City Approves Food Vendor Lease for Riverfront Park

Yorkville aldermen approved a lease this week that will bring two concession vendors to , as city leaders discuss a few other proposals that could place small businesses in city facilities.

Mayor Gary Golinski said leasing extra city space can help small businesses get started while providing some revenue for Yorkville.

“In this economic climate, we have to be open to new ideas that generate revenue without taxing our residents more than they already are,” Golinski said in an e-mail. “If more opportunities present themselves in the coming months, I'm sure the city council would be interested in exploring them.”

These types of leases are new for Yorkville, although not uncommon at other levels of government, City Administrator Bart Olson said.

Creative Kernels, owned by Kim McGuire of Plano, will lease the south portion of a city-owned building at 131 E. Hydraulic St. She’ll pay $200 a month, plus 5 percent of the revenue generated there. McGuire also plans to spend more than $10,000 improving the building, which is the old police station.

She’s planning to offer fresh-popped popcorn, flavored popcorn, and old-fashioned-style sodas, plus she’s going to sublease a portion of the space to Whitewater Custard, a frozen yogurt provider. She hopes to open in the first week of June with daily hours.

Yorkville aldermen approved a two-year lease, with two two-year renewal options, Tuesday after delineating that McGuire is responsible for the rent for both herself and her sub-lessor.

All aldermen voted to approve the lease, except for Alderman Rose Spears, who voted “present.” Spears said she was excited about Creative Kernels, but balked at the sub-lessor.

“It’s just getting too complicated throwing something else in the mix,” Spears said, adding that these types of leases were new for the city.

Minutes later, aldermen also approved a change to the city’s lease with Geneva Kayak Center that would allow the company to add two decks to the building directly next to the Fox River.

Since opening in March, Geneva Kayak Center personnel have decided to add an observation deck on the building’s north side and space for changing rooms for boaters on the building’s south side.

Meanwhile, city staff and park board members are discussing leasing space in the to a local martial arts school.

They also are discussing whether to provide additional rental units for local businesses in the former police station and what cart-style food vendors to allow in riverfront park.

McGuire, of Creative Kernels, said she’s comfortable with having other vendors around the park, especially because city leaders indicated they don’t want to allow multiple vendors with the same types of food.

“I’m selling popcorn; there won’t be anyone else selling popcorn,” McGuire said.