LAKE GENEVA — Alethea Salgado is concerned that people who live in Lake Geneva no longer spend money downtown. She developed the idea of 'We Love Locals Wednesdays' to try and reverse the trend.
"If we don't all work together, Lake Geneva fails," said Salgado, who owns the Treasure Cove on Main Street alongside her mother. "You just don't see as many locals as you used to. I'd like to see more people, I really would."
Salgado's idea would offer free parking all day on Wednesdays for drivers with a Lake Geneva parking sticker instead of the usual three-hour limit. In addition, certain businesses would stay open later and offer discounts to Lake Geneva residents.
"It's important to keep some of your dollars within our community so we can support the people in our community and support local business owners to help them thrive," Salgado said.
Salgado worked together with the Lake Geneva Business Improvement District and city officials on We Love Locals Wednesdays. She first presented the idea to city council in April and she expects the measure will be approved and implemented by early June.
Jeanne Looze is a bartender at Lake Geneva Billiards, which is right across Main Street from Salgado's store. She said she is all in on Salgado's plan to attract Lake Geneva residents.
"I don't know where they need to begin, but parking would be a great thing to help the community," Looze said. "I think it's going to be a great opportunity to bring more people in."
Salgado said she hopes We Love Locals Wednesdays lives up to its name and proves downtown Lake Geneva is for everyone.
"I want to see new faces," Salgado said. "I want to see people I know come down here and feel as though they want to be here and want to shop here."
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