Renovations have begun on a downtown building that is slated to become a coffee shop, bakery and wine bar. Plans for Schlee’s Gourmet Bakery & Bottle Shop were initially announced last fall, but co-owner Ashley Rickenbach said the scale of renovations needed to turn the former hair salon at 225 S. Sixth St. into a space with […]
Comings & Goings
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IHDA funds projects in Springfield, Jacksonville
The Illinois Housing Development Authority has announced the conditional award of more than $50 million in state and federal funding to spur the development of permanent supportive housing throughout Illinois. Of the seven statewide projects slated to receive funding, one is in Springfield and one is in Jacksonville. Bluestem Housing Partners and Envision Unlimited received […]
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Field of dreams
Things are progressing quite nicely with Scheels Sports Park at Legacy Pointe, according to all the principals involved. After years of uncertainty over its viability, a 180,000-square-foot dome is slated to be inflated in the latter part of June, with sports activities expected to start in October. The grand opening of the park’s primary money-making […]
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Former Sangamo Club property still on the market
It’s been a little over a year since PNC Bank foreclosed on the former Sangamo Club and so far, there have been no takers to repurpose the downtown property, despite significant price reductions since it was first listed for sale. The 28,000-square-foot building at 227 E. Adams St. was initially listed by Hurwitz Enterprises in […]
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UCB to acquire Midland Community Bank
United Community Bancorp, Inc. has entered into an agreement to acquire Midland Community Bank based in Kincaid, Illinois. Midland Community Bank is a full-service community bank established in 1968 with two locations in the Christian County communities of Kincaid and Taylorville, with $66.9 million in assets as of March 31. “Midland is an excellent and […]
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Potbelly opening May 13 on Springfield’s west side
Potbelly is opening a location on the west side of Springfield on May 13, which has been in the works for nearly three years. Rob Wilbern, a certified public accountant who also owned Robert’s Automotive and several other businesses in Springfield, announced in 2022 he had signed a franchise agreement with the parent company for […]
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Hello Thailand to open in Springfield
China Express closed last month after more than two decades, but a new restaurant is already in the works to take its place on Toronto Road. Hello Thailand has signed a lease for the space at 1213 Toronto Road, located in a shopping center next to Pier 55 Lounge. “We just got the key from […]
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Harvest Kitchen + Bar expands hours, offerings
Harvest Kitchen + Bar held a soft opening in February, but the restaurant in Prairie Crossing has now expanded its menu and operating hours. “We’ve added a new dinner menu, which is completely different from the first menu we had focused on breakfast and lunch,” said Odette Yobal, who co-owns the business with her mother, […]
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Prelude Kids Center opens in Petersburg
A new nature-based child care facility has opened in Petersburg. Located on 25 acres of woods and rolling prairie, owner Heather Brooks-Yuceta said she was inspired to open Prelude Kids Center, 417 Centre Drive, after she and her husband spent several years living and working in Sofia, Bulgaria. “Our then-18-month-old daughter was in a preschool that […]
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Capital City McDonald’s acquires all Springfield stores
Like many teenagers, Caleb Canada’s first formal job was working at a McDonald’s. But instead of making it a short-term arrangement, Canada stayed with the company and is now the vice president of operations for Capital City McDonald’s, a franchisee with 16 stores throughout central Illinois. “I started out when I was 16 and worked […]
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Westside Market to launch in June
A group of five women who are all small business owners with interests on the west side of Springfield are launching a Westside Market that will take place the first Sunday of each month, starting in June. Celeste Malham, who owns FED Kitchen, which recently merged with Papo’s Café, said she had a vision for […]
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Loukinens’ on 4th closing permanently
Loukinens’ on 4th is closing again, this time for good. Co-owner and chef Keith Loukinen has announced Saturday, May 3, will be the last day of operations. “With the changes that have occurred in the dynamic of downtown Springfield these past few years, coupled with the skyrocketing cost of doing business, he has deemed it no […]