Illinois Small Business Development Center has moved
The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Lincoln Land Community College has moved to new offices at LLCC’s Capital City Training Center, 130 W. Mason St. in Springfield. The Illinois SBDC is open for appointments Mondays through Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with extended hours available. The Illinois SBDC provides professional guidance for…
Best Places to Work nomination deadline
Nominate your company for this year’s Best Places to Work, sponsored by United Community Bank and Springfield Business Journal. The winning companies will be profiled in the March issue of SBJ and all employees will be invited to a reception and awards ceremony. Criteria to nominate your company: Must have been in business at least two years Be…
Ashley Jenkins joins the Illinois Health and Hospital Association
Ashley Jenkins, deputy chief legal counsel to the Illinois Senate President, is joining the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) as its director of government relations, effective Dec. 31. Jenkins will focus on IHA’s advocacy to state legislators, legislative staff, state agencies and other stakeholders to advance the Association’s policy and legislative agenda. “Ashley has extensive…
Storage construction project underway
Despite the winter weather, construction work is underway at the corner of Constitution Drive and Cockrell Lane. The first phase of the project involves building 148 mini-storage units of various sizes on a 2.7 acre site, which allows room for future expansion. The new business, Secure Storage USA, is comprised of a local ownership group…
A kids’ entertainment complex opens
Bounce Tag, a kids’ entertainment complex that includes bounce houses, an obstacle course, laser tag and an arcade, is opening on Dec. 21. Dr. Tubosun Dennis, a local anesthesiologist, and her mother, Tola Danmole-Odimayo, are the co-owners of the new business. The building at 3720 Hollis Dr. in Springfield has been extensively renovated since it…
Building permit roundup – Dec. 9 – Dec. 15
BY STACIE LEWIS West Side Christian Church obtained a commercial remodel permit for 2850 W. Cider Mill Lane. O’Shea Builders is the contractor and the project is valued at $300,000. Taylor Collision Enterprises obtained a commercial building permit for a new building at 1501 S. Groth St. Guy Taylor is the contractor and the project…
Andrew Sheehan joins new Springfield law office of McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips
McAnany, Van Cleave & Phillips (MVP) has opened a law office in Springfield at 3201 W. White Oaks Dr., Suite 200. The Springfield office is the eighth location across the Midwest for MVP, including an office in Des Moines, Iowa, that opened in August. Andrew “A.J.” Sheehan, an associate attorney who focuses his practice on…
HSHS plans renovation and expansion project
HSHS St. John’s Hospital has announced plans for a $17.2 million project to renovate and expand the intensive care unit. The Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved the project, which will updated the existing rooms as well as add eight new ICU beds. The project also includes adding 32 beds in existing space…
Building permit roundup – Dec. 2 – Dec. 8
BY STACIE LEWIS Read which building permits were approved by the City of Springfield between Dec. 2 and Dec. 8, 2019. Mahnee Lesa and Somsavink obtained a commercial parking lot permit for 1308 S. 2nd St. Win Mannee is the contractor and the project is valued at $21,000. Wal-Mart Business Trust in care of MS…
Kevin Sullivan to open The Barn
Kevin Sullivan started his food service career washing dishes at King Pin Lanes at the age of 16 and most recently worked for 5 Flavors Catering, where he served as the executive chef for Governor J.B. Pritzker’s inauguration dinner. In between, he’s worked for a variety of corporate chains and local restaurants, but is now…
6th St. Café to open downtown
After operating the Cookie Dough Factory for the past year at 214 S. Sixth St. in downtown Springfield, owner Sasha Brinson is switching her business model. The space will now be home to 6 St. Café, which already has signage promoting “breakfast, lunch and cocktails,” and Brinson said she hopes to be open within the…
E.L. Pruitt hires David Drendel as CFO
David Drendel has joined E.L. Pruitt Company as the Chief Financial Officer. Drendel has 25 years of CFO experience, 15 of which have been in the construction industry in the Springfield area. He worked in construction accounting for Eck, Schafer & Punke and helped initiate the Fat Ass 5K in 2008, an annual charity race…
Raychel Yokem joins Growmark
Raychel Yokem has started a new position as the diversity, inclusion and affirmative action manager at Growmark, effective Dec. 1. The company, an agricultural cooperative serving businesses and customers throughout the U.S. and Canada, is based in Bloomington, Illinois, although Yokem said she will commute from Springfield. She most recently worked in human resources at…
