Journal & Topics Media Group

Mayor Tells Pusheen: ‘We Want Retail On Main Street’


Mayor Marty Maloney is putting his foot down against losing any more potential first floor retail space in Uptown Park Ridge.

On Monday night (June 18) he officially vetoed an effort by Pusheen, a Park Ridge-based company, to get permission to expand its upstairs office space at 104 Main St., to the former Wells Fargo space on the first floor.

Pusheen markets its line of cat-figure products online, and in specialty stores which are not in Park Ridge. Vice President Andrew Duff, a local resident, said they are not ready to open a store here yet, but they thought it was practical to have more space in the same building.

They had previously opened office space on South Prospect, which required special permission. That entire block has a requirement for ground floor retail use.

Maloney said that promises made for that first ground floor storefront had not been remembered until they wanted this second first-floor space, and until he contacted them directly.

Maloney listened through tapes from Planning & Zoning and city committee discussions.

“While I appreciate the desires of the applicant as well as the property owner, I cannot overlook what else is happening on that block on Main Street,” he said.

“We have businesses that are drawing people to the area, and taking advantage of their unique position near the train station to actually bring people to the area who do not live in Park Ridge.

“This special use will not draw people to Main Street, which is what is happening with the other businesses on that block. There is momentum growing based upon the businesses that are in place and this special use will not be consistent with what else we are seeing there.”

Maloney said he doesn’t want a business to shuffle employees from one location to another, and he isn’t sure there are any new jobs coming with the extra office space proposed for the retail area.

The first floor location on Main Street should be used to provide retail, service, dining “or some other opportunity that would capitalize on everything that is happening on that black and in that area,” Maloney added.

Aldermen will have an opportunity to respond at the first City Council meeting in July, and could override the veto if they have enough votes.

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