Participants in 2017 Find Waldo Campaign
Lou Malnati’s
Naperville Tennis Club |
131 W Jefferson Ave
1011 E. Benton Ave. |
Anderson’s Bookshop | 123 W Jefferson Ave |
Anderson’s Two Doors East | 111 W Jefferson Ave |
Artistic Creations Salon | 22 W Jefferson Ave |
Baubles by Maclyn | 26 W Jefferson Ave |
DeEtta’s Bakery | 428 W 5th Ave |
Dog Patch Pet and Feed | 1108 E Ogden Ave |
Edie Boutique | 15 W Jefferson Ave |
Ellman’s Music | 508 W 5th Ave |
First Community Bank | 24 W Gartner |
Gotskind’s Shoes | 115 W Jefferson Ave |
Haagen Dazs/Popcorn Palace | 30 W. Jefferson Ave |
Joseph Haselhorst DDS | 507 S Main St |
Kreger’s Brat & Sausage Haus | 605 N Ellsworth |
Liam Brex | 222 S Main St |
Naper Nuts & Sweets | 10 W Jefferson Ave |
Naperville Fine Art Center & Gallery | 508 N Center St |
Naperville Running Company | 34 W Jefferson Ave |
Naperville Running Company | 3416 S Route 59, Suite 116 |
positivelynaperville.com | positivelynaperville.com |
PS Travel | 1783 S Washington St Ste 107 |
Remax Professionals Select | 2272 95th St Ste 200 |
Saraboo Creek | 107 W Jefferson Ave |
The Boxes Etc | 790 Royal St. George #141 |
Two Bostons | 103 W Jefferson Ave |
Two Bostons | 2523 W 75th St |
Veterans Victory Farm | veteransvictoryfarm.com |
If it’s July, Find Waldo!
Hey, kids and kids at heart! Where’s Waldo in Naperville?
Waldo returns to the Naperville independent business community July 1-31. Watch for updates of Waldo’s whereabouts and some new twists to play throughout the month.
Meanwhile, beginning July 1, free entry sheets with info that includes participating independent businesses (and some surprise locations) will be available at Anderson’s Bookshop in downtown Naperville. Check out the window for clues about Waldo’s hiding locations all over town. And try to find him at least a dozen times.
Again, the search begins at Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., where all ages are welcome to pick up an entry.
(Note also that IndieBound Naperville meets typically on the first Monday of the month (For 2016, it’s July 11 because of July 4 and August 1) at 6PM at Kreger’s Brat and Sausage Haus. Independent business owners and managers are welcome to come get to know other indies. To keep tabs on membership or meeting locations, visit www.indieboundnapervile.org.)
Back for round six
Waldo is on the loose throughout the IndieBound-Naperville community July 1 through July 31. The familiar red-and-white striped character, who enjoys hiding in the crowds, has been hidden in a multitude of independently-owned stores and businesses in Naperville. It’s all part of the fourth annual Where’s Waldo? on Main Street, USA, a national campaign of Candlewick Press and the American Booksellers Association.
According to American Booksellers Association Past President Becky Anderson, of Naperville’s independent bookstore, Anderson’s Bookshop, “Find Waldo Local celebrates the uniqueness, fun and strength of community.”
So Where’s Waldo? Find his likeness placed high and low inside many restaurants, retail shops and websites all throughout Naperville. Of course, those places of business also are where you’ll see the bright red Indie Bound Naperville sign.
The famous 30-year-old fellow hasn’t aged a bit since he entered the scene in his striped shirt and black-rimmed specs. And he’s making a comeback by visiting different local businesses all through the month of July at locations north, east, west and south. Individuals who spot him 12 times and keep track can win bragging rights and prizes, including buttons, books, and more.
In 2012, Greg Gordon of Dog Patch Pet & Feed remembers hiding Waldo in one of the store’s fish tanks. He says he’ll never do that again!
Pete Ellman of Ellman’s Music Center reminisced about how much his business had enjoyed the response during last summer’s Where’s Waldo Campaign.
Former PN columnist Mary Corrigan has fond memories of the fun her grandson, Liam, had finding Waldo around town.
For the last four summers, Positively Naperville featured Waldo in its kid-friendly Expo Booth at Ribfest. This year saying you found the image right here on this webpage is worth a point.
From Anderson’s Bookshop at 123 W. Jefferson Ave. to Heaven on Seven at 223 S. Main St., from Second Chance Resale at 1512 N. Naper Blvd., Ste. 172 to the offices of Advanced Healthcare Associates at 1001 E. Ogden Ave, Ste., 202; from First Community Financial Bank to Casey’s Foods in Naperville Plaza, and many more stops, Waldo cut-out figures will be showing up in public areas of local establishments.
Anyone who wishes to participate in the game can pick up a “Find Waldo in Naperville” search list (or jot down places from the list below) with the names of all the participating IndieBound Naperville businesses, and collect an “I Found Waldo at ___________” card for each Waldo they spot.
Find Waldo in 12 places for a chance to win a prize
Collecting “I found Waldo” cards in 12 or more businesses and turning them in at Anderson’s will win a Waldo button and an entry for other, larger prizes to be drawn after the promotion ends on July 31. Pay attention for updates and other Waldo news coming soon.
A Grand Prize will include a basket of kid-friendly items and gift certificates.
Individuals who prefer a shorter version of the hunt can collect the cards from eight businesses and pick up a Waldo button at Anderson’s Bookshop.
Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in 1987. Since then, the Where’s Waldo books have held a cherished spot on book shelves in children’s rooms and bookstores the world over. There are now over 55 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translated into 18 languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.
In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, decided to team up with the American Booksellers Association and 250 independent bookstores all across the country, including Anderson’s Bookshop here in Naperville, to have fun and encourage people to visit local businesses.
In the spirit of independence, it’s free to play
There is no charge to participate, and the game lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about IndieBound-Naperville, visit www.indieboundnaperville.org.
Stop by any of the current IndieBound Naperville businesses participating to collect a game receipt that says you found Waldo. Collect 12 (or more); place them in an envelope with your name, address and phone number; and turn them into Anderson’s Bookshop in downtown Naperville by 5PM on July 30, for the drawing on July 31. Individuals who complete the tour will be entered in a drawing for a basket of kid-friendly prizes. Note that a few of the businesses are websites where you can count finding Waldo, too.
A Small Sampling of Participating Independents
Find addresses for the following participants at www.indieboundnaperville.org.
For starters, check out First Community Bank-Naperville in Naperville Plaza, The Naperville Running Company (two locations), www.PositivelyNaperville.com (online right here!), Dog Patch Pet & Feed, Naperville Bank & Trust (all three locations), Ellman’s Music Center, Anderson’s Bookshop, Anderson’s Toyshop, Naperville Art League, to name just a few.
Many more independents are expected to participate, too.
Play online, too
To receive credit for finding Waldo at Positively Naperville, simply write on a card that you saw this online post dated July 1, 2017, hidden here on the Positively Naperville website with the code “Shop local independents/PN.” It’s that easy.
Other independent IBN member businesses without an accessible storefront may opt to use their websites, too, using the same code for credit: “Shop local independents/(web address).”
For more information, visit and like facebook.com/IndieboundNaperville or any of the participating merchants. Check back to www.positivelynaperville.com for updates, too.
And if you’re an independent business owner or manager, join us ($80) and be listed at www.indieboundnaperville.org and help spread the independent word via the bright red sign. Shop local!