Fulton works to improve downtown - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Fulton works to improve downtown

By: Jillian Wilson

jwilson@cbs4qc.com

Residents in Fulton say folks come from all over to shop downtown.

But when it comes to food options, its slim pickings.

 "We're a tourism town and people are saying where is a nice place we can go? There are places in town but we want to have kind of an upscale place for the tourists who typically like an upscale place," says Charles Dykstra, President of Fulton Retail Development Group.

That's why the Fulton Retail Development Group is working to get some fine dining downtown.

Yesterday, they bought a candy store that just went out of business.

Now they're hoping a good restaurant will move in.

"It's important to us to have a revitalized downtown and a good downtown," says Dykstra.

More than 50 residents invested in the group's efforts and that money will take care of all the necessary improvements.

 "We're a very close knit group of people here in downtown Fulton, we kind of take care of each other and look out for each other and we all work together," says Debra Schaver, a Fulton Resident.

Debra Shaver owns a business next door and she says a restaurant is just what Fulton needs.

"I think it would be wonderful to have a restaurant downtown, first it would give me somewhere to go have lunch, I can get carry outs a little closer to the shop," says Shaver.

And for folks coming in from out of town, they'll enjoy a nice place to eat right on the river.

"We're kind of like a little destination place we have people come in from Chicago, people from Galena, even people from LeClaire come to Fulton for the day, they just hit up all the little novelty shops and it would be nice to have somewhere else for lunch," says Shaver.

The Fulton Neighborhood Retail Group is looking for a restaurant to lease the space with no money down.

If you want to invest just give them a call (815) 266 – 7619.