McHenry shops add First Friday late hours in hopes of attracting those dining downtown

One of the best sales day that Julie Skaggs has ever had came on a Friday night when she was supposed to be closed.

“I was at the shop on a Friday night teaching a class, and 60% of my sales were during the class, because people saw the lights on” and walked over to her store either before of after dinner across the street at Jexal’s Pizza.

That experience gave Skaggs, who runs the Mad Soyentist Candle Company inside Shop 3430 at 3430 Elm St. in downtown McHenry, an idea: McHenry shops could plan a First Friday event.

Starting May 2 and through at least December, retail storefronts could stay open until 8 p.m. on the first Friday night of the month, giving people out in downtown McHenry more time to check out the stores that are there. Skaggs took a day off her day job to walk the downtown area, drumming up support for the idea. Now, shops on Elm and Green streets, and Riverside Drive, have pledged to add hours on that day.

First Fridays are a common occurrence around the country, with some devoted to arts events and plays, and others more food and retail focused. Skaggs said McHenry’s will be the latter.

The time frame – that participating shops stay open until 8 p.m. on the first Friday of the month – is somewhat arbitrary. Skaggs said she liked the rhyme of “shop late ‘til 8.”

“Plus, it was a hard sell to get older business owners to stay open until 8 p.m. Nine o‘clock would kill them,” she said.

She has created a First Fridays - McHenry Facebook page to keep shoppers updated on which stores are participating and which may come in later.

Laura Taubery, at Wild Hunny Boutique, 1213 Riverside Drive, said she plans to participate, as are both of Carol Chrisman’s shops: Black Orchid Boutique at 1237 N. Green St. and The Trend Cellar at 1326 Riverside Drive.

“Not everybody does a 9-to-5 and are out later to catch dinner or just be out around and walking, enjoying the amenities that McHenry has to offer,” Taubery said. “If you close too early, they don’t see what the community has to offer.”

Small retail needs the traffic, too, Chrisman said.

“If they are out having food and drinks, they should stop and patronize someone local,” she said. “Support those little shops.”