The Spring Road Business Association was established by local Elmhurst businessmen in 1950. The purpose of our organization was to promote a sense of community and local commerce through sponsorship of year-round events and activities.

Would you like to share with us your history knowledge of the Spring Road community? Maybe you have an old photo which area residents would appreciate seeing?

Send us an e-mail, and tell us more about our neighborhood. Below are some recent e-mails we have received.

I lived over on Hillside where the church has parking now. I used to walk to Halvey`s ever Sunday for the Trib. We used to buy sodas there also. Got my haircuts at Charlie’s by the Roberto’s. We used to get our Italian food there. Still miss it. I lived on Hillside from 1956 to 1965 when I went into the USMC. The White Hen was built while I was in Nam. My dad was buried out of Algrims funeral home in 1964. We used to buy our Christmas trees on the corner of Spring Road and Valette. Sorry, my spelling is lousy. I live in San Diego now and haven`t been back in a long time. -Tom Mosher

1957 Spring Road Business Association gathering. I grew up going to spring road during the 1960's. There were many different stores present: Halvey's - Mom & Pop Grocery Store across the street from the White Hen, also had penny candy. IGA Grocery Store where the Yoga place is now? Hanks Corner Drugs and Fountain Soda & Penny Candy next to IGA, just to the north. In the Carlson 1926 building. The Candy Bar Dime Store and Candy Store was opposite the Spring INN. Vince and Tony's Barber Shop was across the street to the south of Ben & Jerry's ice cream There was a Citgo gas station (maybe another name) where the bank now is just north of the White Hen - it was removed in the mid 1960's???? Obviously, there was an Amoco Station where Ben & Jerry's is. Went Drug Store was on the corner opposite White Hen where the Flower Shop is? Stemples used to be Downtown Elmhurst just west across the street from the drive through for 5th/third bank by the funeral home? Moved to Spring road in mid 1960's. Silverado was originally Sandy's Hamburgers during the 1960's then Irish Pub (Can't remember the name). Charlies barber shop was just north of Roberto's. Liquor store was where the newly expanded Roberto's restaurant now is. Spudnuts doughnut shop was near the automotive parts store just to the south. Meat market was next to spudnuts? Jims? Hardware store was located just north of Doc Ryans I do not have any pictures - but would love to obtain copies you might have. - Vince Spaeth

Sandys drive-in was closed and boarded up when I arrived on Spring Rd. in Oct of 73. I'm not sure what year a new business opened, but it was called the Greenbriar and served breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. When that folded it became a Italian resturant and then a upscale Italian restaurant. Both owned by Cellosi. Ten out of twelve cars parked outside each evening had dealer plates. After that it became the Irish bar. I believe it was called Henneseys after the family that owned the place. Next came Jack and Dave. Many years ago Joe P. had a dry-cleaning business across the street from the Inn. One day a deer went through the window on the right and came to a screeching halt in front of the counter just as Joes' wife was coming out of the back room. At that point Joes' wife and the deer were face to face with only the counter between them. Joes' wife screamed and I'm sure the deer screamed then turned and went through the window on the left. The deer managed to nail both windows in one encounter. They found the deer over by the creek 3 days later. -Dave Agnew

Wendt's was originally where the razor shop is. The corner where Tree Towns is was a grocery before they expanded. Next to the Inn was a dry cleaners. -Rick Reed

The local hardware store supporting the residents of the Spring Road area of growing Elmhurst. circa 1956. I grew up near spring road in the 70's, most was still what Doug remembered, but then there also was Kraft photo studio and across the street Sam's hot dog stand. That was still when Halvey's took your mom's note for cigarettes because they knew what they smoked and knew their writing so you couldn't even think about buying them for yourself or someone else. Green rivers at Hanks were served in the metal base with a paper cone cup. And some of their penny candy you got more that one per penny - I can't remember what now or how many. But you could come away with a sack of candy from any of the stores with the little money your mother gave you. York State bank eventually opened where US Bank is now. I still have my original account number from when I was 12 and it was time to open a passbook savings account. I still use that account. Almost 20 years ago I decided to band with my employers bank - Michigan Ave, National Bank - after many name changes and mergers that have now turned into US Bank - now all of my accounts are with the same bank - without having to transfer banks in the last (well almost) 20 years, so my first bank and where I got my student loans for college is now my current bank. I worked at Roberto's and Kraft's during the mid and late seventies and Sam tried to get me to work for him too. Running on lunch break from York High School for a "soaker" and fries at Sam's and then desert at Spudnuts. Charlie from Charlie's barber shop ordered diner a few nights a week form Roberto's - always spaghetti - extra juicy. He also cut my fathers hair for most if not all of his adult life. If you were lucky Charlie would show you all the ducks - mallards he carved and painted. Charlie is still missed. We used Algrim's funeral home when my father died in the early eighties. They are still at that location. I went to school with one of the kids - can't remember his name - my mother was going to use a funeral home up town and I said we are so close why don't we use them. It was a great move - it of course was a hard time and they were very kind and helpful and made the process as painless as they could. Very fond memories of walking down railway to Spring Road. -Mary Finlayson

At the risk of showing my age here are some of my remembrances of Spring Road circa 1950s and 60s, there was a grocery store at the corner where Tree Towns is now which was owned by Barney Trainor. It later became Jake's Pizza. There was also a dance studio in the rest of the building at one time. The store next to the Inn was once a printing shop owned by the Gogliotti family. Where the vet is now was once a real estate office housed in a big white home, the name started with a "B" - Beamis or something like that. In Roberto's building there was a penny candy place run by a crabby old woman named Mrs. McMain, I think. The place was dark and gloomy, and she scared the hell out of us. In the "new" building where Great American is now, there was a dime store. And where Sam's was, there was a used car lot where I fell in love with a '57 Thunderbird for $1500 when I was in high school. In the same block there was, briefly, a record shop where I used to pick up the WLS Silver Dollar Survey when I was in high school. The store/lunch counter where Prudential is now was once called Carter's Corner. I also remember when Spring Road TV was on Montrose where Tree Towns is now. I got my first transistor radio there. -Kathy Clark

Looking south from the then rail road tracks now the Prairie Path - circa 1935. The rail line was operated by the Aurora-Elgin Railroad. I didn't live there very long, we moved off of Rex in 1964 but I do remember going to Halvey's for grocery needs. Reedy Real Estate had their annual Christmas tree sales every year. I still get my pizzas from Roberto's and will continue to do so. Living on Rex right by the creek I can remember the smell of sewage from the treatment plant and the sweet smell of chocolate from the Ovaltine factory. Hank's Corner was where I would go to get comic books and a flavored wax harmonica on Saturdays. -D Helec