25 Retail Stores and Restaurants We Want in Rockford

Rockford has plenty of great places to shop and eat, but we always want more.

Matter of fact, based on the question "What retail stores and restaurants do you want in Rockford?" it seems like what we really want is a carbon copy of a popular Chicago suburb.

Based on over 100 comments, I put together a list of the most asked for restaurants and stores people would love to see set up shop in Rockford.

At the top of the list was Trader Joe's. So many of you are asking for that store to come here and with good reason.

I know plenty of people who make the pilgrimage into the Chicago suburbs just to shop at Trader Joe's.

Then again, based on the responses, many of us in Rockford would be plenty OK if we could just take every store and restaurant in Schaumburg and drop them in the Forest City.

Some of your comments were funny too. Like someone mentioning we got enough stores and restaurants, how about a drive-in movie theater? Yes! Wouldn't that would be nice?

There was another mentioning that Rockford residents support local businesses instead of bringing in other chain restaurants and giant stores.

The truth is, you can actually have both. I know folks who only shop and eat locally. That's amazing. On the other hand, there are people that love the Applebee's and Walmarts of the world.

In a perfect world, they all can co-exist. I mean, Schaumburg seems to be doing just fine.

Check out the full list of 25 stores and restaurants you want in Rockford.