The former fire station at the intersection of Chatham Road and Monroe Street has been vacant for nearly a year, but if things go according to plan it will soon be the headquarters for a Springfield-based property management company. The building at 2051 W. Monroe St. had served as the Springfield Fire Department’s Station 8 […]
Comings & Goings
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E.P. Boutique closing March 8
The last day of operations for E.P. Boutique will be Saturday, March 8. The store at 4302 W. Wabash Ave. will be open to the public from 3-8 p.m. with marked down prices on the remaining items. In 2020, E.P. Boutique was the first tenant in the newly constructed strip center at Wabash and Meadowbrook Avenue. […]
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Japanese conveyer-belt restaurant opening March 13
The owner of Izumi Rotary & Bar, Springfield’s first conveyer-belt-style restaurant, says he wants to bring a new experience to the area. “I worked as the head chef at a sushi restaurant in Dallas, Texas,” Yong Wu said. “But I got tired of the big city and wanted to settle down here – my family […]
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Cousins Maine Lobster launches food truck to serve Springfield area
Two franchisees for Cousins Maine Lobster are establishing a presence in central Illinois to address what they believe is a demand for quality seafood here. “Last year we came here for a tour and had a massive response compared to any other metro area,” said Yunus Shahul. He and his brother, Thameem Shahul, currently have […]
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Two local business owners buy former Alexander’s property
Two area business owners have purchased the former Alexander’s Steakhouse as an investment property and say they’re still discussing possibilities for the site. Andrew Cochran and Marcus McGlasson purchased the property at 620 N. Bruns Lane last month for $825,000, according to Sangamon County tax records. “We’ve talked about a lot of different things,” said […]
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Manufacturing operations moving to Clinton
A manufacturer with more than 100 workers is closing two of its Springfield facilities and moving operations to Clinton after a dispute with the city over building-code violations. Mike Hoyle has owned Kwik-Wall for 19 years, a company that makes movable partitions for conference and convention facilities. Hoyle used an LLC to purchase the former […]
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Joann to close all stores nationwide
Area residents were holding out hope that the Joann fabrics store in Springfield would survive the retailer’s planned closures, but the company announced Feb. 24 that it will close all of its 831 stores nationwide. In January, the Ohio-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in a year, citing sluggish […]
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Former Hooters property to be auctioned
The former Hooters restaurant in Springfield is getting ready to go up for auction. Commercial real estate website Loopnet.com lists 3241 Horizon Drive as scheduled for auction Feb. 24-26, with a starting bid of $190,000 for the 4,262-square-foot building. The property is listed with broker Daniel Elliot of SRS Real Estate Partners, a Dallas-based commercial real […]
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Pop-Up Chicken Shop opening Springfield location
A new chicken restaurant is moving into the former KFC on West Jefferson Street in Springfield. Aaron Francis launched Pop-Up Chicken Shop in Bloomington in 2018 and opened a second location in Peoria last year. A third location is now in the works for Springfield, but he said he has even bigger plans. “I’m licensing […]
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Three Twigs owners to take over The Railyard
Dec. 24 was the last day of operations for Three Twigs & Co., but owners Emily and Tim Lewis said at the time they intended to bring back the business in some form. The next phase is now taking shape, as the couple has signed a lease for The Railyard property at 2242 S. Sixth […]
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Harvest Kitchen + Bar opens in Prairie Crossing
A mother-daughter team has launched Harvest Kitchen + Bar, serving American classics with a twist, at 4241 Conestoga Drive. Odette Yobal, who co-owns the new venture with her mother, Vivian Dominguez, described it to SBJ as “an elevated aesthetic but still affordable and approachable for everybody.” Related The current menu includes breakfast staples such as pancakes, […]
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Kelsey Harms opening Café Amulet in Petersburg
Feb. 23 is the final day of operations for 1st and 3rd Boutique and Wine Bar in Petersburg, but the business will soon reopen with a new name and different focus. “We’ll be closing on the building the following week,” said Kelsey Harms, who is purchasing the property at 105 S. Seventh St. from Liz […]