Carol White to Head Alliance of Downtown Glen Ellyn

Carol White is taking over as executive director of the Alliance of Downtown Glen Ellyn.

White is used to the demands of the role, she served as special events coordinator for three years. During that time White donated valuable time to craft ideas to lure business to downtown Glen Ellyn. Now, her time and effort are being rewarded with a chance to put her own stamp on Glen Ellyn’s downtown business.

“If you ask people why they move to Glen Ellyn, they’ll say it’s the downtown. But if they don’t spend the money there, they won’t have a strong downtown,” White said.

White’s role as executive director is to ensure downtown Glen Ellyn remains a strong center of the community.

White began her new position July 16. She was tapped after a consultant told village leaders an organization needed to be created to promote the downtown. Once the organization that would become the Alliance of Downtown Glen Ellyn was set up, it was time to pick a director. White submitted her application and after a series of interviews was selected to lead the efforts. 

The executive director is responsible for not only marketing downtown businesses, but also for creating events to draw people downtown. One example is the coming event “Sounds on the Street,” which will be held Aug. 26. White said the event will include live music playing on the streets of Glen Ellyn. The plan is to close down the section of Main Street between Duane and Hillside and have a live band play outside. But to add to the interest, White said the restaurants will allow patrons to pour cocktails in plastic “to-go” cups and take them out on the street so they can enjoy the live music.

“It’s something fun and different. People can show up and enjoy what downtown has to offer,” she said.

Other such events aimed at drawing people downtown include Final Fridays, which include shops staying open later as well as forms of live entertainment downtown.

“It’s just a way for people to spend a little extra time downtown so they will see what a nice downtown we have here,” White said.

White said people often do not realize all the shopping amenities that are in downtown Glen Ellyn. She said she often sees the same articles of clothing featured in department store catalogues for sale in downtown clothiers’ stores.

“People do not have to leave downtown Glen Ellyn to find these outfits. They don’t have to go to the malls at Oak Brook or Woodfield, they can stay close to home and keep their dollars at home,” she said.

White said she has several “crazy” non-traditional ideas on marketing the downtown, including what she calls cross teaming between business owners. For example, when the movie “Julie and Julia” came out, White saw this as an opportunity to draw crowds to local businesses through interest in the film and the book from which it was based. A downtown book store was promoting the book, so White encouraged them to partner with the chef of Bistro Monet to prepare some of Julia Child’s recipes. The book store patrons selected their favorite recipes and the restaurant would prepare them over a weekend. White said the bistro was booked solid four days running during that promotion.

“There is a great unity in downtown and the shop owners are working together and are out to help each other. There are a number of businesses that compliment each other and by putting them together to work on a promotion it’s good for everyone,” White said.