Dekalb County Magazine -2015

DeKalb County Magazine

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Exotic Cars in DeKalb County

Home Trends Whiskey Acres DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 1

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Table of Contents Local Businesses Cater to Customers’ Pets.................................. 6 Whiskey Acres: The Spirit of DeKalb .............................................. 10 Home Trends in DeKalb County......... 14 Summer Day Trips ............................ 17 Electric Limo....................................... 20 Everyday Etiquette............................. 22 Biking in DeKalb County................... 26 Cademon Brewery.............................. 30 Taxco Restaurant................................ 34 Exotic Cars in DeKalb County............ 38

Publisher: Karen Pletsch Project Manager: Lisa Angel Layout & Design: Allison LaPorta Photography: Rebecca Colbert, Sue Elsner, Danielle Guerra, Monica Synett, Jamie Walter (Cover/Inset) Writer: Aimee Barrows & Stephen Haberkorn Articles and advertisements are property of Shaw Media.

No portion of DC Magazine may be produced without written consent of the publisher.

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Local

Businesses Catering to Customers’ Pets By: Aimee Barrows

Photo taken by: Monica Synett • msynett @ shawmedia.com

Americans have a love affair with dogs. In fact, dogs often share the same status as children in families, so it’s no surprise that people are taking their four-legged friends with them while shopping, travelling, and even while dining. More businesses than ever are becoming “petfriendly,” and are catering to customers who bring Fido along with them wherever they go.

Dawn Sukach, owner of D & D Jewelers in downtown Sycamore, actually brings her dog with her to work at the store. She said she likes to have her dog with her, and her employees enjoy seeing the dog.

“Some of our customers know she’s there, and actually stop in to visit with her, and our delivery guys look for her too,” Sukach said.

Dogs are welcome to shop with their owners as well. Sukach said she has several customers who bring their dogs while shopping, and she’s never had a problem. “Their pets are a big part of their lives, so when they’re walking their dog and they want to stop in the store, we’d rather have them bring the dog inside rather than tie them up outside on the mirror,” she said.

D & D Jewelers isn’t the only pet-friendly retail outlet in the area. Several stores in Geneva Commons allow customers to bring their animals while shopping. White House Black Market is one store that allows dogs inside.

“We all love animals, and for women who take their dogs out, it’s nice for them to bring their animals,” said Lori Jakupi, manager at White House Black Market. “Our customers really appreciate it because it gives them time to shop, and they’re not rushed to get back to their animal in the car.”

Ann Taylor also allows customers to bring their animals inside. Lindsey Campobasso, store manager at Ann Taylor, said her store has always been pet-friendly. She said they’ve never had any negative experiences with an animal in the store. In fact, Campobasso said she sees other customers often stopping to visit with animals who are in the store.

“We see dogs in our store quite a bit. We’re an outdoor mall, so that lends itself to people having dogs with them,” she said. “Our clients with dogs are so grateful to be able to bring them into the store.”

While most restaurants only allow service animals, one local pub lets their customers bring their pets while they enjoy a meal on the patio.

Mel Witmer, owner of O’Leary’s in downtown DeKalb, said his restaurant has welcomed dogs ever since they opened the patio.

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“My wife is a dog lover, and she started putting bowls of water out for the dogs who walked by,” he said. “And before we knew it, they were dining with our customers on the patio.”

He said having customers bring their dogs is becoming more and more popular, but hasn’t seen anyone bring food for their pets to eat.

“We don’t have a doggie menu… yet,” he said.

“But I think people give their dogs table scraps.

It’s a dog’s world.”

Even banks are catering to their pet-loving customers by giving out doggie biscuits. Luis Gonzalez, personal banker at Castle Bank, said all of their locations give treats to their “fourlegged customers” who come into the lobby or who are in cars in the drive-thru.

“The dogs look forward to coming in because they know they get a treat, and it’s just very good customer service because it makes them happy,” Gonzalez said.

And making pets happy is the biggest reason people spend so much money on them, according to Michelle Bejbl, owner of Gone to the Dogs, which offers doggie daycare, training and grooming.

“People do what they can afford to keep their dog happy, and they will make sacrifices to provide for their dog,” she said.

Bejbl’s DeKalb business has been growing over the past five years. She said they take care of between 20-30 dogs a day in the doggie daycare.

“People are relieved they can bring their dogs to a place where they’re watched, and they can play and come home tired. The dogs are happy, and they have a really good time,” she said.

Bejbl believes businesses are becoming more pet-friendly because they’re realizing that “dogs aren’t a problem” and can even have a calming effect on people.

“Animals and people have a long-term bond, and people are understanding the health benefits of having a dog,” Beibl said. “Animals give so much back to us, and to come home to a dog that can’t wait to see you… it’s invaluable.”

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WHISKEY ACRES The Spirit of DeKalb By: Stephen Haberkorn

When DeKalb farmer, Jamie Walter, looked at expanding his family’s agricultural business a few years ago, whiskey distilling seemed to make the most sense. During his research, Walter discovered that craft distilling was the fastest-growing sector of the alcoholic beverage market. And bourbon, a specialized type of whiskey, was the fastest growing segment of that. Bourbon, by law, has to be made with a minimum of 51% corn.“And what do we grow here in DeKalb County better than almost anywhere in the world? Corn,” said Walter. “That’s what got us interested.”

Jamie Walter, his father, Jim, and family friend, Nick Nagele, are now the owners and operators of Whiskey Acres Distilling Company, which was incorporated in August, 2013. After a fairly long licensure process involving federal, state, and county agencies, they were able to distill their first batch of whiskey on December 19, 2014.

Photos taken by: Danielle Guerra • dguerra@ shawmedia.com

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“DeKalb is known for being innovative when it comes to agriculture. This is the birthplace of barbed wire. It’s the birthplace of hybrid seed corn,” stated Walter. “I’m not grandiose enough to think that a little distillery that we’ve started here is of the same scale, but it’s very much a new thing. It’s something that DeKalb County’s never had before.”

While most distilleries buy commodity grains to make their whiskey, Whiskey Acres grows their own corn, wheat, and rye on their property. “All distilleries can make whiskey. We’re the only distillery in Illinois that can grow whiskey,” said Nagele.

Because Whiskey Acres Distillery is on a farm, they call themselves an Estate Distillery. They are one of only two farm distilleries in the United States certified by the American Distilling Institute. They grow the grains, harvest them, mash, distill, age and bottle their whiskey all on site – “from seed to spirit,” as their slogan proudly proclaims.

“What that allows us to do is to pick the best grains, harvest them at the right time, have total control of the process, and start out with the best ingredients,” explains Nagele. “To build onto that, we’ve got the best equipment that you can have for a craft distillery.”

based products. “Most everybody who has an inkling of what we’re doing out here is highly supportive,” said Walter.

They expect their business will be a great benefit to DeKalb County through tax revenue generated, new jobs created, tourist influx, and a great deal of publicity that surrounds a venture of this sort. Every bottle they sell says, “DeKalb, Illinois,” on it.

Over the last few years, the State of Illinois has increased the amount of liquor a craft distillery can produce from 5,000 gallons a year to 35,000 gallons a year. These changes in production limits have allowed operations like Whiskey Acres to become profitable and justify the type of start-up investment that is needed. A county zoning dispute almost kept the venture from getting off the ground, but Jamie Walter’s experience as a former attorney and, more importantly, his involvement in the DeKalb County Farm Bureau helped them get a local law changed that enabled their business to move forward.

“When we told them what we were planning to do here, we were immediately told that it would require a special use permit, because it’s not agriculture and we’re in an agriculturally-zoned area, and that it was a manufacturing process and a retail sales process,” explained Walter.

Walters used to practice as an attorney, so he had some familiarity with the process. He was also the Vice President of the DeKalb County Farm Bureau, which helped even more, because he was aware of the plight all commercial farmers in DeKalb County faced when they wanted to do anything besides “moving plows or raising sows.” There were other farmers in the county who were affected by these restrictions that had different associated agricultural businesses, such as machinery repair, or selling seed or drain tiles.

Since none of the farmers at Whiskey Acres had any experience distilling alcohol, they hired a “whiskey wizard” named Dave Pickerell as a consultant to help them get started. Pickerell was formerly Master Distiller at the premium Kentucky bourbon brand, Maker’s Mark.

They utilized his expertise to learn such things as where to source their equipment and what recipes to come up with.

He helped engineer their still layout design and oversaw its construction in December of 2014.

Pickerell chose to work with Whiskey Acres largely because of the farming aspect. He’s always had an interest in trying to flesh out terroir in whiskey. (Terroir is the concept that wine reflects the character of the climate in which it’s grown.) Most whiskey makers don’t think about such things, because they don’t grow the grain they use; they just source it.

Whiskey Acres is trying to come up with different flavors of whiskey by changing varietals of corn and adjusting the growing conditions of the grain. Their first products, an un-aged corn whiskey and an apple-flavored whiskey, hit store shelves in February, 2015. Their first bourbon, which requires aging in new, charred oak barrels, won’t be ready for about another year. They include a toasted infusion spiral with every bottle of their grain whiskey, which gives it a little bit of an oaky flavor. It is literally a piece of charred American Oak. This is a way to give a hint of the flavor of bourbon.

Once it is ready, bourbon will be their primary product.

DeKalb County ended up adopting language in the definition of agriculture that the State of Illinois has, which included the value-added processing of crops grown on the farm. “For us, making whiskey from the corn we’re growing is no different than you making salsa from the tomatoes you grow or a hog feeder was making hog feed from the grain that they grew,” said Nagele.

