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Tina Bree has been on the air at Crystal Lake’s WZSR Star 105.5-FM for the past 17 years, and that isn’t going to change, she said this week.
But Tina Lawrence – her name in the real world - has a new chapter coming. Lawrence’s idea for a romance bookstore, Hello Darling Books & Beyond, will have a soon have a home at McHenry’s Riverwalk Shoppes.
The McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday which small retail business applicants received one of the 10 “tiny shops” for the 2025 season, starting in May. The current shops will remain open Friday through Sunday until Dec. 29, with some shops open Thursdays through the holiday season.
Opening a bookstore to sell romance titles is not going to change her day job, Lawrence said.
“I don’t plan on leaving the radio station, and I am settling into where I fit into the puzzle with the bookshop,” she said.
She’s been doing a morning show as a solo act this week after her on-air partner of 15 years, Joe Cicero, announced last week he was leaving for a new gig at the McHenry Outdoor Theater.
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What Lawrence’s role at the station will be in the New Year is still being worked out, she said.
Cicero’s departure and Lawrence’s plan to open a bookstore are not related, Lawrence added. “I have been trying to start my own romance bookshop for quite awhile. Everything at the radio station ... it’s just all happening at the same time and meshing together.”
In total, 23 small business owners applied to get one of the business incubator spaces next season, said Amy Humbracht from the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce. She manages the program for the chamber and the city of McHenry.
Included in the 2025 lineup are four businesses that shops there this year: AteaCo Coffee and Tea, KEST Jewelry, Marvin’s Toy Store and Patina Wine Shop McHenry.
“Our time at the Riverwalk has been transformative,” Neshwa Rajeh of AteaCo Coffee and Tea said. She runs the shop with her husband, Atik Altahif.
“It’s not just a place for us to sell products; it’s a space where we can engage with the community, share our passion and knowledge about coffee and tea, and create memorable experiences for our customers,” she said.
Their “ultimate goal” is to grow enough in 2025 to open a permanent storefront, she said.
The 2024 lineup had stores carry over from the previous year, too. One of those, Bumble Bread Co., announced last week plans to move into an existing bakery on Green Street. That, Humbracht said, is proof of why allowing the stores some have two seasons instead of one is the right option.
“Bumble Bread proved our point. We set [store owners] up to succeed and a second year will allow them to learn more and make the big jump” into a permanent location, Humbracht said.
The shops are designed as incubator spaces, allowing the small business owners to try out their concepts and work out any kinks in the business plan before attempting to open full-scale storefronts.
Sam Mathew and his wife, Joseena, have been selling e-bikes as Windy City Wheelers since the beginning of last summer.
The e-bike market has exploded in recent years, Mathew said, but many popular brands are only sold online. Their shop allows people to test out the e-bike options before buying.
“They can make sure it fits what they want before making a purchase,” he said.
Having one of the Riverwalk Shoppes allows him to do the same - trying out small a brick-and-mortar store before committing to leasing a larger one.
“Retail space is very hard and very expensive. It is hard to know if a home-based business or a retail space will work. This allows us to get our name out in the community and test out the store,” Mathew said.
The 2025 Riverwalk Shoppes are: