Special to PN
By Annette Wehrli
Here we go!
My first Naperville Trolley blog was posted in September 2018! That’s when I first explained my name, “Trolley Chick.” After my dad, Don Wehrli, brought Naperville Trolley and Tours to town in 1995, he quickly became known as “The Trolley Meister.” When I started working for him in 2000, I had to come up with a fun nickname, as that’s how we roll in the Wehrli family. “Trolley Chick” sounded fun! It sounded young! It sounded like something people would remember! And so it began… “Annette Wehrli, the Trolley Chick of Naperville.” Ding! Ding!
That said, allow me to begin the history of Naperville Trolley, Chapter Two. You might say the first chapter is on my blog at www.napervilletrolley.com where I traced back to 1955. At that time, my father worked at Disneyland when the theme park first opened in Anaheim. (As I continue to tell this story, kindly note that “Dad” and “Don” may be used interchangeably.)
Back then, Dad and Mom were married with two kids (so far), living in sunny California. Dad ran the Sunny View Jam and Jelly Store on Main Street at Disneyland where he also sold ice cream.
As Dad told it, every morning, Walt Disney would walk into each store on Main Street to make sure they were “ready” to open.
Dad had told us he at first thought it was a crazy idea to have amusement rides, a bank, stores and walking costumed characters all in a park.
Then one time Dad asked, “Walt, why did you open Disneyland?”
Walt replied “Don, there’s great satisfaction in making other people happy!”
Dad never forgot those words.
Flash forward 40 years to 1995
My parents, Jean and Don Wehrli, had raised seven children (Mary Lou, Win, Fred, Jill, Francie, Annette and Grant) and they had resided back in Naperville since the late 50’s. Don had retired from a long career that included plumbing sales and serving on the Naperville City Council.
In 1991, Don and Jean visited Washington State to attend niece Beverly Kuhn’s wedding. They took a trolley tour to see the sights of Seattle and the lightbulb went off in Don’s head, “Naperville needs a trolley!”
Eventually, Mom called all seven of us together to discuss Dad’s latest passion. We were all busy with our families, children, and work. Plus, we all knew that Dad was going to do what
Dad wanted to do. If this venture would make him happy during his retirement versus playing golf and having lunch with the guys, so be it! (Have you ever tried to stop a train with your hand held out in the “stop” position?) If you knew Don Wehrli, you knew there was no stopping Dad!
Dad wore his heart on his sleeve, and he was determined to bring a trolley to Naperville. So he ordered one in 1995!
Don went to the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss his idea with then-executive director, Jack Romine. Jack heard him out, but the Chamber could not partner with Don. Jack was happy to help put him in contact with downtown merchants and individuals who could assist him with his new idea. He referred Don to Stephanie Penick, who’d been helping part-time at the Chamber office answering early-morning phone calls.
Jack said to Stephanie, “I have a project that would be perfect for you!”
Soon after introductions, Don and Stephanie took the train into Chicago to experience how tours aboard Chicago trolleys were handled.
While Don worked with Stephanie on marketing strategy, press releases, logo design, printing and flyers, he also was waiting for the arrival of his brand new canary yellow trolley, a 32-passenger vehicle being custom built in Florida.
Dorcus Toenniges who owned Toenniges Jewelers on Jefferson Avenue for 52 years also had wanted a trolley for downtown Naperville for years! Don picked up the ball and took it into the end zone. Dorcus was the first downtown merchant to buy advertising on the Naperville Trolley, followed by leaders at North Central College. They saw the vision and the attraction, quickly recognizing that everyone looks at the Trolley!
Pucky Zimmerman, a business writer for the Naperville Sun, asked for an exclusive, but press releases already had been sent out to other local media. With no photos of the Naperville Trolley yet, Stephanie created a line drawing of the trolley that the Sun published with Pucky’s story.
Note also the “Trolley” image we use today is the original Naperville Trolley that Stephanie drew. She also designed the logo that sometimes is dropped over the drawing of trolley that introduced this City to Naperville Trolley & Tours.
Just 19 days after the new Trolley arrived, my parents’ dear friends, Molly and Don Konrad, had planned the wedding for their daughter, Lisa. They asked Dad, The Trolley Meister, to “Get her to the Church on Time.” And he did. The first wedding was in the books, pictures and all!
I changed Dad’s original choice of logo colors that were “green + yellow = Green Bay.” I’m a Bears fan and this is “Chicagoland.” I was all about “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something BLUE,” so our logo colors are now red, white, and blue!