The county has told them they can’t sell anything they don’t grow, so they are not able to sell branded merchandise to promote their brand. They have had to come up with creative ways to get their branded merchandise out there, such as giving t-shirts away when people buy their corn-

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 11

11504 Keslinger Road • DeKalb, IL 60115 (844) 494-4751 • whiskeyacres.com

They will also have a rye whiskey and a vodka from 100% corn (which will only be available at their farm distillery). They are even going to try making a whiskey from popcorn. They have descriptions of their products and drink recipes on their website at Whiskeyacres. com/sip.

John McIntyre, Wine and Spirits Manager at Hy-Vee in Sycamore, is proud to have been the first retailer for Whiskey Acres. “I think the product’s terrific, number one. I think they’re terrific people; they’re a wonderful family,” said McIntyre. In a market crowded with literally thousands of whiskeys to choose from, McIntyre thinks Whiskey Acres’ story sets them apart.

“To be able to say you grew the stuff. You used your own water. Everything was done on your property. You distilled it on your property. You bottled it on your property. That’s a pretty unique story,” said McIntyre.

When you visit Whiskey Acres, you can lounge on their patio and sample their product while you look out over the fields where the grains used to make the whiskey is grown, next to the building where the whiskey is made. On site, you can purchase their whiskey by the glass, as well as by the bottle.

“We don’t want to be a bar. We want to be a place where people can come and enjoy a premium cocktail, featuring a premium spirit – a different experience than they can get anywhere else,” said Nagele.

Next to the patio is their tasting room. The tasting room is in a building that was constructed fifty years ago by Jim Walter’s brother. He used the original stone and timber from the family’s dairy barn, and everything inside is made from reclaimed barn siding. The structure was originally used as a picnic shelter. It contains a fireplace that will burn ethanol.

“This is upcycle. We have this wonderful stone patio out here that was reclaimed from an old barn in Genoa. We’re doing our best to utilize the resources we have, as well as to sustainably manage the resources that we’re growing every year,” said Nagele.

An ideal crowd size for a tour and a tasting would be ten people; however, they can accommodate busloads of people by appointment. A tour will last 30-45 minutes.

Tours & Tastings cost $10/person for those over 21 (includes a distillery tour, 3 sample pours, and a free souvenir shot glass). Supervised guests under 21 are invited to take the tour only at no charge.

Their anticipated hours are Friday and Saturday from 1-7pm and Sunday from 1-5. They will be open more, if needed, as their business grows.

“People drive all the way to Kentucky to go on the Bourbon tour,” points out Nagele. “Why go to Kentucky when you can come here? It’s a lot easier to come to DeKalb than it is to drive to Lynchburg. We want to be one of the first stops on the Illinois Bourbon Tour.”

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“It’s always a good time to buy and sell,”

says Diane Hammon of Coldwell

T r e n d s in DeKalb County By: Stephen Haberkorn

Banker/Honig-Bell in Sycamore. The trend for homes in DeKalb County is continuing to grow and sales are increasing. “Overall, the market has been improving about 5% per year, on average, since 2012 as it slowly recovers from the big collapse that began in 2007,” said Alison Rosenow of American Realty in Sycamore. Sue Elsner of Century 21 Elsner in DeKalb agrees. “I think overall, in DeKalb County, we’re doing better than we have.” Elsner said the market started unexpectedly strong this year and they didn’t have a lot of inventory, which drove up the prices.

Hammon believes that it’s about 60/40 seller-to-buyer right now – especially for less-expensive homes. Because of the low inventory, homes are spending less time on the market. “The good ones go fast,” said Rosenow. But while the overall market favors the sellers, as you move up into the higher end of the pricing scale, it becomes more of a buyers’ market. “People are looking for inexpensive homes,” said Hammon. The average market price that people are buying in this area, according to Rosenow, is about $150,000. “I’ve been telling people, pretty much anything over $275,000 in this area is considered high end,” said Rosenow.

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“We need the entry-level buyers to come in, because if we’ve got the entry-level buyers, which we haven’t had for a while, then they buy into the middle level,” said Hammon, “The middle level buys up. And the upper level buys and goes into the condos, so they can travel, so they can have less maintenance. But, without the entry-level people buying, the middle-level people can’t buy up, and the upper-level people can’t sell their properties to go into the condos or to buy smaller homes.”

One of the problems in this area is that most of the houses that are above $400,000 were built in the last ten years, so those homes never had a chance to build any equity, since that’s right when the market tanked. And there are fewer buyers in that price range.

What Rosenow says to those high end sellers is that if they take a hit on the sell side, they’re going to be getting a good price on the new house, so it ends up evening out.

What Buyers Want in Homes

Just as there are overall trends in home sales, there are also trends in what buyers are considering “must-haves” when they decide on a home. Even though it is helpful to keep up with current home trends, Elsner does give one caveat: “I would never tell anyone to try to become trendy,” because trends end. That being said, let’s look at some of the features and amenities buyers currently want.

Things that are in: • Open-concept floor plans • Third-car garages • Home offices • First-floor playrooms for kids right off the kitchen • More bathrooms • Hardwood floors • Granite or Corian countertops • Finished basements • Stainless steel appliances • Big laundry rooms • Larger, well-landscaped lots

“I would say the number one thing they’re looking for is a house that is done. Finished. And finished with the right amenities,” said Elsner “And it doesn’t matter what price point, whether it’s a 90k home or a 400k home; they want it in pristine, move-in condition, and they want it to have all the bells and whistles.”

Since the open floor plan/ great room concept has been popular for several years now, people are even opening up older homes by adding headers and removing walls to combine the kitchen and dining room into one open area. A feature that used to be considered a luxury is now becoming a “must-have” for many home buyers.

According to Elsner, a three-car garage is almost standard now, even for 150k homes. For many people, the third-car garage is not necessarily for a car, but for a motorcycle, boat, or kids’ bikes, so that they can still get both cars in the garage, said Hammon.

As baby boomers grow older, said Elsner, ranch homes are still high in demand, as are two story homes with a firstfloor master bedroom, so that couples can “age in place” and don’t have to move after the kids are gone. Finished basements are high in demand, and may be a selling point for an existing home over a newly-built; however, sellers probably won’t recoup the money they put into them.

Rosenow estimates that if you put $40,000 into finishing a basement, it will probably only increase the appraisal value by $10-15,000. It will help the home sell faster than neighboring houses without finished basements, though.

A trend that Rosenow has experienced is people wanting to negotiate-in personal items such as cars, play sets, pool tables, or tractors in the case of a farmette. Those things usually don’t make or break a deal, but are often negotiated after the home sale. One final incentive Rosenow has seen people offer to entice buyers is covering the closing costs Featured Photos: 1424 N. 1st Street • DeKalb, IL Listed By: Century 21 Elsner Reality

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 15

real estate sites and they use different formulas for computing a home’s market price. They may be missing information (such as a finished basement) or they may not update often enough. “Realtor. com is going to be your best source,” said Elsner.

“That’s my feeling, because they update directly from the MLS’s. However, the other sites, Trulia, Zillow, they update quickly as well. The more obscure sites, they have some old data out there.”

The second inaccuracy which commonly occurs with Internet listings is many houses listed for sale are already under contract. With the MLS, if there is a contract on the property, but it has a contingency, it goes in as contingent, but not under contract. That’s the problem, explained Elsner. The realtors know it’s under contract, but the public doesn’t. Until it goes to “pending,” it will stay out there as being available when it’s not.

or offering closing cost assistance.

On the other end of the spectrum, one of the biggest things that is being phased out of homes are formal dining rooms and living rooms, in favor of the open concepts. This is a generational trend, as older buyers may still want them. “Even if they are top-of-the-line, most people in this area think white glass or black appliances look cheap,” said Elsner. They only want stainless steel. Also,hot tubs and pools are not in demand in this area.

Pools, especially, can be a deal breaker for many home buyers. “They’re beautiful to look at, but they’re high maintenance,” said Elsner, “And in this area, you have a nine or ten week window to use it, at the most.

Impact of Technology on Real Estate Market

Home buyers are using technology more to assist them with their real estate searches. There have been some benefits to these new tools, but the real estate agents warn that the Internet comes with its own set of pitfalls. “Technology is a benefit and a curse,” said Elsner. “It provides a lot of information for the buyers. The buyers make decisions based on the information they see, which is not always the correct information. It may look really good on the Internet,” adds Hammon, “but when you get into the actual house, it may look totally different.”

Internet listings can also be inaccurate for two reasons. The first is due to the large amounts of

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Because realtors are writing blogs and buyers are using smartphone apps, there is a lot of information out there. Apps give people price changes, new listings, and what homes sold for right away. You can sign up to get automatic email notifications on any properties listed within a certain radius. “I’ve been doing this more than ten years and they’re more well-informed than they ever used to be,” said Rosenow. In some ways, it makes the realtor’s job easier because they don’t have to show homebuyers as many houses because they’ve already eliminated many during their research.

It has affected their industry’s open houses, too.

They used to do broker caravans where they would invite other realtors from other offices, but people aren’t going to open houses or broker caravans as much because everything can be viewed on their computer or their smart phone.

“Some people are sitting in front of the home, scoping through twenty-five photos and deciding that they don’t want to look at the property,” said Rosenow.

Final Tips

Consider that interest rates may start going up.“Interest rates are low. There is talk they may be going up. There’s already pressure on them and they are starting to rise a little bit,” said Elsner. It’s still tough to get a loan, so people need to save as much as possible for a down payment.

