CASE STUDY:

Downtown Lemont

Igniting Energy and Authentic Connection Through Strategic Placemaking

Downtown Lemont had all the ingredients for success—stunning natural landscapes, rich history, and a community that genuinely cared about their place. But ingredients alone don't create magic. Sometimes a place needs that special spark, the intentional strategy that transforms potential into thriving reality. This is the story of how comprehensive community partnership and authentic storytelling helped ignite an energy that transformed a sleepy downtown into a regional destination, proving that marketing isn't just promotion—it's economic development.

The streets of Downtown Lemont

The Challenge

When the Village of Lemont approached All Together in 2022, Downtown Lemont had all the ingredients for success—rich history dating back to 1836, stunning natural landscapes with hills and waterways, proximity to The Forge adventure park, and a community that genuinely loved their place. But something was missing: the spark.

The downtown lacked energy and intentional direction. While residents knew Lemont was special, they struggled to articulate why to outsiders. The village needed more than traditional marketing—they needed someone who could uncover their authentic story and create a strategy that would attract visitors, support local businesses, and honor the community's deep roots while welcoming new energy.

Our approach was rooted in a core principle: "Don't tell me you're historic, charming, and vibrant—tell me why." We needed to dig deeper than surface-level descriptors to find Lemont's true differentiator.

Businesses in Downtown Lemont

Our Approach

Community-Centered Strategy Development

Drawing on our unique blend of communications expertise and community planning experience, we began with extensive stakeholder engagement—not as a one-time exercise, but as the foundation of an ongoing partnership. We facilitated focus groups with over 20 local stakeholders, surveyed 135 residents and business owners, and dove deep into Lemont's stories.

Authentic Brand Development

Through this process, we discovered Lemont's true differentiator: Lemont Real—a place where "you can't fake real, and you don't have to." Our brand celebrated the community's "legacy of hustle," from the limestone quarry workers who literally built Chicago to today's makers and entrepreneurs launching businesses in those same historic buildings.

Creative Storytelling & Placemaking

We brought the brand to life through:

Quarterly event postcards designed to emulate vintage postcards, including a memorable recreation of Georges Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" featuring Lemont residents and mascot Archie
Creation of Archie the Lemontster, a beloved community mascot with a backstory rooted in Lemont's limestone quarry heritage
Development of additional "Lemontsters" characters with community-created backstories
Historic walking tours and "read and runs" with local authors
A 150th anniversary newspaper celebrating village history
Artist collaborations, including a zine combining creative writing with art

Business Support & Economic Development

We created a comprehensive support system for local entrepreneurs:

Celebration of new business openings with interviews, blog features, and festive balloon installations
Launch of a community gift card program through Yiftee to drive local spending
Creative promotional campaigns like "12 Days of Christmas" retail giveaways, where visitors explored a different business each day for chances to win limited edition illustrated screen prints—creating lines out the door
Marketing support and promotional materials for merchant-run events including markets and ornament walks
Ongoing marketing mentorship for businesses finding their footing in the community

Sustained Community Partnership

Unlike typical branding projects that end with logo delivery, our work became an ongoing collaboration. We've maintained quarterly merchant meetings for three years, actively engage with residents on social media, and consistently elevate content created by the community itself.

The Outcome

Measurable Growth

966k annual visits to downtown (40% increase over three years)
44% increase in website users since brand launch
277% growth in e-newsletter subscribers
250% increase in social media followers (1,400 to 4,400 from 2021-2025)
79-minute average dwell time for visitors
5 new women-owned businesses opening in 2025 alone
2 restaurants expanding to second locations through business incubator

Community Recognition

Downtown Lemont was listed as one of the top day trips from Chicago by TimeOut, showcasing the brand's success in reaching target audiences.

Authentic Engagement

The true measure of success? When a resident spots a gaggle of geese crossing at a downtown crosswalk, they instinctively share the video with us because they know we're genuine partners who will help amplify Lemont's charm. That video went viral with 674 likes and 234 shares—authentic moments that no marketing budget could buy.

Economic Development Through Marketing

What makes our work in Downtown Lemont unique is demonstrating how strategic marketing serves as powerful economic development. Without major infrastructure investments or policy changes, we've helped ignite an energy that both visitors and business owners can feel—evidenced by the wave of new businesses, expanded operations, and increased investment throughout the downtown.