As the McHenry Riverwalk shoppe’s 2024 vendor season comes to an end the Chamber of Commerce are preparing for the 2025 vendor season and are looking for new vendors to help start up on the riverwalk.

In 2021 there were about 15 shops in total. One of the goals of the riverwalk shoppes was to increase retail downtown and since the riverwalk shops have been open they have reached the goal of increasing retail to about 40 shops

“There’s always something new to look at and for you to buy,” MCHS student Ashley Weberski says, “I think it’s a neat thing in our community, it’s really great.”

McHenry Chamber of Commerce Business manager Amy Humbracht provides insight about what it’s like working with the shop owners and watching them grow as business owners.

“We just get better each and every year.” Humbracht says, “It’s been wonderful to see the owners, from when we meet them in their pitch interview with us, to the end of the season and I swear I’ve seen them grow ten years in business years.”

For the past 3 years, the Riverwalk has brought all kinds of new business to McHenry, some with shops in different towns and some who are just starting out.

“I think the current shops are pretty cool.” Weberski says, “There’s this cool kind of hippie shop, there’s a breadshop that has all different kinds of bread or cinnamon rolls , there’s a coffee and mug shop and also some shops for kids.“

The shops continue to thrive each day and are looking for businesses to vendor out in 2025.