12/02/2025
It’s been a long time since I’ve posted a long-form social media post, but if you have a minute, I’d really appreciate it if you'd give this a read.
While social media reaches far and wide, I’m writing this specifically to the local residents of Rockford and its surrounding communities.
We’ve been open here at Lucha since 2013. In that time, we’ve gotten used to the rhythm of the year. There are the ups and downs that come with events, holidays, and even rough weather. It happens every year, and honestly, there’s never a good time for it.
But this past week? It was an interesting one. Not just for me, but for many of my peers who run restaurants and retail businesses around here.
While I can’t speak for everyone, I’ll tell you how it played out for us.
The week started strong.
Monday and Tuesday were solid. And while Wednesday used to be one of those nights where everyone got together with friends back in town, it just doesn’t hit like it used to. I’m old enough to remember when that night was huge. These days, people don’t have to wait for the holidays to catch up as they stay connected every day through social media. (Holy crap, do I sound old here.)
Then came Thanksgiving —
I truly hope everyone reading this was able to enjoy it with your family and friends.
Friday felt more like a Tuesday than a Friday.
Unless you’re in a main shopping corridor, it was quiet. Totally makes sense too. Many of us still have family in town, and there are plenty of leftovers. Plus, online shopping keeps people home and out of the usual Friday rhythm. And when people stay home, they don’t stop off for a bite like they normally would.
Now it’s Saturday and as I’m writing this, I’ll be honest it’s a mess.
We stayed open at Lucha with a skeleton crew, but dang, it was rough out there. I have friends downtown who had been planning for months to make the most of Stroll on State. The rest of us were hopeful for a strong Small Business Saturday.
What we got instead?
It basically amounted to a loss for all of us.
Sunday hasn’t happened yet, so maybe it’ll be big. Fingers crossed.
Now I didn’t just walk you through our week to make you feel sorry for me or for any other local business. That’s not the goal.
But I do want to make you aware:
Local restaurants and small businesses around you just had a rough week.
So here’s what I’m asking:
If you had plans to go out to eat or shop locally and didn’t get to it please don’t assume that window has passed.
If dinner got canceled? Reschedule it and not for three weeks from now. Make it happen this week.
If you meant to stop by a local shop for a gift? Go this week.
If the weather wrecked your weekend? Let’s make up for it now.
There are plenty of studies that show local businesses make a community vibrant and while we owners like me love that sentiment, from our point of view, it’s the people who walk through our doors that make the community what it is.
It’s the people around our tables. The people choosing to support their neighbors.
That’s what makes Rockford special.
So, once more —
My ask is simple. Take this week to do what you might’ve hoped to do last week if life/weather/whaterver hadn’t gotten in the way. And please keep doing what so many of you have done for years, Supporting the small businesses that call this community home.
Thanks for your time.
Joshua
