Phoenix Center has opened a new resource center, testing facility and event space. The new location, Out East, is located at 704 South Dirksen Parkway. Some of the services available include harm reduction, HIV/HCV/STD testing, referrals, Narcan distribution, support groups and LGBTQ+ specific information such as health navigation. Services are available Monday-Thursday from 2-8 p.m., […]
Comings & Goings
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It’s Scrapicated consolidating into one location
It’s Scrapicated, a galvanized steel home décor company, is consolidating into one location and expanding its hours of operation. Owner Tammy Tolley launched the business in August 2015, shortly after leaving her full-time employment with AT&T. “I started in my basement, and then moved to 1326 S. State St. soon after that,” Tolley said. For […]
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New hotel breaking ground in Legacy Pointe
A local hotel ownership group, Legacy Hospitality, plans to break ground on a new hotel next month at Legacy Pointe. The new hotel, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, will be located just south of and adjacent to the existing SpringHill Suites by Marriott, 3921 S. MacArthur Boulevard. The new hotel will open in the […]
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Lutheran Senior Services and Diakon merge
Lutheran Senior Services, a nonprofit that specializes in housing, care and supportive services for older adults, and Diakon, a Lutheran organization that offers a continuum of senior lifestyle and health care services as well as a range of services for children, families, and adult individuals of all ages, have signed an agreement to bring senior […]
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The Crafted Stag Supply opening April 6
A new specialty business catering to men is scheduled to open Saturday, April 6, on Springfield’s west side. The Crafted Stag Supply is the brainchild of Grant and Jennifer Hammer, who purchased the property at 3455 Freedom Dr. in May 2023 and have extensively remodeled it. The building has been vacant since June 2018 when […]
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Hale Construction expands
Less than a year after initially launching, Hale Construction has moved into a larger office space and now has plans to expand into the Metro East as well. “I had been working for another construction company, and last May we had that big storm in Chatham,” said owner Seth Hale. “I decided to run with […]
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Potbelly Sandwich Shop opens in Springfield
Potbelly Sandwich Shop opened its first Springfield location on March 26. The restaurant inside the Memorial Learning Center, 228 W. Miller St., offers in-store dining, delivery and catering. In fall 2022, Rob Wilbern, a certified public accountant who also owns Robert’s Automotive and several other businesses in Springfield, signed a franchise agreement with the parent […]
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Charro Mexican Restaurant to open in April
Charro Mexican Restaurant is coming to Springfield. The family-owned business started in the St. Louis area and also has locations in Taylorville and Decatur. Now, owner Ezequiel Camacho has purchased the building at 2500 Sunrise Dr. and is in the process of remodeling it for a fourth Charro’s location. “Back in 2011, I was planning […]
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Eye Candy Boutique merges with Deep South Pout
Less than a year after closing its brick-and-mortar store, there are more changes in the works for Eye Candy Boutique. Owner Alinda Hale has merged her business with Deep South Pout, an online boutique based in Mississippi. “It all came about because in the boutique word, everybody is familiar with everybody,” Hale said. “I’ve run […]
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The end of an era
A 149-year-old family manufacturing business in Chatham is closing its doors in early June and an unrelated, but well-known, national franchise business will move into its space along Interstate 55. Armbruster Manufacturing Company will close and its 33,000-square-foot facility will be the new home of the central Illinois Roto-Rooter franchise. The sale of the legacy […]
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A history of the Armbruster Manufacturing Company
Rudolph Herman “R.H.” Armbruster was born in 1852 in Baden, Germany. He emigrated with his parents to the United States before the Civil War and the family settled in Springfield in 1855. In 1875, R.H. Armbruster broke away from his family’s prominent Springfield jewelry business to open an awning and upholstery store. His first shop […]
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“There’s a magic about this place.”
Several Armbruster Manufacturing Company employees have worked for the 149-year-old firm for approximately one-third of its history. What keeps the employees coming to work at the same place for decades? “It’s been a fun job. I’ve been to England four times and to Norway,” said Jim Wiggins, who has worked for 51 years at Armbruster. […]