Cover Story
15 Under Fifteen
This is the 21st year that Springfield Business Journal has partnered with United Community Bank to recognize 15 outstanding small businesses in the local area. To qualify, a business must be located in Sangamon or Morgan county, have been open for at least two years and have 15 or fewer full-time employees. A business is…
Mel-O-Cream reopening in Fairhills Mall
Mel-O-Cream is returning to Fairhills Mall as of Thursday, Oct. 26. Mel-O-Cream had operated a retail store at that location since 1975, but closed at the end of May due to a lack of air conditioning. Owner Amanda Crossland told SBJ at the time, “Over the last year we have been trying to work with…
Hy-Vee opens in Jacksonville
The Jacksonville Hy-Vee store, formerly County Market, opened to the public at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, for its official grand opening. Hy-Vee announced Sept. 7 that it had entered into an agreement to purchase the 50,000-square-foot store at 1255 W. Morton Ave. and would take possession in early October, then close briefly for…
Jason Gibson joins Heartland Bank and Trust Company
Jason Gibson has joined Heartland Bank and Trust Company as an assistant vice president – commercial lender. He will be based out of the Springfield branch at 3601 Wabash Ave. Gibson, who has 16 years of experience in the banking and lending industry, has worked in collections, special assets, consumer lending, mortgage banking and more.…
Navigator CO2 cancels plans for multi-state carbon-dioxide pipeline
Citing “the unpredictable nature of the regulatory and government processes involved,” Navigator CO2 said Oct. 20 that the company will cancel its $3.4 billion, multi-state carbon-dioxide pipeline project. The Heartland Greenway project, which was supported by the Midwest ethanol industry and labor unions but opposed by environmental and landowner groups, would have transported liquified CO2…
Roots Latin Grill opens Socavon, a bar and lounge
Roots Latin Grill is expanding with the addition of Socavon, a bar and lounge just two doors down from the restaurant. “A lot of customers go to the restaurant just to get drinks,” owner Luis Morales told SBJ when plans were first announced last year. “I wanted to make a lounge and bar with more…
Downtown Springfield, Inc. presents awards
New businesses as well as many familiar names were recognized at the 30th annual Downtown Springfield, Inc. awards held Oct. 18 at the BOS Center. Isringhausen Imports also announced the recipient of the 2023 DRIVE Grant, created to benefit new and soon-to-open small businesses in the downtown area. The inaugural $20,000 grant was awarded last…
Jaalsa, Indian fusion food and bar, opens on South Sixth Street
Indian food is once again being offered at 3114 S. Sixth St., but the restaurant has a new name and new owners. Jaalsa, Hindi for “let’s celebrate,” has opened in the space most recently occupied by Indian Cuisine, which briefly operated a buffet in 2022. Jaalsa is owned by Secove Investments, which was not involved…
Yummy Bowl opens on west side
Yummy Bowl, a Mongolian barbecue and sushi restaurant, has opened on Springfield’s west side as of Oct. 16. Kevin Weng, who previously opened Yummy Bowl locations in Indiana and Pennsylvania, purchased the property at 3434 Freedom Dr. in April 2022 for $1.4 million, according to Sangamon County tax records. The building had been vacant since…
Building permits – Oct.16 – Oct. 22
Bank One Corp. % Chase Bank received a commercial remodel permit for 2801 Greenbriar Road. P.H. Broughton & Sons, Inc. is the contractor and the project is valued at $457,000. ATA LC received a commercial permit for 1001 LeJune Drive. Ben Hur Construction is the contractor and the project is valued at $800,000. Springfield Clinic…
Marijuana money mistakes
Industrial-grade equipment that Ernestus Drake bought with a $20,000 grant from the city of Springfield helped his small business win new contracts, more than double its revenues and add employees. Drake, 47, who was born and raised in Springfield, said the grant program for minority-owned businesses located in an impoverished area provided a needed jolt…
Wilson Haberdashery opening on Springfield’s west side
Terry Wilson has been in the clothing business for more than four decades, and soon he will fulfill his dream of owning his own store with the opening of Wilson Haberdashery on the west side of Springfield. “I’m 58 years old and I’ve been in the clothing industry for 42 years, pretty much my whole…
Call him Judge Wright
Sangamon County’s State’s Attorney Dan Wright will become the 7th Judicial Circuit’s newest associate judge. And it appears likely that former state’s attorney John Milhiser will return to his old job in mid-November. Dan Wright, state’s attorney since 2018, has been selected to fill the vacancy created by the July 23 death of Matthew Mauer,…
