Columns

If he had his druthers, Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams Jr. would rather see something besides a proposed new recreational cannabis dispensary going into 1401 S. Dirksen Parkway, a currently abandoned property in his ward. “But I don’t like empty buildings or empty houses,” Williams said. So, albeit with some reluctance, Williams said he would […]

The Francesca’s store in White Oaks Mall will be closing later this month after the women’s fashion retail chain filed for bankruptcy.  Francesca’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New Jersey earlier this month and plans to close all its stores nationwide. An employee at the White Oaks location confirmed that Feb. 25 would be […]

Bob’s Discount Furniture held a grand opening Feb. 13 for its Springfield location in Southwest Plaza, one of three central Illinois stores to open this month.  In August, the national retailer began renovation work at 3251 S. Veterans Parkway. The former Bed Bath & Beyond space had been vacant since early 2023, when it was […]

The parent company of restaurant chain Smokey Bones has filed for bankruptcy restructuring. Fat Brands Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late January. In addition to Smokey Bones, Fat Brands operates restaurant chains such as Fazoli’s, Johnny Rockets, Ponderosa Steakhouse, and Fatburger. Fat Brands is majority owner of the subsidiary Twin Hospitality Group, which […]

The MCL Restaurant and Bakery on Wabash Avenue has closed. A sign on the door of the restaurant, located at 2151 Wabash Ave., stated that the restaurant would be permanently closed as of Feb. 13. “Thank you all for the support over the years,” the sign reads. A recording on the restaurants call-in menu line […]

Sherman restaurant Fire and Ale has announced it will be closing this weekend after 14 years of business. Zac Copelin, who owns the restaurant along with business partner Justin Misiorek, said that, like many independent restaurants, Fire and Ale has faced significant financial challenges that ultimately made it impossible for the restaurant to continue operations. […]

It’s been more than a year-and-a-half since a fire on East Adams Street damaged several downtown Springfield buildings, and the rebuilding efforts are still underway. Chris Nickell, who owns the property where the fire originated, is applying for TIF assistance to accelerate the renovation of the street-facing portion of the building. The three-story building at […]

Schlee’s Gourmet Bakery & Bottle Shop opened five months ago in downtown Springfield and is now operating under new ownership. Ashley Rickenbach, who was initially overseeing day-to-day operations, relocated from Austin, Texas, to Springfield and partnered with Benjamin Galbraith and Matthew and Rachael Hurley to launch Schlee’s. The establishment at 225 S. Sixth St. focuses on […]