I also recall the owner of Naperville Limousine in the early 90’s who lived deep into Century Hill subdivision. He was an avid decorator during the holidays and his house was the first home featured in the famous Holiday Lights Trolley Tours! Trolley-la-la-la…la-la-la-la!
History Still in the Making
The Wehrli Family in Naperville dates back to the 1800’s. Born in 1928, Don was the middle child of 13, and raised at the Pre-Emption House, a hotel along Main Street that his parents ran in the heart of town. (Note: The Pre-Emption House at Naper Settlement is a re-creation of the one where my dad and his family lived.)
My mother was the daughter of Irene (Fauth) and Judge Win G. Knoch. Grandpa Knoch was the only judge in DuPage County at one time (We now have around 400!), and was later appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, just below the Supreme Court!
I’m very proud to be 1/2 Wehrli and 1/2 Knoch!
Growing up surrounded by real life Naperville history, Don created a “Historic Trolley Tour of Naperville.” He parked the trolley down by the Riverwalk twice a day and welcomed guests to tour around town. He also began scheduling tours for North Central College to show prospective students and their families not only the wonderful campus of NCC, but the wonderful town that came with attending North Central College!
The first time I took Dad’s Historic Trolley Tour, I was mesmerized by the old stories he shared about our wonderful City. Little did I know what my future would bring a few years later…
Stephanie worked closely with dad for about two years until her “communications” business got busy. (Then a few years later in 2001, Stephanie went on to launch this monthly publication to showcase the importance of shopping locally and supporting the arts.)
I first got involved in 1999 when I was looking for some part-time work. Dad didn’t have a website or an email. I explained to him, “Everyone is doing it and you should, too!”
Dad was always open to new ideas and gave me the go ahead to get it started. I called Gary Pradel. Gary helped me create an email and launch our first website. All set up, it became my challenge to teach Dad how to check his emails.
In no time, in no uncertain terms, Dad said, “No, I think you should be in charge of that!”
That led to answering calls and helping Dad in the office as my time permitted. Dad also suggested I get my commercial driver’s license so I could drive some of the fun events I was helping schedule.
Here we go!…
PN told me to keep going…so here’s more! : )
Chapter 3:
The City of Aurora used to use three small blue Trolleys to transport guests to the newly opened casino until the parking deck across from the casino was completed. Once the deck was completed, they no longer needed those small Trolleys. They called Dad and practically gave them to him.
Dad sold one right off the bat (and that paid for all three) and the other two were in our fleet for many years. We named them “Bluebell” and “Aurora.” I later used “Aurora” as a down payment toward a new Trolley, and “Bluebell” is being preserved into a fun she-shed!
After receiving my commercial driver’s license and driving some very fun weddings and events, things were in full swing at Naperville Trolley! My calendar was packed with tours. The phone was ringing off the hook, and emails were streaming in at a rapid pace. Our website and social media were catching on!
I remember coming back from a very hot wedding and telling Dad I would no longer drive for him in August. Our original canary yellow Trolley did not have a/c, and I don’t do well in the very extreme heat. I can still hear Dad’s laugh. And the following week, we ordered our second brand new Trolley. She was named “August,” complete with a/c. We designed the big “U” in the back, and left room for bags and things in the front of the Trolley. I got my colors! She was white and blue.
We asked the manufacturing company in Florida to put signs on each side of the Trolley before they drove it up here that said: “Naperville, Illinois, Trendsetter to the Nation!” We even got little Trolley pins that looked like this new white and blue Trolley, and had “Naperville Illinois, Trendsetter to the Nation” printed on the back of each one!
Dad had a vision. Dad loved Naperville and he affirmed that we do a lot of things in Naperville that make us a “Trendsetter to the Nation!” Go, Naperville!
Now that I had a Trolley with a/c, I was good to go. Part time turned into full time, and Dad started to play golf and cards more with his buddies. With our fleet of four, we had ‘Ol Yeller (our original Trolley), August, Bluebell, and Aurora for weddings, corporate events, birthday parties, historic tours and Christmas Light Tours.
Halloween Light Tours were added a little later, and my how they have grown! I slowly took over all day-to-day tasks, and driving as well. I’m pretty sure every one of my nieces and nephews served as Trolley cleaners at one time in their lives! Dad wanted everyone in the family to keep busy and help out when they could.
Growing up, we were never “handed” anything. Dad always would find a job for us to do to EARN $5 if we needed $5. This applied to the grandkids as well. Let him know how much you needed to earn, and he would keep you busy until you earned it!
Dad and I talked about my buying the company (Remember, nothing was ever “handed” to us.), and I went to my six siblings to see if any of them wanted to buy it. None of them was interested and they each encouraged me to buy it.
