When steel and manufacturing jobs dried up over the last several decades in Venice, Illinois, the town lost two-thirds of the population, followed by its only grocery store and only school.
But now, Venice hopes to make a comeback that’s already underway — thanks, in part, to the vision of Ed Hightower, a retired school superintendent who has deep roots in the area.
“I don’t care what color you are, what belief you have. You want to reside in a safe area where you can go to school, you go get your groceries,” Hightower said.
The former college basketball referee knew the rules of the game — in this case, how to get state money flowing Venice’s way.
The Illinois Grocery Initiative is funding a new grocery store in Venice through a $2.4 million state grant. It’s set to begin construction next month, along with a medical clinic and affordable housing. A new school has already been built.
But it’s not just state money funding the new grocery store. Hightower is personally investing $3.5 million, and he’ll manage it while leasing the building from the town once it is completed.
“There are no handouts here,” Illinois Deputy Gov. Andy Manar said. “That’s not happening. This starts at the root of people who want to change their community, when you have that level of investment that we see here in Venice, that’s the bedrock for success.”
Manar sees Venice — which sits just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis — as a tryout for other small towns.
“There’s no political label you put on a community that has lost a grocery store,” Manar added.
After a lifetime of watching things close, lifelong Venice resident Alexis Williams saw hope when she dropped her 5-year-old daughter Navie off at the town’s new school.
“I’m hoping that Venice grows and that she doesn’t ever have to feel like she has to move away from home to have a better opportunity in life,” Williams said about her daughter.
Hightower views life as a team sport and is motivated by giving back to the community.
“This country kid who never thought, first of all, I’d get an education, to go as high as a doctorate in education. But my mom always taught us, you don’t get there by yourself,” Hightower said.