Also, learn to settle a little. “Aim high, but everyone has to start with the first step. People want to move out of their mom and dad’s house and they want to move into their mom and dad’s house. They have to remember, their mom and dad didn’t start at that house,” said Elsner.

And just as we started with a well-known realtor cliché, we will also end with one. “Pick your location, fix your house,” advised Elsner. “People discount the ‘location, location, location,’ and they’ll buy the ‘pretty, pretty, pretty.’ But pretty ages; locations don’t age. Drive the neighborhoods.

Focus your search on where you want to be. You can always fix your house.”

Fortunately for DeKalb County residents, there are many great locations in the area.

“I moved here from Naperville, originally,” said Rosenow. “A lot of people get nervous moving from a larger area, because there’s not as many amenities. But I love it out here because there is that smaller-town feeling. I feel like it’s less crowded than those larger communities. I love that there’s not a large rush hour. I can go over to Target and find a parking spot easily. I don’t get road rage like I do when I have to go back to Naperville. Being from Naperville, you could never be somewhere within five minutes. That’s what I love about this town; I can be anywhere in like five minutes … People are friendly. They wave you to go into a parking spot. I feel like it’s less stressful to be out in this area.”

s n p i r u T F y a D r e umm

S

You don’t need to travel to a faraway locale to have fun this summer. There’s plenty to do near DeKalb County that will keep you and your family entertained for just one day, or an entire weekend.

Here are a few not-too-far destinations that are worth checking out for a summertime adventure.

By: Aimee Barrows

SHABBONA LAKE

Shabbona Lake State Park is perfect for outdoor adventurers. With plenty to do from hiking to fishing to boating, there’s something for every nature-lover. The park features several scenic hiking trails, the longest being seven miles. Of course, fishing is a very popular activity at the park, and you’ll find a wide variety of species in the lake, including walleye, catfish, muskie, bluegill and bass fishing. Fisherman can also stop by the park’s own bait and tackle shop before they hit the water.

The park has several types of boats available for rent, for fishing or just an enjoyable cruise on the lake. They even rent out one-person kayaks and two-person canoes.

Molly Haseman, office coordinator at the park, said camping is also one of their most popular activities. The park has 150 campgrounds, and all have electricity, water, and a dump station.

“We’re very popular, we do fill up every weekend, so it’s a good idea to make reservations,” Haseman said.

The park features a full-service café, Pokanoka’s, that will even deliver to your boat during the summer. Haseman said the park is very family friendly, with kid-friendly hiking trails and a playground.

“This park is a great way for just getting outdoors, and what’s particularly nice about us is there’s something for everyone to enjoy, so we just welcome everyone to come out and experience the park,” Haseman said.

For more information about the park, call 815-824-2106, or visit shabbonalake.com.

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 17

STARVED ROCK STATE PARK

Located in Utica, IL, Starved Rock has been called Illinois’ greatest treasure, and one of the most beautiful places in the state. Summer is the perfect time to bring the family for a hike along one of the park’s several trails. Marvel at the beauty of one of many waterfalls in some of the trails’ towering canyons.

Start your day at Starved Rock’s Visitor’s Center, where you can learn more about the history of the park, how it got its name and the legend of Lover’s Leap, displays of tools used by area Native Americans, as well as other educational exhibits and park maps.

Starved Rock Adventures offers canoe and kayak rentals for an adventure on the Fox River.

For those who’d like to extend their stay longer than one day, consider the Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center, a 69-room hotel that features an indoor pool, a restaurant, live music on the patio (seasonal), a gift shop and trolley tours for those who’d prefer not to hike. The Starved Rock Marketplace is also home to Cattails, a gift shop that features a wine room where guests can sample award-winning Illinois-made wines.

Jolyn Wise, Natural Resources Coordinator, said the scenic beauty is the main draw to the park, which saw a record 2.3 million visitors in 2014.

“When people drive here, there’s nothing but cornfields, but when you get to this part of Illinois, you get overlooks and canyons and rock formations,” Wise said. “It’s nice because you can hop in the car, be here in an hour or so, and spend three or four hours hiking and be home the same day.”

Visit starvedrockstatepark.org to plan your day trip to one of the most beautiful locations in Illinois. Starved Rock State Park also hosts weddings and corporate meetings and retreats.

GALENA

Galena, a tucked-away jewel in northwest Illinois, offers visitors a chance to step back into Civil War-era times and visit the location where Ulysses S. Grant once worked and lived.

Galena, located in Jo Daviess County along the Galena River, is rich in 19th-century architecture and history. It earned a place on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s “American’s Dozen Destinations” list.

Belvedere Mansion and Gardens, also known as the “Downton Abbey” of Galena, was built in 1857. It’s a 22-room mansion where visitors can walk through Civil War era Galena on a guided tour. Galena’s oldest house is the Dowling House, which was built in 1826 and made of limestone. It was once the only trading post in the city and hosted many fur traders.

Galena is also home to several wineries, where adults can taste several award-winning regional wines. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy kayaking, canoeing, or fishing on the Mississippi River.

Visitors can also take a Galena Trolley Tour, which are daily tours of local historical attractions, and the city’s many art galleries, boutiques and antique stores. Galena boasts several day spas, so visitors can relax with a massage or facial, while golfers can hit the links on one of the area’s 10 courses. Find out more about this charming city at visitgalena.org.

DIXON

Located about 35 miles down I-88 is Dixon, the petunia capital of Illinois, and perhaps more notably, the boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan.

Reagan’s former home is restored to the 1920s era when he and his family lived there.

Visitors can take a guided tour, and then visit the Dixon Historical Center, which was once a school that Reagan and his brother attended. The Loveland Museum also features Reagan memorabilia, including movies, posters, and rare photographs. Dixon’s First Christian Church, where Reagan was baptized, also offers an exhibit devoted to him.

History buffs won’t want to miss the Old Settlers Log Cabin, which was built in 1894, or the Historic Dixon Theatre, which was built in 1922. Just a short 10 miles north of Dixon is Grand Detour, IL, which is home to the John Deere Historic Site. The site features Deere’s restored pioneer home that was built in 1836, plus a working blacksmith shop and gift store.

Nature lovers won’t want to miss Lowell Park Nature Center. The park is located on the

18 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

banks of the Rock River, and features swimming, boating, and native plant exhibits. Reagan actually worked as a lifeguard at the park, and saved many lives during his time there.

Dixon is also home to The Next Picture Show Fine Arts Center, which is located in a renovated building that was constructed in 1854. The non-profit center features many art exhibits, workshops, classes, and other special events. Check out the Midway Drive-In Theatre, one of only 20 remaining drive-ins in Illinois.

Dixon’s famous Petunia Festival runs from July 1-5. Visitors can enjoy live country music, arts and crafts shows, fireworks, a carnival and plenty of mouth-watering food. For more information visit petuniafest.com. For more information on events and attractions in Dixon, visit discoverdixon.org.

NAPERVILLE

Naperville has long been known as a suburban hot-spot, with a gorgeous downtown Riverwalk, a historic museum, as well as plenty of upscale shopping and unique dining experiences.

Visitors can stroll the five mile Riverwalk along the DuPage River and check out several gazebos and covered bridges, as well as admire art work and sculptures that are placed along the walk, which goes directly through downtown Naperville. The Millenium Carillon Tower, which is a 153 ft. bell tower, is also a stop along the Riverwalk. Downtown Naperville also features Centennial Beach, which is an old quarry.

The Naper Settlement is a 212-acre outdoor history museum near downtown Naperville that features re-creations of 19th century villages. The settlement has more than 40,000 historic objects and includes a Victorian Mansion. New this year is a playground and splash pad for children.

Shannon Kunicki, employee of Naperville Convention and Visitors Bureau, said there are some exciting new restaurants and shops in the downtown area.

“Naf Naf Grill is a new fast-casual restaurant, and we also have a new artisan pizza restaurant called Fiamme Pizza, and for dessert we have Frost Gelato, which is also new,” she said. “Some new downtown stores include J. Crew, Anthropologie, and Evereve, which is an upscale women’s clothing boutique.”

Kunicki said while Naperville has a very busy nightlife scene with “tons of bars,” the city still retains its small town charm. “It’s a big city with a small town atmosphere, and just a great place to shop, dine, play and even stay the weekend.”

Thrill-seekers will definitely not want to miss iFly, an indoor skydiving experience. If you’ve driven east on I-88, no doubt you’ve seen the building that reads “Indoor Skydiving.” Visitors can enjoy free-fall conditions without a parachute or jumping out of an airplane. Children age 3 and over are able to fly, so it’s a perfect place to bring the entire family for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For more information and pricing, visit Chicago.iflyworld.com.

For more information about downtown Naperville attractions, as well as dining and hotel options, check out visitnaperville.com.

OAK PARK

Oak Park is home to the largest collection of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright buildings. The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust offers several tours of Wright’s home and studio, including a guided interior tour of Wright’s first home, as well as walking self-guided neighborhood tours of 25 Wright buildings that surround his home and studio. For more information on the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, visit flwright.org.

While you’re in Oak Park, don’t forget to check out the Ernest Hemingway Museum. The Nobel Prize-winning author was born in Oak Park in 1899, and lived there for several years. Visitors can tour his Victorian home, and check out rare photos, letters, early writings and other memorabilia at the museum, which also features a Hemingway gift shop. For more information, visit the Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park at ehfop.org.