On February 28, 2014, Dad turned 86. That day when our family gathered for his birthday, Dad announced the sale of Naperville Trolley to me, Annette. The sale took effect at midnight.
My brother, Win, is my lawyer, and we reincorporated the company. I started with a fresh EIN and from March 1, 2014, on, it’s been all mine. Naperville Trolley is now a 100% female-owned Naperville small business. I paid dad monthly, which was nice, so I didn’t have to come up with the entire lump sum sale price all at once.
One of the first things I did was buy a new Trolley. “Rose” was her name because she was red. She was nice, but I didn’t get to design and build her. She was bought “off the shelf.” A wonderful addition to my fleet, which now included five Trolleys!
In order to buy this new Trolley “Rose,” I needed a bank loan. I went to the bank where all of my accounts were, and they gave me a quote. I then went to First Community Bank (now called Busey Bank) near my house for a quote, and they beat that interest loan percentage by a lot! I’m all about local small business and working with people who look out for me. Afterward, my original bank said they would “match that.”
I was like, “No, you should have given me the better rate right off the bat.” I moved all my accounts to my new bank and haven’t looked back. I absolutely love the personal service and attention to detail that Busey Bank gives me!
Dad helped me for the next year with the transition because he liked to stay busy. He didn’t drive anymore, but helped me with miscellaneous Trolley things. He passed away on May 17, 2015.
For dad’s funeral, of course, we used the Trolley to hold our large immediate family. I’d arranged “surprises” along the way as we left Friedrich’s and headed to Ss. Peter & Paul for mass. We drove past the “Trolley Stop” on Jackson Ave., and it was there that 21 runners from North Central College joined us to run along the side of the Trolley in their white and red striped shorts and NCC Cross Country tops. We meandered all the way past the Jefferson Club on Chicago Avenue where the guys tossed some playing cards at us, past The Lantern (Cheers, Dad!), then up Chicago Avenue to Ellsworth and north to Ss. Peter & Paul.
Dad LOVED Trolleying with Al Carius and Grammy over the years, being with the students and giving Trolley tours to North Central College. It was the “21 Run Salute” that I will never forget!
Mom passed the following December 2016. They are forever with me and with Naperville Trolley, guiding me from above.
COVID 2020-2022: Closed for most of two years, I choose to delete this part of my story. PN is a “Positive” publication LOL! Shop local! Support local business!
Ding! Ding!
I raised my two sons, Jack and Joe, and they are fine young men!
My son Jack was featured on One Billion McDonald’s Cups in 1997 at the young age of two! I have many of these cups set aside for special occasions. While Jack was in Paramedic School in Colorado, Joe was at my undergrad alma mater, Illinois State (ISU), studying Journalism.
I grew up blocks from North Central College and went to ISU to “get away” from Naperville. As a young adult, everywhere I went in town, someone knew me or my family. I wanted space so I left town for college. I always felt like I betrayed our wonderful college, so when the boys were both in school, I enrolled into the Masters of Business program at North Central.
All three of us graduated in spring of 2022 and, boy, did we have a fun graduation party! Bands, a pool party, and lots of fun! The party koozies we had made had one of dads famous quotes on them: “Plan your work, and work your plan!”
Jack has been a Paramedic in Colorado for over three years, and is currently in the Fire Academy, where he will be a Fireman/Paramedic for the Westminster Fire Department after graduation. His girlfriend, Lauren, is a wonderful addition to our family and is a Nutrition & Environmental Education Coordinator at “We Don’t Waste” in Denver. They met in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, seven years ago, and now reside in Arvada, Colorado. Lauren grew up in nearby Hinsdale, but they met in Colorado! Fun!
Joe is a sports reporter with Naperville Community Television (NCTV). Joe produces and anchors “Naperville Sports Weekly” on NCTV. For the past three years, Joe has narrated the Memorial Day Parade for the NCTV broadcast. Dad served in the Army and as Past Commander of Naperville American Legion Post 43. I just know Dad would have been touched by Joe’s tribute to all who sacrificed in service to this nation.
I continue to run every aspect of Naperville Trolley & Tours, Ltd, and really enjoy what I do!
“Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life,” is one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes.
As we all enjoy the 30th Anniversary of Naperville Trolley, I want to thank each and every one of you that booked the Trolley for your special event or rode the Trolley for one of our FUN Trolley Tours! Without you, we would not be here! Thank you for supporting my small business!
Everything is more FUN on the Naperville Trolley! Ding! Ding!
—AW
30 Years of Trolley Memories…
