LYONS – Even before they opened, people were popping their heads into the shop at 138 Main St. to ask, “How’s it going? When are you opening?”

So when it did open on January 8, things were hopping. Many customers came to browse and see the new place, or to rent a DVD or a video game. Almost everyone seemed relieved to finally have a place to rent DVDs again. The people in Lyons missed their movies.

Nancy Liquori and Robin Young along with two partners, Gail and Gregg Hoag, bought the entire shopping center formerly known as the Lyons Shoppette, now called Lyons Village Central. Gregg Hoag will open a shop to sell e. pendants known as metaforms. The pendants act as energy conduits. Lyons Village Central is being renovated with new signage, new paint, and new striping in the parking lot. The old trash dumpsters are gone to free more parking and some landscaping will take place later this summer. The new owners will close on the sale on Jan. 31.

“We hope to be selling our meals to go plus appetizers that we will make here by the end of January,” said Young, who with partner Liquori owns City Chicks Food and Flicks. “I think that the wine and beer will come on line the same time as the food.” Young and Liquori received their beer and wine liquor license for City Chicks on Jan 7. They will sell beer by the bottle and organic wines by the glass. Customers will be able to stop in after work and have a glass of wine or snack while they choose a DVD and a dinner to go. Tables and chairs are set up around the room and a large 65 inch TV screen plays current movies. Three video game consoles are located in the rear of the room behind the racks of videos, with Play Station and Xbox for kids to rent video games to play on site.

Along with a selection of over 1,000 DVDs and over 100 video games for rent, there will be magazines and books. City Chicks will stage movie nights and movie afternoons for kids. New DVD releases will arrive every Tuesday. Appetizers such as pizza, chips, shrimp, hot dogs, quesadillas, chicken wings, pot stickers, candies and other finger food will also be for sale.

A big attraction at City Chicks will be the meals to go. Flicks and food to go will entice many customers who just want to rent a video, buy dinner to take out and go home to relax. “Everyone is asking about the food,” said Young, adding that she loves to cook. “The meals will be all heat and serve. We have all new kitchen equipment coming in. I will be making casseroles, chicken, homemade soups, salads, pastas, ravioli and sides. The meals will range from $8 to $10 for servings for two to three people and $10 to $20 for servings for four to six people, and the food will be in containers that can be heated. The menu will vary seasonally. I also want to work with all the business here to have monthly events.”

Young said that the business plans a loyalty card where every tenth video rented will be free. “We will offer a place for birthday parties, catering, and cooking classes featuring guest chefs,” said Young. “We tried to take a look at what is not already in town and what would complement what everyone else is doing. We will also rent out our video equipment for parties and events. We will offer pay-per-view movies and Saturday matinees. Things will change as we get more input form kids and adults. We might have a game night here. And we hope to eventually have a dollar movie night.”

City Chicks will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It will be closed on Sunday. For more information, call (303) 823-6049.

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