For those of you who are visiting Oak Park with the kids, don’t forget to stop by the Wonder Works Children’s Museum. The museum features five “experience zones,” which allow children ages birth through eight to explore their world through art, creativity and imagination. They can learn about nature through “The Great Outdoors,” or learn about farming in “Farm to Market.” Children can learn how to put on a performance in the “Lights, Camera, Action!” or become an architect or engineer in “Build It.” For more information, visit wonder-works.org.

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 19

Electric Limo offers safe, stylish transportation to DeKalb County

By: Aimee Barrows Ron Glogovsky loves his cars. And he loves the environment, too.

So, the Sycamore entrepreneur combined his passions into his new company, Electric Limo, which offers DeKalb County residents transportation in a safe, “green” manner.

“We’re a company built around safety and the environment,” he said. “And it’s a very pleasant experience. We make it as easy as possible for people to get where they’re going.”

Electric Limo, which is based out of Glogovsky’s home, to offers a transportation services to both O’Hare and Midway Airports, weddings, private itineraries and can travel as far as Chicago, Madison, Wisc. and Bloomington-Normal. Glogovsky said he expects to do some proms this spring, and hopes to expand to offer a “date night” service, so couples can enjoy an evening on the town without worrying about driving.

The idea for Electric Limo came about after Glogovsky fell in love with the Tesla Model S his wife, Angie, bought a few years ago.

He said he was tempted to go to work for Tesla, but ultimately decided that it would be too difficult to manage with five children.

So, he began laying the groundwork for the company last June, and officially opened for business in September 2014.

And business has been booming. Glogovsky said that from September through February, Electric Limo’s business doubled each month, and increased by 15 percent from March to April.

Glogovsky said he even offers his customers coffee and food at

20 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

no extra charge.

“Safety and being environmentally friendly are extremely important to our customers,” he said. “Our repeat customers are growing and some say they don’t want to use another company.”

Electric Limo only uses cars manufactured by California-based Tesla Motors. All of their cars are 100 percent electric. Glogovsky explained that he has solar panels in his garage and on the roof of his home to generate the electricity needed to power the cars.

Electric Limo currently has two vehicles; a sedan that seats three and another that seats seven. Glogovksy said he has two Tesla SUVs on order and hopes to have them by this September. He described the cars’ performance as a “cross between a Ferrari and high-end luxury sedan.”

“The carbon footprint is substantially less from electric production than from gas or diesel production,” he explained. “Teslas are also the safest cars on the road. They’re the safest car ever manufactured. In tests, the car was literally unable to roll over. And there’s no engine in the car. If it was in a crash, the entire front end would just crumple up.” He’s correct about the cars’ safety.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration gave Tesla’s 2014 Model S a five-star rating for frontal crashes, side crashes, and rollovers.

“Our customers can be confident in knowing that if an accident

happens, there’s less likely to be an injury to anyone in our cars,” he said.

Rick Calligan of Sycamore is one of Electric Limo’s drivers. He said he loves driving the cars and showing them off to customers, many of whom have never heard of Tesla.

“People are surprised that there’s no gas, but everyone is excited to ride in it once they see it and find out there’s no engine,” he said. “It’s also a very smooth and comfortable ride.”

Calligan enjoys working with Glogovsky, and describes him as a “really good guy.” “He wants to do what’s best for his customers and employees, and he’ll make personal sacrifices to do so,” he said.

This isn’t Glogovsky’s first business venture.

He owns West London Graphics, which he described as a graphic management and print consulting business for corporations.

Glogovsky, who has a bachelor’s degree in graphics management from Illinois State University, started another company called Day Dream Play, a DeKalb-based company that sells toys from American-

made parts sourced from sustainable resources. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the Rainforest Foundation.

“I’ve always been concerned about the environment, and it’s only been in the past 10 years that I’ve been able to do anything substantial for it and have the wherewithal to make any sort of effort to achieve anything,” he said.

As for Electric Limo, Glogovsky knows the sky’s the limit. He hopes to continue growing his company, and might even look into developing a battery-powered riding lawn tractor. He is currently working on forming a network with other “environmentallyconscious” transportation companies in the Chicago-area.

“We’re trying to create an environment that’s safe, environmentally-friendly and making sure our customers have an enjoyable experience. And we’re succeeding.”

For more information about Electric Limo, visit their website at www.electriclimo.com

Safe. Strong. Secure.

© 2014 Forbes Media LLC. Used with Permission.

BEST BANK castlebank.com | Member FDIC DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 21

Everyday

Etiquette Focuses on Improving Social Skills

By: Aimee Barrows

eKalb resident Liz Bockman knows how important it is to make someone feel valued.

In fact, she runs her business, Everyday Etiquette, based on the “Golden Rule.”

“Treat others the way you wish to be treated,” she said. “I do relationship-building. Eightyfive percent of an individual’s success is the ability to get along and have relationships with others.”

Bockman teaches groups and individuals the social skills that are necessary to build effective relationships that lead to both personal and professional success. She said etiquette is a set of rules for all events and Photos taken by: Danielle Guerra • dguerra@ shawmedia.com

22 | 2015 2014 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

social interactions, including professional events and situations.

Her clients are encouraged to show more kindness and respect for others. Bockman tailors her programs based on the clients’ needs.

She said some prefer to focus on conversational skills, while others need work on dining skills, or knowing the rules of networking. While her program is customized, she said her main message is always the same: show respect and kindness.

“Character is the value behind your brand and we’re all trying to brand ourselves,” she said. “And we all want to show our values. Our character gives us the competitive advantage.”

Bockman said she’s always been intrigued by social skills and was exposed to their importance as a child because her mother went to a finishing school. However, she has no “formal” training in etiquette or social skills. Her academic background is in public health, and she earned her Master of Public Health degree from Northern Illinois University. She worked as a health educator for the DeKalb County Health Department for several years before buying Everyday Etiquette in 2008.

The business was originally focused on kids, but Bockman saw an opportunity to combine her background in public health with her passion for social skills. A big part of her business is coaching doctors how to have better relationships with their patients.

“I observe doctors interacting with patients so they can build better relationships with them,” she explained. “I don’t have anything to do with their clinical skills, but I tell doctors to use eye contact with patients, to address them by name, to knock before entering an exam room, and even to just sit down while talking.”

Bockman said when doctors are able to communicate and have a good bedside manner, a patient feels more valued.

“We know what drives malpractice lawsuits, and it goes back to communication,” she said. “When a patient feels valued, when their doctor takes time and doesn’t interrupt, it’s going to build

better relationships and those relationships lead to the best health outcomes.”

While working in the healthcare field is a large part of her business, Bockman also teaches business people or students practical skills they can use for improving workplace and professional relationships.

When teaching dining skills, Bockman puts her clients through an interactive meal, and teaches them what to do before sitting down at the table, how to hold silverware, what to do between courses, and the responsibilities of both the host and guest.

“Sometimes people don’t know how to have a conversation,” she said. “Universities teach the academic knowledge, but people don’t always have the social skills they need, or perhaps those skills are not up to par.”

Bockman explained that 70 percent of all decisions are based on emotions, which are created by behaviors and interactions with others. She tells her business clients that if they want a loyal customer, they need to create a culture that’s based on relationships.

“The bottom line is people want to feel valued,” she said.

“Compassionate and caring people create a culture that breeds success.”

Similar to what she tells doctors, Bockman encourages her clients to shake hands properly, to make eye contact when speaking with others, and to say “please” and “thank you.” She said it’s about putting others first, and making them feel important.

Bockman also works with some of her clients on making the best first impression they can. She said people draw conclusions about professionalism based on what others say or what they’re wearing.

“Research shows that if we don’t like what we see in the first impression, we believe the person lacks other competencies as well,” she said. “We form conclusions based on perceptions, and not just from face to face interactions, but via email, as well.”

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 23

And it’s not just face-to-face interaction that’s important.

Bockman said most people have never been properly trained on how to use an email for professional communication.

She suggested that a misinterpreted email can “break a relationship in a matter of seconds.”

“Maybe you put something sarcastic in an email, but someone perceives it as aggressive,” she said. “A large part of how we communicate is non-verbal, and in an email we don’t have that face-to-face interaction. And people don’t always know to make eye contact, or know how to shake hands or introduce themselves to someone or show authority or respect.”

She also cautions her clients to be smart about using social media. Once you post something, it’s out there for everyone to see and it’s never private or confidential, Bockman explained.

Part of the problem in the workplace can be traced to having four generations, that each have different communication styles, working the same office, Bockman said.

“Younger people often prefer to text or email and they expect an immediate response. They prefer to communicate through a screen. Older people prefer face-to-face interaction. We all

24 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

have to recognize that the rules are evolving as we use this technology.”

You’ve probably never even heard of Everyday Etiquette.

That’s because Bockman doesn’t advertise, although she does have a website. She prefers to keep her work with doctors and hospitals confidential. “I let healthcare organizations talk among themselves, and they can recommend my business. I do something so unique, that I want to keep it word of mouth.”

Bockman, who has two children ages 17 and 13, said while she loves her work, her priority is being a mom.

“I tell people their success is my business, that’s kind of my tagline,” she said. “I would love to be able to be out of a job, where there is more kindness in the world. But people are so focused on the outcome, that they often forget the process in between. We should want to make others feel more comfortable around us.”

For more information about Everyday Etiquette, visit www.everydayetiquette.com.

