’ll also have 3 mini baskets to give away! Come in to put your name in the pot with every $10 purchase to win a free gift!
Call Today For Your Appointment!
September 18: Basics: How to string and make a simple pair of Earrings $22 + beads and clasp 10:30-1pm. Learn how to make a simple bracelet and earring set of your design. Beading wire, crimps, crimp covers, practice wire, sterling silver headpins and sterling silver earwires will be included in the class fee.
2-9707 707 322322-9707
September 25: Byzantium Bracelet $22 + materials 10:30-1pm. Great for the beginner weaver. Learn how to stitch this simple yet intricate-looking bracelet. This is a right angle weave (RAW) stitch that steps it up a notch! No weaving experience necessary.
is Coming! For f y a O Tod ction n I e p le Sto at Se andis re rch A G ll Me Fa
Join us at Beadalotta
“A Fun Place to Bead” 20
this fall and learn something new
08 & 2009
We also offer Customer Choice classes on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1:15pm. Ask us about taking a class – August is already booked and September is filling up fast!
104 S. Main, Suite 212 Fond du Lac
5001156502
5001156313
Don’t forget to visit us on the web at www.beadalotta.com or our blog at www.beadalotta.blogspot.com Located at 21 E. 2nd St., Suite 101, Fond du Lac, WI 54935 (parking and entrance are on the corner of 1st and Portland)
Ph: 920-322-1885
47 S. Main Street, Downtown Fond du Lac
922-5667
5001156303