People, organizations and entities that are alive and vital are constantly changing. Remaining static and simply maintaining the status quo seldom works long-term.
The management team at Yorktown Center, a centerpiece of Lombard since it was constructed in 1968, works hard to stay ahead of the curve in terms of lifestyle and shopping trends.
Yorktown Center understands that there must be a constant process of reinvention and innovation in order to attract guests to its doors. The shopping center must not only be a place in which to buy goods, but must also be a destination for dining, entertainment, socialization, exploration, and now, to be healthy.
Fitness in many different forms is now a major endeavor for Yorktown Center, said Todd Hiepler, general manager.
In fact, the Center has assembled a new “self-care precinct” on the west side of the Center, located along Highland Avenue. The self-care precinct is composed of national fitness, health and beauty brands to make it a one-stop shop for 8.5 million annual visitors and local residents, said Emily Barack, Yorktown Center’s marketing coordinator.
The self-care precinct currently boasts five such businesses, including Orangetheory Fitness, a facility offering group personal training workouts based on high intensity interval training that blend cardiovascular and strength training; CycleBar, a premium indoor cycling studio; The Barre Code, a women’s fitness facility that focuses on increasing mobility and flexibility through stretching and full-body workouts; Amazing Lash Studio; and European Wax Center.
“Self-care is now one of the fastest-growing segments nationwide,” Barack said.
Yorktown Center has also recruited a large fitness firm – which is yet to be revealed – to open a 40,000-square-foot facility in the former Sports Authority space. The new concept is expected to open in fall 2018 and will have both interior and exterior access.
The new brick-and-mortar beauty and fitness offerings at Yorktown Center are also supplemented by the Center’s partnership with Humana. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Thursday in center court, Humana ambassadors host cooking seminars in open-air classrooms, health screenings inside modular consultation rooms, fitness demonstrations and much more.
In partnership with Humana, Yorktown Center has also launched its Heart & Sole Walking Club, which encourages the public to utilize the shopping center as a place to get fit and make healthy choices. Heart & Sole members receive invitations to fitness events, as well as exclusive deals and discounts for Yorktown Center retailers, among other perks. On Mondays and Thursdays each week, members are invited to join a professional fitness instructor for guided walks through the Center.
The Center also plans to hold a “Taste for the Space” culinary competition on Saturday, June 16. Applicants will submit ideas and business plans, and competitors will be chosen based on a variety of special criteria. The top 15 applicants will be invited to compete at Taste for the Space, where they will offer bites of their cuisine to both the community and a panel of judges who will then vote on food favorites.
The contest winner will be offered a dining space at Yorktown Center, which they will receive rent-free for six months, and they’ll also be awarded a $50,000 investment prize for their new restaurant to be used for equipment and supplies.
“Our hope is that those who vote for the winner will be loyal patrons once they open their doors in Yorktown,” Hiepler said.
Taste for the Space will also feature games, special activities and live entertainment. In addition, a local nonprofit will be named the recipient of public donations to be collected that day.
Outside the walls of the shopping center – on 15 acres at the northern end of the Yorktown Center property – construction is underway on the first phase of two master-planned multi-family residential structures.
Greystar Development, a multi-family real estate construction and management firm, is currently building a residential area known as Yorktown Commons. The four-story Elan building will feature 295 apartments and the seven-story Overture senior living building will be home to 175 units. A sales office for the Yorktown Commons properties is currently open at The Shops at Yorktown for those who want to preview the offerings.
This summer Yorktown Center will be working on streetscape improvements that will better-connect the new residential buildings with the shopping center. Sidewalks, bike paths and crosswalks will be installed to help create a more well-rounded community atmosphere. The work is expected to be complete by early September.