2015-2016 Mainstage Season September 24–27, October 1–3, 2015

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

October 22–25, October 29–31, 2015

Three Sisters

2015-2016 Studio Series

November 19–22, 2015

October 8–11, 2015

Fall 2015 Dance Concert February 4-7, February 11-13, 2016

The Real Thing

February 25-28, March 3-5, 2016

The Lucky Chance

The Normal Heart November 5-8, 2015

Measure for Measure December 3-6, 2015

Freshman BFA Showcase

April 7-10, April 14-16, 2016

Blithe Spirit

April 28-May 1, 2016

Imagination LIVE! February 18-21, 2016

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

Spring 2016 Dance Concert

March 31-April 3, 2016

Balcony Scene April 21-24, 2016

Daughters of Waterloo

For more information, contact the box office at 815-753-1600 or visit www.niu.edu/theatre

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For more information call (815) 756-8461 or visit us on the web at www.oakcrestdekalb.org DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 25

Biking

in

DeKalb County By: Stephen Haberkorn

Biking enthusiasts are working to make DeKalb County more bike-friendly by increasing trail connectivity. DeKalb County offers ideal rides through scenic parks and forest preserves for the family and novice biker, in sites such as Shabbona Lake State Park and the Afton Forest Preserve. Being located in a primarily rural area, there are also many long, lightly-traveled country roads which are great for distance cycling. With DeKalb County having mostly flat terrain, it is ideal for families.

Chad Ament, Service Manager for North Central Cyclery in DeKalb, says that he uses all the local trails regularly. “You can get around where you need to go with using the bike paths and then some quieter residential streets,” said Ament. He believes that the bike culture in DeKalb County has been improving. “Ten years ago, it was pretty weak, but we’re working every year to make it stronger, by showing people what’s possible, helping people with routes who need them and getting other people to ride with,” said Ament.

There are several well-used bike paths in the DeKalb-Sycamore area: Kishwaukee-Kiwanis Trail A 6.5 mile shared bike path that begins at Lions Park in DeKalb and follows the Kishwaukee River north to Hopkins Park, before connecting with the DeKalbSycamore Path and DeKalb Nature Trail.

DeKalb Nature Trail A 1.3 mile shared use path between Route 23 near the western edge of the Kishwaukee Country Club to First Street across from the Bridges of River Mist subdivision. It connects to both the Kishwaukee-Kiwanis Trail and the DeKalbSycamore Trail.

DeKalb-Sycamore (Peace Road) Trail A six-mile-long paved trail that goes from Pleasant Street in DeKalb, along Peace Road, and connects to a bike route through residential neighborhoods to Sycamore Community Park.

Merry Oaks Path A peaceful, wooded network of trails west of Route 23 (Main Street) in Sycamore near Peace Road. It has endpoints at Emil Cassier Park and North School.

Lake Sycamore and Leon Larson Park Path This path off North Cross Street near the water treatment facility consists of a halfmile loop around Sycamore Lake, connected to a half-mile path along the Kishwaukee River and through Leon Larson Park.

Great Western Trail Beginning at Old State Road and Route 64 in Sycamore, the Great Western Trail is long, expansive, and uninterrupted. The crushed limestone path follows an abandoned railway corridor east for seventeen miles. In St. Charles, the Great Western Trail connects to several other trail networks, like the Fox River Trail and the Illinois Prairie Path.

Photos taken by: Shaw Media Staff

26 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

Rails to Trails Conservancy, which transforms unused rail corridors into recreational trails.

The Fox River Trail has endpoints in Elgin, Geneva, Batavia, and Aurora.

On the Prairie Path, riders can follow the main branch east to Forest Park near the Chicago City Limits. You can also connect to the Prairie Trail going north up to the Wisconsin Border.

While DeKalb and Sycamore are linked via bike trails, other communities in DeKalb County do not share the same level of connectivity. If you want to get from Sycamore to Genoa, for instance, the best route would be on streets such as Five Points Road.

Altogether, it is possible to jump on the Devonaire Subdivision Trail in the southwest corner of DeKalb, ride through DeKalb and Sycamore to the Great Western Trail, and then pedal your way to the Chicago City Limits or the Wisconsin border, all while remaining almost exclusively on paved bike trails.

Trail Buddies Pedal Pal

Misty Haji-Sheikh of DeKalb is an avid biker. She and her husband, Michael, use their bikes regularly for both recreation and transportation.

In fact, they twice biked across Europe with their children for their summer vacation.

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For those wanting even longer biking adventures, there is the 100-mile long Hennepin Canal Parkway out west near Sterling that goes almost to the Iowa border near the Quad Cities. The Illinois and Michigan (I BASE LINE RD & M) Canal State Trail runs for 77 miles from Lemont to Peru, IL. And the Great River Trail begins in Savanna, IL and follows the Mississippi River for 60 miles to Rock Island. These trails were all developed by the

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DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 27

PedalPal is a free service that gives businesses a decal to post on their storefronts in order to indicate they are bicycle-friendly establishments. By posting the PedalPal decal, the business indicates that a passing cyclist can use the washroom, get a drink of water, and use a phone in the case of an emergency. “This was my idea of trying to raise connectivity without spending major infrastructure dollars,� said Haji-Sheikh.

PedalPal was launched in May of 2014 with Downtown DeKalb as their pilot site, and they are now trying to expand throughout the county.

Bike Clubs The best way to learn the bike trails and have a positive experience is to connect with a local bike club. By joining a group, you can also have more influence in improving bike connectivity.

There are at least two active groups in the area who are bike-centered: The Kishwaukee Bike and Rec Club and AxleTree. Between those two, there are rides of every level. The AxleTree rides tend to be more avid, while the Kishwaukee Bike and Rec rides are generally more casual, according to Chad Ament of North Central Cyclery.

The Kishwaukee Bike and Rec Club meets monthly at Kishwaukee Hospital, with as many as forty biking enthusiasts turning up. The group is very active. They have bi-weekly group rides and outdoor recreational events several times a month. They often pair up bike rides with other recreational activities, such as kayaking, paddle boarding, caving, or picnicking.

According to members, the herd mentality on group rides leads to more safety and makes longer rides more enjoyable.

Toney Xidis, long-time cyclist and one of the leaders of the Kishwaukee Bike and Rec

28 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

club, says that the group’s activities can be summarized as “Fitness, Fellowship, Fun, and Food” [they often stop somewhere to eat on their rides].

According to their website, Axletree is “a nonprofit created by North Central Cyclery to host great cycling events, support local bike advocacy, and promote a community of awesomeness.” Their rides typically leave from North Central Cyclery on Lincoln Hwy. in DeKalb.

They currently host Saturday morning open road rides and a gravel night ride on Wednesdays, where cyclists are advised to “bring lights and tights.”

There are also large biking events in the area that are a great way to be a part of the cycling community. The Biking with Beanzie ride event in July, put on by the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club and sponsored by Kishwaukee Community Hospital, consists of routes of various lengths, from 25 to 101 miles. It begins with a family community bike pathway ride.

Cycling Apps Finally, no discussion of any activity these days would be complete without mentioning useful mobile apps. Here are several of the most popular biking apps: • Strava – records distance and time, and also has a social component.

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• MapMyRide – provides route mapping and tracking using GPS. • Cyclemeter – makes your smartphone a fitness computer, with maps, graphs, splits, intervals, training plans and more.

• Google Maps – A convenient way to get from one point to another. It’s very up-todate. All the bike paths pop up in green when you click the cycling tab. Also, quiet streets that are extra wide for cyclists are marked with dotted green lines.

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DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 29

Cademon A Brewing Success

Photo taken by: Monica Synett • msynett @ shawmedia.com

By: Stephen Haberkorn Another new addition to the growing liquor manufacturing community in DeKalb County is Cademon Brewing Company in Genoa.

“I purposefully put myself outside of the ‘burbs, outside of downtown,” said Andrew Nordman, owner and chief brewer of the Cademon Brewery, “not because I don’t like those areas, but because we need more craft beer presence out here.”

Nordman said that one of the benefits of being in DeKalb County is that all of the liquor manufacturers in the area are very supportive of each other and find opportunities for collaboration. For example, Cademon buys red wine barrels from Prairie State Winery and ages some of their beers in them. “Being able to work with local suppliers is a big part of my business plan and I think resonates within the county itself,” said Nordman.

The long and difficult journey he persevered through to be able to open the Craft Microbrewery and Tap Room, though, was only possible because of the seemingly limitless optimism and enthusiasm of the young entrepreneur. Nordman began home brewing about six years ago. “I really was fascinated by the science that goes into being able to make a batch of beer on a consistent basis,” Nordman explained. After a year and a half of perfecting his home-brewing process, people started asking Nordman if they could buy some of his beer. “I couldn’t sell any of it, because you can’t do that at a home brew level,” he said. Nordman spent six months researching what it would take to open a microbrewery and then three years trying to make his dream into a reality.

“There are a lot of home brewers who have this idea of opening up a brewery or a brew pub, but in reality maybe one percent actually manage to do it, just because it’s hard,” said Nordman. “We did an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign at the beginning of 2014. We didn’t quite hit our goal, but we managed to generate enough interest that we brought in a few small investors, and ultimately got a small business loan. That facilitated us being able to make it to the next step.”

One of the most difficult things for microbrewers is expanding their production

30 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

while maintaining consistency in the taste of their beers. “Anybody can brew beer in a garage,” said Sean Finucane, bartender at PJ’s Courthouse Tavern in Sycamore. “But when it comes to volume, are they going to be able to keep up the consistency?” Even though he doesn’t necessarily like the taste of large-scale domestic beers, Nordman admires the fact that they can produce millions of barrels of the exact same product.

