Rockford Residents React to Yet Another Car Wash Proposal

The former TGI Fridays/Sweet Basil Cafe location by the CherryVale Mall will have a new resident soon, but many people in the community are not pleased about it.

Things People Want to Come to Rockford

Every time a business closes in Rockford and leaves behind a vacant building, the same question always comes up: "What business would residents like to see replace it?"

As a Rockford-area resident who has asked people that question many times, I can tell you this much, hundreds of suggestions will come up, but a few that always get the most votes are:

• White Castle
• Trader Joe's
• Whole Foods

You know what businesses don't get mentioned? Car washes and slot places, but yet, here we are.

READ MORE: Did Gustafson's Furniture & Mattress Close?

New Car Wash Coming to Cherry Valley

A recent article from mystateline.com says:

A new car wash could be coming to the site of the former TGI Fridays-Sweet Basil Cafe, near the CherryVale Mall.

Don't get me wrong, washing your car is an important task and taking it through a car wash is very convenient, but many Rockford residents feel this area already has plenty of car wash options to choose from. Do we really need another?

Here's something important to consider: The former TGI Fridays/Sweet Basil Cafe location takes up a large corner space of a busy intersection. Do we really want it to sit vacant?

I think seeing a building rot in that spot would be worse than seeing a shiny new car wash being built there, but nothing is a done deal yet.

The Cherry Valley Village Board will be voting soon on whether to approve a special use permit for the new car wash, but the Village's Planning and Zoning Committee is recommending it.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.