Springfield Clinic opens new pediatrics building
Springfield Clinic pediatrics opened a new 40,000-square-foot pediatrics building Oct. 16 focused on providing a unique, child-focused patient experience. The new facility is located at 3501 Old Jacksonville Road in Springfield. “This new facility exists for our patients and their families,” said Dr. Purvi Bhandari, chair of Springfield Clinic Pediatrics. “We are so excited to…
Building permits – Oct. 9 – Oct. 15
WWOD PROPCO LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2451 West White Oaks Drive. Contractor is Infrastructure Design Systems and the project is valued at $1.1 million. Mike Fox received a commercial permit for 3400 Constitution Drive. Contractor is Michael Fox and the project is valued at $125,000. Mike Fox received a commercial permit for…
CO₂ pipeline plans paused
A Nebraska company facing widespread resistance from property owners and environmentalists wants a third opportunity to win regulatory approval in Illinois for a carbon dioxide pipeline that would cross Sangamon County and inject liquid CO₂ from five Midwestern states under farmland in Christian and Montgomery counties. Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC on Oct. 10 asked permission…
Eric Klinner named executive vice president of AIA Illinois
Eric Klinner has been selected as the new executive vice president of AIA Illinois, the state component of the national American Institute of Architects. Klinner, who previously served as managing director of AIA Illinois since 2006 and executive director of the Prairie Chapter for the past six years, brings extensive experience and knowledge of the…
Trish & Mary’s opening in Vinegar Hill Mall
Trish & Mary’s Public House, the first new venture in Vinegar Hill Mall, is opening Friday, Oct. 13. The English-style pub will feature an indoor beer garden offering European beers and liquors, British-themed snacks and darts. TVs will show international and European football, World Cup and American soccer. Conn’s Hospitality Group purchased Vinegar Hill Mall…
Mom + Pop’s
This is the third time that I’ve reviewed a restaurant run by husband-and-wife team Emily and Corey Faucon. The first was downtown Springfield’s Long Nine, the second was when they ran Broadgauge in Petersburg and the third and most recent is their new spot in Petersburg, Mom + Pop’s. Just like the first two reviews,…
Val Yazell returns to city government
Val Yazell says she decided to return to Springfield city government as director of the Office of Planning and Economic Development because she saw “so many things that still needed to be done.” Yazell was terminated by former mayor Jim Langfelder in March 2021, though Langfelder never said why. Misty Buscher, who defeated Langfelder and…
Matto: Pies + Pints closing Oct. 16
Matto: Pies + Pints, a restaurant focused on pizza, wings and beer, is closing after less than a year of operation. The new concept from the team behind Vele, Curate and Soleil Café opened at 2936 S. Sixth St. in February. Nickey Sperry, along with her husband, Dan Sperry, and executive chef Justin Richardson make…
Goodwill store under construction in Chatham
Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries has a new store under construction in Chatham that is slated to open in November. “This will be an easier shopping experience for everybody,” said Shelley Flynn Singleton, vice president of marketing, communications and fund development. “The Chatham community has been great to us, with lots of donations.” Singleton said…
Building permits – Oct. 2 – Oct. 8
Kunken Enterprises LLC received a commercial permit for 3220 S. Koke Mill Road. T&T Construction of Watseka, Inc. is the contractor and the project is valued at $800,000. Megan Jennings received a commercial remodel permit for 428 N. Amos Ave. Ellie Jennings is the contractor and the project is valued at $13,000. Michael Niehaus received…
Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation presents annual awards
Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation (JREDC) Vice Chairman Kai Schnitker honored the recipients of JREDC’s two annual awards during the organization’s investor appreciation event held at Twisted Tree Music Hall in Jacksonville on Oct 4. Since 1990, JREDC’s Existing Industry Committee has presented the Industry of the Year Award to a company exhibiting outstanding business…
Twisted Fork opening Oct. 6
Twisted Fork, a concept the owners describe as “upscale diner food,” is opening downtown on Friday. Amanda Sandner, who co-owns the business with her husband, Jered Sandner, said an Oct. 6 opening is planned for 400 E. Jefferson, the restaurant space inside the historic St. Nicholas Apartments. The space has been vacant since Nu-Voh closed…