“The secret is to find something that works and then make sure you have enough information that you can reproduce it exactly, or close enough that the consumer can’t really tell the variants that are in there,” said Nordman. The twenty-seven-year-old Nordman, who displays a Mohawk hairstyle and the energy of a motivational speaker, works full-time as a software engineer in between brewing beer in the morning and serving customers in his tap room late into the night. Through the brewing process he learned more about electrical and mechanical engineering by creating his own brewing equipment and automation software. That was actually the easy part of getting his business started.

“The biggest challenge is the regulatory process. There is a lot that goes into being licensed as a brewery,” said Nordman. “There are various different permits and regulatory bodies. Everyone has a different say on what you can and cannot do, from the city, to the state, to the Federal regulating bodies. It’s a very front-loaded, redtape based process.”

Nordman was required to have a lease on their building for at least a year before they could even start the federal process, which is the first stage in being licensed and recognized as a brewery. They were also required to have all of the equipment that they were going to utilize within sixty days of applying. It then takes about 100 days for the processing to go through.

“Invariably, there’s always something that they want you to change,” said Nordman. “And then, you still have to go onto the state process.

There’s a lot of sitting and waiting on your hands.” Cademon Brewing Company ultimately had to acquire six liquor licenses and thirteen permits before they could start brewing. And they wouldn’t have been able to do it without the guidance and support of the local officials.

“Honestly, the City of Genoa has been fantastic for us. They were very accommodating. They walked us through the process and the special use permit in order for us to exist here from the zoning side. They created a liquor license specifically for brew pubs in order to facilitate how we’re functioning. Of all of the hoops that we had to jump through, Genoa was by far the easiest and most straightforward,” said Nordman.

Probably the biggest challenge Nordman faced after opening was keeping enough beer on tap, because they kept running out.

When they first opened, they were working on a small system that only allowed them to make sixty-two gallons per batch, which is extremely small for commercial brewing. “We had a lot of different beers come out. Unfortunately, if you came back in three weeks the entire list would change,” said Nordman.

For some people who wanted to try lots of different things that was great. On the flip side, for someone who wanted something stable there every time, they couldn’t facilitate that.

In February, they expanded their production capabilities and began distributing to bars in late March. They now have their beers on tap in over twenty bars, including O’Leary’s Restaurant and Pub in DeKalb and PJ’s Courthouse Tavern in Sycamore.

as you can get,” said Debbie Witmer, owner of O’Leary’s Restaurant and Pub in DeKalb. “We were thrilled to find them and the public response has been wonderful.” Witmer said that the first Cademon beer they had on tap, a peanut butter porter called Eve’s Future Favorite, “went like hotcakes.” Sean Finucane of PJ’s Courthouse Tavern in Sycamore stated “Craft beer is the thing now, and a lot of people think it’s cool that there’s a beer brewed and out in the bars from just down the road in Genoa.”

With their expanded production equipment, Cademons can now brew 250 gallons per batch (in 500 gallon fermentors), which allows them to craft 3000 gallons of beer at a time and have a beer stay on for 6-8 weeks, rather than 2-3 weeks. It takes about 2-3 weeks to produce each batch of beer – 12 hours to brew and then 2-3 weeks for fermentation, conditioning, carbonation, and packaging. “The theory is that we have four beers that will be on tap year-round,” said Nordman. “And then we have anywhere from 3-5 that are seasonal, limited-release, or one-time beers.”

What differentiates Cademon from many other microbreweries, said Nordman, is a willingness to buck the current trends. “For us, it’s about making good beer and educating people on what craft beer is, and also not being driven by the current fad of hops, hops, hops,” said Nordman. “I prefer dealing in malt-forward beers and taking traditional styles and turning them on their heads.”

He said a good example of that philosophy is their Chocolate Coffee Stout “That beer is the smoothest, easiest-drinking, not-overly-coffee, not-overly-chocolate, well-rounded beer you can possibly drink,” said Nordman. “But people hear that descriptor and go, ‘Oh no, that’s not for me.’ I give them a one-ounce sample of it and they’re hooked.”

One trend that annoys Nordman are seasonal beers, because they inhibit his creativity as a brewer. “Seasonals are an unfortunate thing in my opinion, from a distributional standpoint” said Norman, “because people have an expectation that from May to July, someone’s going to put out a session IPA, or a radler, which is low alcohol beer with grapefruit juice added. It’s great as long as you don’t have any good ideas for a beer that doesn’t fit within those areas. I’ve got four Stout ideas that I’d love to do, but I’m not going to be able to put those out, because people are interested in certain things based on the season.”

“We love to use local brewers, and certainly Genoa is about as local

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 31

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Cademon has released a total of 28 unique beers since they’ve been open.

Their entire tap list – everything they’ve ever done and what’s on tap currently – is on their website (www.cademon.com). They also post that information on beermenues. com. You can go there to find out what they have on tap, and also where you can find those beers at other establishments.

They also have an interactive Google map on their website that shows everywhere in the Chicagoland area where their beer is distributed and which ones of those have been tapped. (Sometimes, they deliver a keg to a bar, but it doesn’t get tapped for several weeks.)

Their beer has been well-received in the craft brewing community. Eve’s Future Favorite and Vanilla Demonic Stout were both rated highly at the Chicago Beer Festival at Union Station. There were forty breweries at the festival and each brought 2-5 beers, for a total of 60-100 beers. Two different reviewers placed Cademon’s entries in the top-six and top-ten. “It’s a sign that people are interested in our product and we’re not just an average brewery in an average place. We’re pumping out some really nice product,” said Nordman.

In addition, Cademon participated in Chicago Craft Beer Week, including the bookend festivals of Beer Under Glass and the Wells Park Craft Beer Festival. They have also done tap takeovers around the Chicago area. At tap takeovers, they bring 2-5 beers, show up with some surprises, and talk about the brewery. They have five new beers being released for the summer, including Blood Orange Hefeweizen (a wheat beer), Eve’s Tuition, an 8% version of Eve’s Future Favorite (double the peanut butter), a Session IPA, and a Coconut Cream Ale. Cademon has fit in well with the Downtown Genoa business community. They have an unofficial partnership with the Corner Grill; if their patrons want food, they can call Corner Grill and they’ll walk it down without a delivery charge. It works out great, because their customers can stay longer without leaving to get some food in their stomachs so they won’t have an issue with driving home. They have collaborated with Crumpet’s next door with some of their food items, and Moscato’s Pizza supplied their New Year’s Eve food. “We don’t do food. That is an aspect that only detracts from my ability to make great beer, so I leave that to other people,” said Nordman.

“It allows us to focus on our specialties and give some business back. A lot of people have taken advantage of that.”

One thing Cademon has been doing more of is tap room events. They have Vinyl

Sunday, where you can bring in your own records and they play them all day long.

They have trivia night on Tuesdays and game night on Thursdays.They recently began carrying local sports games, but only local games when they’re on – and with no sound. According to Nordman, the average time someone spends in their tap room is at least two hours.

The biggest thing Nordman has learned since beginning his brewing business is to adapt and to “always keep your mind open to changing things.” They have put their plan of getting into bottles off to the side for now, because they’re having a hard time keeping up with keg sales as it is. Another development that caused Nordman to adapt was the departure of his business partner, Brian Matejka.

“We have now kind of evolved into a family business,” said Nordman. “My sister, in addition to doing artwork is the tap room manager. My dad and I work in the back together on the production side of things. Even my mom comes in and works part-time behind the bar.

They’ve been supportive since the very beginning, so it was very natural that when Brian decided to go in a different direction that they came on to help.”

In addition to craft beer, Cademon also brews scratch-made, all-natural craft soda, currently in four flavors: root beer, vanilla cream soda, black cherry soda, and lemon-lime soda. “The biggest one that I cannot keep on tap is scratchmade root beer. It’s straight from the roots, spices, and sugars. It was originally designed so that both of my kids would have something, because they spend a lot of time here and it did really well so I started expanding,” said Nordman. They are actually going to bottle the root beer, so that they always have it available. “I find it kind of amusing,” said Nordman, “I open up a brewing company and the first bottle release is going to be a root beer soda. It’s a good thing I called it Cademon Brewing Company, rather than Cademon Beer Company. Maybe we’ll go into coffee and we’ll just brew everything.”

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TAXCO RESTAURANT An authentic taste of Mexico By: Aimee Barrows

Jesus Romero often sits in his office after a busy night at Taxco restaurant, and just reflects on how lucky he is.

“This is a dream come true for me, to have a successful restaurant,” he said. “I never would have imagined Taxco would become what it is today. I’m a dreamer, and I tell my kids, the sky is the limit. Everything I have is thanks to Taxco.”

Romero has been the owner of the popular downtown Sycamore establishment since 2003. He believes an important difference between his restaurant and others is that while Taxco has consistent favorites on the menu, he’s also willing to be innovative with dishes and try new things.

“I used to hate cooking when I was younger,” Romero said.

“But now, food is my passion. All the dishes come from the region in Mexico where I grew up. I have a lot of new ideas and I like to experiment. I serve dishes that other places don’t.”

While traditional Mexican fare like enchiladas and burritos are popular menu items, Romero said Taxco Photo taken by: Monica Synett • msynett @ shawmedia.com

34 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

serves some seafood and chicken dishes that are less well-known. One of his favorites is camarones rellenos, which is jumbo shrimp stuffed with cheese wrapped in bacon.

He said Taxco also serves enchiladas Mexicanas, which is an enchilada that doesn’t have melted cheese on top.

“It’s a tortilla stuffed with meat, and topped with lettuce, tomato and avocado. It’s something that you’d see at someone’s house in Mexico, rather than at an American Mexican restaurant,” he explained.

