Comings & Goings

Mike and Shelly Pawelczak, owners of Goodfellas Pub, have opened a new sports bar on Maple Avenue. Stingers Sports Bar opened Sept. 12 in the former Third Base Sports Bar location at 410 W. Maple Ave., next to Springfield and Jerome. The Pawelczaks purchased the property in January of 2025 and have been renovating the […]

Springfield-based America Ambulance Service Inc. has acquired Dispatch MedicalTransport Inc., a New Berlin-based provider of non-emergency transport services.Susan Zappa, owner of America Ambulance, said the acquisition will bring together twocompanies whose services align well. America’s ambulances answer 911 calls andprovides medical transport, while DMT provides wheelchair and stretcher vantransportation when a high-level of medical care […]

Local franchise owners Marcus and Lauryn McGlasson are opening a third Springfield Scooters Coffee location on Sangamon Avenue. The McGlassons have purchased the former PNC Bank building at 1949 E. Sangamon Ave. and plan to retrofit it to become a Scooters Coffee shop. Lauryn McGlasson said they are expecting a quick turnaround on the building […]

Cocoa Blue Chocolates has a new owner — someone who is a familiar face to regulars at the Rochester chocolate shop. Joshua Becker, who opened Cocoa Blue in 2013, has sold the shop to longtime employee Mary Boesdorfer. Boesdorfer has worked at Cocoa Blue for nine years, starting at the store’s former Springfield location in […]

The parent company of Hickory Point Bank and Trust is being acquired by an Indiana-based bank in a $111 million deal. First Illinois Corp., the Decatur-based holding company for Hickory Point, will be merging “with and into” First Financial Corp., the holding company for First Financial Bank, according to an announcement from the companies. Hickory […]

After more than two decades training business executives across the region, Bob Barber has sold his local Sandler Training office to an Indiana-based associate. Wilcox and Associates of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has acquired the Barber and Associates Sandler franchise. Sandler Training is a global provider of sales leadership and customer service training. The deal officially […]

Springfield’s only Red Lobster restaurant will soon be closing. An employee confirmed to Springfield Business Journal that the restaurant at 2696 S. Dirksen Parkway would be shutting down. The employee said Sunday was scheduled to be the Red Lobster’s last day in business but that it could potentially close even sooner. The Springfield restaurant is […]

Amanda Hildebrand is bringing a direct primary care model to the Ocean BreezeWellness and Primary Care center she recently opened on Wabash Avenue. Under direct primary care (DPC) models, patients pay a membership feel that covers allor most primary care services. Ocean Breeze provides membership-based primarycare, and while the center does accept some insurance plans, […]

New owners will soon be taking the driver’s seat at dealerships operated by Green Family Stores, one of the region’s largest auto dealers. A spokesperson for Green Family Stores confirmed a sale was in the works but would not name the buyer. “Out of respect for employees and all parties involved, we cannot discuss this […]

Nik Smith, owner of local catering company AF Food Co., is preparing for the launch of his next dining concept — Side Chick Salad Co., and, as the name implies, it’s all about chicken salad. Smith used the 217 Foodies Facebook group for market research when he was considering launching a new business endeavor, and […]

New owners have given the former Cravens Laundromat a new name and a fresh, clean look. Ryan and Danielle Watson purchased the property at 513 N. Grand Ave. in December and, after fully renovating the building, have rebranded and reopened as Fresh Cycle Laundromat. “Basically, we went in and redid the entire building, inside and […]