Garrison Group joins Keller Williams Capital
Garrison Group, a Springfield-based commercial real estate brokerage firm, has joined Keller Williams Capital. “We’ve been an independent brokerage since Glen (Garrison) started Garrison Group in the early 90s,” said David Plake, president and CEO of Garrison Group. Plake purchased the business from Garrison in 2022, but the company’s namesake remains active in day-to-day operations.…
State’s Attorney Dan Wright a candidate for judge
Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright is among seven candidates vying to be appointed to an associate circuit judge vacancy created by the July 23 death of Matthew Mauer. And former State’s Attorney John Milhiser, Wright’s former boss when Wright was an assistant state’s attorney, is now working for Wright as an assistant state’s attorney…
Justin Stone joins Hickory Point Bank
Justin Stone has joined Hickory Point Bank as senior vice president, mortgage lending. He will work out of the branch at 3131 W. Wabash Ave. Stone has 21 years of banking experience and previously worked for Morton Community Bank, formerly Marine Bank, in Springfield as well as Bank of Springfield. “Justin is one of the…
Eagle Golf and Grill to open on Springfield’s west side
Eagle Golf and Grill, a public golf training facility with a full-service restaurant and bar, is in the works on Springfield’s west side. “If you think of the competitive sports market, we’re trying to serve that market for golf,” said Jim Lee, who co-owns the business along with his wife, Amber Lee, and Josh Edison,…
Seniors invest in social capital
Sarah Phalen, president and CEO of INB, tells the story of her mom, Lora Murgatroyd, who felt she could improve the upkeep of the flowers and bushes in her home community of Sherman. “She started daily watering and weeding because she saw the need,” says Phalen. “She eventually spearheaded a new group called Making Our…
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The popularity of pickleball
The explosion of interest in pickleball in Springfield could see the number of available courts nearly double in the foreseeable future, with the opening of the Premier Pickleball Center late this fall and the possibility of adding a dozen or more outdoor courts at Centennial Park. “Springfield’s biggest need has been indoor play space, particularly…
Who’s in charge of mom and dad?
Unfortunately, something we see frequently in our law practice are disagreements among siblings over who is in charge of caring for mom and/or dad when they become incapable of caring for themselves. Who decides who is in charge, and what limits are there for that person? Mom and dad can decide for themselves who will…
Illinois College partners with Memorial Health to offer full-tuition scholarships for nursing students
In a transformative move to address the increasing demand for highly skilled nurses in the health care industry, Illinois College has joined forces with Memorial Health to offer full-tuition scholarships for aspiring nursing students. This pioneering initiative, comprising 50 scholarships annually, is a collaborative effort between Illinois College and Memorial Health to support nursing education.…
The James Project provides homes, services for foster families
According to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, nearly 600 youths are in foster care in Sangamon County. Among resources and assistance for foster families in the county is The James Project. Its mission is to recruit and support dedicated foster parents in the community through the provision of homes and services. According…
Become a better influencer with customer-focused selling
Wouldn’t it be nice if the boss always approved our big projects or customers bought whatever it is we’re selling, whether a product, solution or idea? Of course, a business owner has to get comfortable selling, but many of us just need buy-in or approval from peers, employees, company executives or other stakeholders. Decision-making is…
Building permits – Sept. 25– Oct. 1
The city of Springfield received a commercial building permit for 2121 S. 11th St. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $4.7 million. USR-DESCO Montvale Commons LLL received a commercial remodel permit for 2757 Chatham Road. Contractor is Commercial Installation & Construction and the project is valued at $40,000. Nayyer Syed Kashif…
The Crafted Stag Supply planned for west side
A new specialty business catering to men is in the works 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 and hope to be open for business by spring 2024. “It will be a men’s clothing and gift…