Romero is proud that his restaurant serves authentic Mexican food, and said that everything, from the beans to the vegetables to the cheese, is fresh.

“I don’t like to do shortcuts. Our avocados for the guacamole are always fresh, and I go to Chicago once or twice a week to buy tortillas,” he said.

And if a customer doesn’t like a meal, or if something is wrong with the dish, Romero wants to know about it, so he can fix it right away.

“If someone sends a dish back, I need to know why. So the cooks and I taste it so we can figure it out,” he said. “I have very high standards. I tell my cooks that if they wouldn’t serve that food to their family, then don’t serve it to my customers.”

Romero grew up in a “modest family” in Mexico and came to Chicago in 1991 when he was 18 years old. He visited Sycamore when his uncle invited him to see the restaurant. When his uncle offered him a job, Romero moved to Sycamore in 1992 and began working as a waiter, and later a manager, at Taxco. Prior to working with his uncle, Romero worked as a busboy and dishwasher in several restaurants in Chicago.

Romero didn’t like living in Sycamore at first, but that changed when he met his wife, Stephanie, at Elleson’s Bakery. The couple has now been married for 21 years, and has two children, a 20-year old daughter, and a 14-year old son.

“I wasn’t planning on staying here, I was just helping my uncle with his restaurant,” he said. “She was the reason I stayed.”

Romero bought Taxco about 12 years ago when his uncle opened more restaurants in the Chicago suburbs. He said running the restaurant hasn’t always been easy. For the first few years, Taxco wasn’t as busy as he had hoped. Romero chalked that up to him not being as active in the community as he is now, and thought maybe some people weren’t as willing to try the authentic Mexican food that Taxco served.

“We struggled the first few years,” he said. “I don’t think people were ready for real Mexican food. But once all the cooking channels popped up, and a lot more upscale Mexican restaurants began to open, it was more accepted.”

As the popularity of authentic Mexican food grew, Taxco’s business grew. Romero said once the restaurant got its full liquor license about ten years ago, his profits soared. Prior to that, Taxco only served beer and wine.

“Mexican food goes with margaritas, and when we couldn’t provide them, people would go somewhere else. So once we got the license, we were better able to compete with other restaurants,” he said.

Once the word got out that Taxco could serve margaritas, people were lining up to wait for a table. Romero saw the need for more space as the original restaurant only had a dining capacity of 60 people. Luckily, he was able to buy the two adjacent buildings, which are now used as dining rooms and can accommodate larger groups. The dining rooms can now hold up to 125 people.

Taxco’s popularity has expanded into a successful catering business as well. Romero said he averages about four to five jobs a month, and caters everything from small parties to large weddings.

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“We go all over the place, and even serve margaritas,” he said. “You’d be surprised at how many people want Mexican food at their wedding!

It’s nice to have that demand for catering.”

Romero said one important reason for Taxco’s success is the support of the community, and he wants to do whatever he can to return the favor.

In fact, he donated about $5,000 in proceeds from his annual Cinco de Mayo event this year to several local non-profit organizations.

“I believe in education and child care, so a lot of my charitable giving goes to those types of groups,” said Romero, who’s lived in Sycamore for 23 years. “I got my GED at Kishwaukee College, so I like to give back to them. I also believe that if people don’t have child care, it negatively affects the work force. People need it to go to work. Some people need a little extra push, or financial assistance to go back to work or school.

And our proceeds can help.”

Cinco de Mayo has been an annual festival since 1997. Romero said he had the idea for the event as a way to get more involved with the community.

“The first one [18 years ago] was a disaster,” Romero said with a laugh as he recalled the event, which raised about $500 for Relay for Life. “I had great intentions but I didn’t know what I was doing. More people showed up than I expected so we ran out of room, the kitchen was backed up and we even ran out of food. But it was still fun.”

Romero has since learned from that experience, and today, Cinco de Mayo is one of the most anticipated events in Sycamore. He said it’s grown to where he’s now able to give 100 percent of the proceeds to local non-profit groups. The event now takes place behind the restaurant and features bands and a beer garden for the adults, while children’s events such as a petting zoo and bounce houses, are held on Maple Street.

“It’s so important to invest in your community,” Romero said. “And it’s important to have role models. We live in such a beautiful community, and if we all do our part, we can make Sycamore what it is: a great place to live and own a business.”

Romero said he was “overwhelmed” with support from community members after a driver lost control of his car and crashed into the front of Taxco last Memorial Day weekend. Several people offered to help

clean up, and Romero said a few residents even volunteered the use of their trucks and tools.

“I’m just thankful that no one was hurt, it happened really early on that Sunday so no one was around,” he said. “Material things can be replaced. It could have been a lot worse.”

He had to close the restaurant for about a week for the initial cleanup, but remained open while the front of the restaurant was rebuilt.

New windows are now in all three rooms of the restaurant, which are open on nice days. The repairs were just completed a few weeks ago, Romero said, because of structural damage to the building. It took much longer than anticipated, but Romero is “very pleased” with the new look of his restaurant and how everything turned out.

One casualty of the accident, however, was a $1,300 bottle of tequila, which had to be thrown away. Romero said he used to have the largest tequila collection in the state. Now he’s not sure he still owns that title, but is looking to reclaim it.

“We used to have 478 kinds of tequila, but a lot got lost after the accident, so we’re down to about 325,” he said. “I plan to buy more.

Tequila is like a fine brandy or cognac.”

Now that the building is repaired, Romero hopes to get approval from the city to have table service outside in front of his restaurant, and possibly a patio in the back.

“I want to do this soon, definitely this spring,” he said. “I think it would enhance the look of downtown, and it will make it very inviting. A lot of cities have outside seating.”

Romero could see expanding to the second floor of his building, and possibly open up a rooftop, but said that’s “several years away.” For now, he’s enjoying his success, and said his family and his staff deserve a lot of the credit. His wife is often seen working at the restaurant, his daughter, Madison, works there as a waitress when she’s home on her college breaks, and his son, Wyatt, sometimes works as a busboy.

“We have a great team. My co-workers are my second family,” he said with a smile. “They’re a large part of this. I feel so blessed and lucky to be doing well here, and to have a family and business in such a beautiful community.”

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 37

Exotic Cars

in DeKalb County

By: Stephen Haberkorn Years ago, spotting an exotic car in DeKalb County was very rare– which was not surprising, since by the very definition of an exotic car very few people own them. And the people who do own them rarely drive them. The most common place you would see an exotic car, especially in the Chicago area during the winter, would be sitting inside a closed garage, possibly with a cover over it. However, in recent years, there has been an increase in this area. There are over at least 5 owners of exotic vehicles in DeKalb alone.

There are several reasons why people purchase exotic vehicles. Some people buy them for the name brand – for the recognition of owning an exotic vehicle. In addition to Ferrari, people automatically associate names like Lamborghini, Maserati, or Aston Martin with something special and exclusive. Some people are pure motor sports enthusiasts and drive these cars on race tracks, which is what most of these cars were originally made for. Some people just like to collect the vehicles and create their own private auto museums.

And then there are owners like DeKalb business owner Jim Mason, who just enjoy driving a vehicle with exceptional performance and craftsmanship, simply for the pleasure it brings them. Mason owns a 2009 Ferrari California.

Mason’s Ferrari has some unique features that help define it as exotic. First, it can hit top Photo provided by: Iron Gate Motor Condos

38 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

speeds of around 200 miles per hour. It has a “launch control system” that allows it to go from zero to sixty mph in about four seconds, ensuring that it will beat just about any vehicle on the road off the line.

The car has two suspensions that the driver can select from, depending on the desired performance – “sporty” and “comfort.” Its convertible hard top can go up or down in seventeen seconds, and the sound system is “incredible,” says Mason. All of which make Mason’s Ferrari “a pleasure to drive.”

Mason says that people frequently come up to him wherever he goes and want to check out the car, take pictures of it, and ask him questions about it. “It’s a museum piece … A lot of people don’t come in contact with quality like that,” explains Mason. Mason has previously owned two Corvettes and a DeLorean, but you get the sense that his Ferrari brings his driving enjoyment to a whole new level.

In fact, unlike many exotic car owners, Mason drives his car fairly regularly. During the summer months, he says he drives it a couple days a week. And he’s not obsessed with tracking the mileage, as some others tend to be with vehicles this valuable.

Owning a car like this does have its challenges. Mason has to park in two spots or away from other vehicles, since if the Ferrari gets scratched it can’t be touched up; it has to be completely repainted, said Mason.

Also, because the tires are so hard, it can’t be driven in temperatures under forty degrees or it will start skidding across the road. For that reason and the salt on Northern Illinois roads during the winter, Mason cannot drive his prized vehicle at all for a large portion of the year.

He knows of other exotic car owners in the area, and you get the sense that there may be a bit of competitiveness among them when it comes to their cars. “I drove a Lamborghini recently and it drove like a truck,” said Mason. “I wouldn’t take one if you gave it to me.”

Mason says that Ferrari doesn’t advertise, because they don’t have to. One of the most important characteristics of an exotic car like a Ferrari is that its production is limited, so owning one is like being a member of an exclusive club.

A Country Club for Exotic Car Owners Tom Burgess of Geneva is an exotic car aficionado. The first one he owned was a Ferrari and he currently owns six vehicles that could be considered exotic, including three different Bentleys. As a commercial developer, he builds office and warehouse spaces to house businesses. He recently decided to develop a parcel of land he owned in Naperville near the I-88 and Route 59 interchange into a sort of country club for owners of classic, collector or exotic vehicles.

