McHenry County retailers who gained footholds in 2024 look ahead to the new year

Trend Cellar moved into a storefront in downtown McHenry in 2024, almost 30 years after its original iteration.

The reincarnation of the store – which sells skateboards and accessories, but also sells clothing items and frisbee disc golf items – had begun at the Riverwalk Shoppes, and it was among the first crop of businesses in the retail incubator. When Trend Cellar graduated from the program, it moved into a permanent home at 1326 Riverside Drive over the summer.

It’s one of a few businesses that opened or moved in 2024 that the Northwest Herald is revisiting as the calendar turns to 2025.

Trend Cellar was previously around from 1996 to 2011, said Carol Chrisman, who runs the store. The store’s old home on Green Street is now occupied by Bolgers Bar, just down the street from Black Orchid Boutique, a women’s clothing store that Chrisman also owns.

Trend Cellar is one of a few enterprises that have opened or are opening along Riverside Drive. Whiskey Diablo, a Mexican-American eatery by D.C. Cobb’s owner Dan Hart, opened its doors at 1325 Riverside Drive in September.

Some of Trend Cellar’s newer neighbors include Preserved Peculiarities, which just wrapped up its season at the Riverwalk Shoppes last month and is moving to a location on Riverside.

Chrisman said the businesses on Riverside Drive all collaborate and support each other.

“Everybody works together,” Chrisman said.

She also appreciates the city’s support of local businesses.

Since reestablishing the business, Chrisman said she has seen some of the customers from the original Green Street location return. Sometimes, the customers will come in and share memories about the old store or talk about meeting famous skaters who had visited, Chrisman said.

On the horizon for the store in 2025 is a ribbon-cutting and the arrival of warmer weather clothing in the spring. The store currently is carrying clothes such as sweaters and jeans, Chrisman said.

Another area business that launched in the past year is Revelry Toys, which shared space with Sweet Caryline’s in Cary before moving to its current storefront, 205 N. Throop St., in Woodstock.

The toy store has a rug where people can play with cars and also has low tables so children can touch the items on them. Proprietor Heather Weatherwax said people thank her “all the time” for being able to touch things in the store.

Sometimes, people have an idea of what they want but might not know for sure if they want it until it’s in their hand, Weatherwax said.

The store’s birthday bin program, where children can pick out toys they want for their birthday and then friends and family can buy the toys for the child, also has been a success.

Revelry Toys was a sponsor of some Woodstock community holiday events, including Ladies Night Out and Cookies and Churros with Santa.

“The community has been awesome,” Weatherwax said.

Heading into 2025, Weatherwax is hoping to start a skill toys club, featuring toys such as yo-yos, Rubik’s Cubes and stacking cups.

She’s also hoping to host an open-play event for the cardboard kit Makedo. The kits come with cardboard and tools, and people can use them to make creations they imagine.

Not too far from the toy store, Pop-a-doodle-doo, 201 Main St., is wrapping up the holiday season and gearing up for the new year.

The store opened earlier in 2024 and is getting ready for the largest celebration in town, Groundhog Day, which is less than a month away. The first few months have featured some seasonal offerings on the menu and a visit from the Grinch.

“It’s going pretty well,” owner Dan Annen said.

The store happens to be close to some of the stops on the Groundhog Day walking tour, a couple of doors down from the Woodstock movie theater, known in the “Groundhog Day” film as the Alpine Theater, and down the block and across the street is Mary’s Mexican Grill, known in the film as Tip Top Cafe.

The store is just north of the Square, where Stephen Tobolowsky will tell us whether Woodstock Willie sees an early spring or six more weeks of winter. Tobolowsky, who played Ned Ryerson in the movie, is this year’s special guest.

Since its opening, Pop-a-doodle-doo has expanded its popcorn offerings to include flavors such as grilled cheeseburger, but more seasonal ones such as pumpkin spice also have found their way to the shelves.

Annen said the store recently started selling popcorn to the Woodstock Opera House. The flavors at the performing arts venue, which reopened in the fall after renovations, include original, cheddar, caramel and a caramel-cheddar mix, Annen said.

During the holidays, the store offered popcorn and roasted nut tins, and also had a holiday-themed milkshake. The shake was garnished with a Little Debbie tree cake, a snowman made of powdered doughnuts and a Peeps kebab.

With Groundhog Day on the horizon, Annen said he plans to offer a special shake in honor of the day. The furry prognosticator of seasons also will be featured in the store’s logo, going where a chicken currently is featured.