At 85 years old, Betty Salisbury says she’s finally ready to retire and close Iris & Ivy, the boutique she’s operated for decades. “I started with $50 and a booth at the Country Lace craft mall,” she said of her initial venture with a few other ladies. “We were just looking for something to do. […]
Comings & Goings
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Former Sportsman’s Lounge demolished to make way for apartment complex
It’s been more than a year since Sportsman’s Lounge served its last pork tenderloin, and the building at 229 W. Mason St. is being demolished to make way for a new development. The building, originally used as a livery stable, was constructed in the late 1800s. It later became a bar that operated under various […]
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Vine & Rind to open on west side
Chelsey Ziebler launched Ta Da Catering three years ago, and the business is now expanding to include a brick-and-mortar location with additional offerings. “Vine & Rind will be our storefront for wine and cheese,” Ziebler said. “The front of our space will be a store with wine for sale and a few different kinds of […]
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DOGE cuts come to Springfield
Springfield business owner John Chiang received a letter March 10 that landlords dread: a tenant is breaking its lease. The tenant is the U.S. government’s Department of Labor, which rents office space on the second floor of the building at 3161 W. White Oaks Drive. The building is owned by Chiang, 82, who also owns […]
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Four Springfield Subway stores reopening under new ownership
It’s been nearly two months since four of the Subway locations in Springfield closed, but those restaurants are now under new ownership and will be reopening soon. Vern Evans, who was the franchisee for eight Subway locations, retired after 25 years in the central Illinois market. He operated the store at 607 E. Adams St. […]
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Sinclair to sell WICS as part of package
An asset purchase agreement filed with the Federal Communications Commission outlines Sinclair Television Group’s plan to sell five of its stations to Rincon Broadcasting Group for $29.4 million. According to the agreement dated March 7, Springfield-based stations WICS/WICD will be included in the sale, along with KHQA in Quincy; KTVO in Ottumwa, Iowa; and WVTV […]
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Sale pending for former fire station
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 […]
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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 […]