Burgess explains that he built Iron Gate Motor Condos because of his personal passion for cars and a desire to

connect with other car owners. He describes the luxury spaces as a common interest community, or “cool hangouts” for people who like cars.

When he was deciding what to do with the property, he discussed with his architect his long-time desire to build a car-oriented development and the architect mentioned how he had designed several dozen airplane hangars at the Aurora Airport that functioned as sort of “mancaves,” where people could store their planes and also hang out. “The airplane guys kind of figured it out. Golfers figured it out,” said Burgess. “There’s a huge subculture of people who like cars.”

There will eventually be 160 units at Iron Gate Motor Condos, which is still under construction. They have sold a little over thirty so far. For Burgess, the development is not about just turning a profit. “I get to hang out with my friends. I get to build something for people who share the same passion that I do. And it’s fun to be out there, because there’s always a new car that comes through,” said Burgess.

As he took me out for a ride in his souped-up 2005 Bentley GT, Burgess explained the appeal of exotic cars. “The fun thing about some of the older exotic cars is they’re a little bit quirky … function follows form. It’s about showing up with the Ferrari; it’s not about ease of getting in and out,” said Burgess. “Newer cars are all about creature comforts and doing things excellently,” he continued. “When the car is built for being on the Autobahn or European highways, the noise level is like nothing. You’re driving ninety miles an hour and it’s a quiet ride. It’s like driving fifty in a more mass-produced car,” said Burgess, as the vehicle accelerated quickly to speeds that “could possibly have been in excess of the speed limit.”

For car owners like Burgess, though, owning exotic cars is also about participating in a community. While exotic car owners may be obsessive about their cars, their passion gives them a vehicle to participate in social events and fundraisers regularly. “Car culture, in general, is a wonderful group of people,” said Burgess. “My customers – I couldn’t be more blessed to have them.”

His customers want to do stuff, like attending events, road rallies, and track days. “We have several fundraisers a year and they’re very generous with their time and their pocketbooks, so it’s not just a bunch of folk who ferret away and hide,” said Burgess. The second Saturday of every month, they do an open house at Iron Gate that the public is welcome to attend.

They have marquee Saturdays that are often in conjunction with specific manufacturers. Last week a Mercedes Benz club was out. They have the Viper club, the Porsche club, and the Ferrari club coming up. Most of them are open to the public. In the middle of June they have their car show. They do a “special rides for special kids in special cars.” It is in conjunction with their lead charity, “Cal’s Angels,” which raises funds to help families of children who have cancer. When they have an event, they raise money to pay for the parking at

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 39

Lurie Children’s Hospital downtown. “It brings purpose to what we’re doing. It’s not just sitting around,” said Burgess.

The Dealers One of the places where Burgess and other local exotic car owners purchase their vehicles is at Chicago Motor Cars in West Chicago. They have a large selection of pre-owned exotics on site, including Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Maseratis, Aston Martins, Bentleys, Jaguars, and McLarens.

The average price of their vehicles is around $100,000, but they have had cars in their inventory priced up to 2.5 million dollars, such as the Ferrari Enzo, Bugatti Veyron, and Porsche 918. “The market [for exotic cars] is better than ever,” said Omar Salaymeh, Marketing Director for Chicago Motor Cars. “As the economy’s picked back up, more people spend money on extra items such as exotic cars.” Salaymeh has personally owned Porsches, Maseratis, Vipers, and other exotic vehicles over the years. He said that the people who buy exotic cars tend to be business owners or executives. “Our customer base is a well-rounded guy who actually enjoys driving his car, enjoys showing them off,” said Salaymeh. “Most of them are humble and respectful. They don’t mind letting people see their cars or talking about them.”

He said that since Chicago area exotic car owners only have a few months of the year to actually drive their cars, they are more prone to showing them off and answering questions. He says most of their clientele would let you open up the doors of their vehicles to take a peek inside and take photos at a gas station. Since exotics are limited edition cars, there are only so many made and they’re scattered across the world. That makes them stand out. “There are no two exotics alike,” said Salaymeh. “I would say every single one has its own personality and its own unique characteristics.

Every car is unique to its owner.” Even though exotic cars are exclusive, by nature, Salaymeh believes they are attainable for ordinary people.

“I want people to know that it is achievable. Manufacturers made enough exotic cars over the last twenty years, that over the next couple years they will be available for well under $100,000. You can get Lamborghinis for under $100,000, which is a little bit more than an expensive BMW these days. Most of our clients are hard workers. They don’t just throw away their money,” said Salaymeh. “

The Exotic Car Share Program George Kiebala, Owner and Founder of Exotic Car Share and Curvy Road fractional ownership in Palatine, IL founded his business on the premise that some exotic car owners want to get a better return on their investments than just occasionally driving them.

Kiebala, a 1980 graduate of Northern Illinois University in Marketing, used to race his vintage Alpha Romero. He and his wife were spending a lot of money to store his vehicle and racing equipment, so they decided to buy a warehouse and rent some

40 | 2015 | DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

of the space to other car owners. Through this business venture, they found out by accident that there are a lot of people who own exotic cars who rarely ever drive them, because they never came to get their vehicles from the storage facility. “And you could hear the cars depreciating at night,” said Kiebala. “As a CPA, it hurt my wife’s sensibility.

I thought, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’”

People had done time share programs with yachts, condos, jets and other things, but until Kiebala started Exotic Car Share, nobody had been willing to take on exotic cars because of some of the issues that come with driving and maintaining the vehicles. Exotic Car Share has a very high insurance coverage policy on every car. They go through a serious process of screening members. Members must be over twenty-five years of age, have a good driving record, and complete a criminal background check. And they put a lot of effort into training the members on driving the vehicles in a way that’s safe, but also allows them to have fun at the same time, said Kiebala. The big thing they’ve learned since 2000 when they started is that after the economic meltdown, there are a lot of people who own exotic cars who can’t afford to drive them.

A lot of times, what ends up happening is that people buy an exotic car for a quarter of a million dollars, but don’t have an opportunity to drive them much, because they’re not practical. They don’t have trunks. They get six miles to the gallon. They only seat two people, etc. “Wherever you go, there are challenges, because you have this very expensive vehicle,” said Kiebala. “You have to deal with parking it differently. It’s a big hassle, so people don’t end up driving them that often.”

Curvy Road, the re-vamped version of Exotic Car Share, offers “time shares” or “fractional ownership” of exotic vehicles. Their cars include a Ferrari 430 Spider, a Lamborghini Gallardo, and a Gallardo Spyder LP 560-4.

Members pay for either a 1/10th share or four weeks of driving time, a week or two weeks at a time, or a 1/5th share, which is five people sharing the car for eight weeks each during the year. Members pick a primary vehicle, but they can trade weeks to other vehicles.

Before anybody leaves with any of the vehicles they complete a driver orientation, which is between an hour and two hours, depending on the vehicle. That includes a driving session. “Unless and until the member is comfortable with that car, and we’re comfortable with them being in that car, nobody goes anywhere,” said Kiebala. “The classic cars require more training, because there are lots of ways to screw them up.”

All the cars in the Curvy Road program are owned by investors. They get royalty checks as their vehicles are used.

They get their insurance paid, and they still get to drive the car for part of the year. “Monetize your vehicle while maintaining ownership,” Kiebala calls it. There are a lot of companies around now who rent exotic cars for only half a day. It is much more expensive, at least three times as much per driving time, because of the maintenance costs, says Kiebala. “When you rent a car, there is very little feeling of accountability,” said Kiebala. “If you give someone the keys to a Lamborghini for half a day, what do you think’s going to happen to that Lamborghini?” But if you have eight weeks of it and you’re going to be back, “It’s more like borrowing the car from a good friend,” Kiebala said.

“We like to be folks’ bat cave,” said Kiebala. “They show up in their daily car, leave it here, take off in their exotic, and a week later they come back and swap again.”And that is the perfect analogy to describe what if feels like to drive an exotic car: it’s like being Batman cruising down the road in the Batmobile, which is probably the greatest exotic car of all time.

DeKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | 2015 | 41

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Why DeKalb? Our answer is why not?

Looking for small-town charm? A progressive area? DeKalb is a unique city which takes pride in our farming roots, is embracing growth, celebrating our diversity, and is advancing the abundant opportunities that have been brought our way.

Big city amenities without the big city drive DeKalb is the cultural hub of the county. Art galleries, Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Municipal Band, live theater, dance, arena concerts, independent films, & championship sports are all in your back yard! Add in 40 area parks, 3 major bike trails and the art deco Egyptian Theatre – there is always something to do. Stay in the know by visiting these websites often: www.niutoday.info and the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau: www. dekalbcountycvb.com.

Education is a top priority NIU’s summer STEM Camps for youth provide unparalleled learning experiences. Educational partnership offerings between Kishwaukee College, Northern Illinois University, and DeKalb High School provide a full range of career readiness initiatives and competitive advantage for our youth, including advanced placement classes, dual credit transfer, and the 2+2 or 3+1 degree paths.

DeKalb is continually investing in the future In April, 2015, The City of DeKalb was named as a quarterfinalist in the America’s Best Communities competition and “we’re digging in to win.” Initiatives include our fiber optic network, the new High School, Police Station, Airport expansion, a long awaited Library expansion, and state of the art medical care at Kishwaukee Hospital.

We are always looking for business development ideas - let us know what you are driving to the suburbs to do!

Contact: Jennifer Diedrich, Economic Development Coordinator 815.748.2365 or jdiedrich@cityofdekalb.com