Curate is now open
Curate, a small plate restaurant and wine bar offering various ethnic cuisines, has opened at 2930 Plaza Drive in The Gables shopping center. Curate is located in the building formerly occupied by McCormick’s Smokehouse, which closed at the end of 2018. Owners Dan and Nickey Sperry, along with co-owner and executive chef Justin Richardson, also…
Dan Linn steps down as the executive director of Illinois NORML
After nearly 14 years, Dan Linn has stepped down as the executive director of Illinois NORML, an advocacy group which works to reform marijuana laws. In a written statement to supporters, Linn noted how much public opinion has shifted since he first became involved in NORML two decades ago, including cities allowing low level possession…
New draft beer bar, Terra Ferment, to open downtown
The building at 206 S. Sixth St. in Springfield that formerly housed the Andiamo coffee shop will soon be home to Terra Ferment, the newest addition to the downtown beer scene. Owner William Tubbs retired in July after 28 years with the state of Illinois, most recently as the editor of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential…
Building permit roundup – Nov. 18 – Dec. 1
BY STACIE LEWIS Read which building permits were approved by the City of Springfield between Nov. 18 and Dec. 1, 2019. JJ4 Properties, LLC obtained a commercial remodel permit for 215 S. Lewis St. The owner is the contractor and the project is valued at $10,000. ARCP MT Springfield IL, LLC in care of Ryan,…
Roots Latin Grill has authentic South American roots
BY THOMAS C. PAVLIK JR. I’ve had the privilege to travel to South America a handful of times. In some respects, I think it’s the food that keeps drawing me back – a blend of indigenous, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese ingredients and styles. With Roots Latin Grill now open, maybe I can redirect my frequent…
Old Capitol Holiday Walks kick off on Small Business Saturday
The Old Capitol Holiday Walks kick off in downtown Springfield on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30, the day when shoppers are reminded that when they shop local, 67 cents of each dollar spent stays in their local economy to support local roads, schools and more. Besides shopping, other events on Small Business Saturday include free…
A place at the table – Building Board Diversity helps nonprofit boards reflect the community
BY DAVID BLANCHETTE Where there’s a will there’s a way, and a year-old group is hoping to motivate nonprofit organizations in the Springfield area to diversify their boards. The founders of the Building Board Diversity (BBD) initiative have been meeting with and offering training for nonprofit executive directors and current board members to show them…
Program fosters entrepreneurship
Innovate Springfield helps take ideas from concept to completion BY CATHERINE O’CONNOR For nine local start-up entrepreneurs, graduation night on Oct. 30 marked the completion of the Co.Starters program, a series of weekly three-hour intensive seminars presented through Innovate Springfield, the business incubator supported by University of Illinois Springfield. Before deciding on the Co.Starters program,…
Understanding the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act seminar
Do you have questions about how the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana will affect your business? The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce is hosting a seminar to assist with understanding the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2020. Attorneys from Brown Hay & Stephens LLP will discuss what this…
John S. Herring, Sr. joins INCIL as new executive director
The Illinois Network of Centers for Independent Living (INCIL), a statewide disability advocacy organization, has hired John S. Herring, Sr. as its new executive director. The vacancy resulted from Ryan Croke’s departure to become the chief of staff for the Illinois Department of Human Services. Croke had served the organization since 2017 following founding executive…
Keller Williams Capital relocates
After just two years in the Springfield market, Keller Williams Capital has moved to a larger office space. As of Nov. 15, the real estate firm moved from 3435 Liberty Dr. to a nearby office at 3171 Robbins Rd. “We’ve grown, so we needed more space for our agents and a bigger training room,” said…
Taqueria el Paisa is now open
After working in Mexican restaurants for more than 20 years, Oscar Alvarado has now opened his own restaurant. Taqueria el Paisa is located at 1827 North Peoria Rd. in the building that originally housed Java Express, and more recently, Taste of Windy City. Alvarado was the general manager of Los Agaves, which closed in 2017.…
Ralls Melotte retires from MMLP
After more than 50 years in architecture, Ralls Melotte has retired and returned to his roots in Wisconsin, where he recently purchased a home in Kewaunee. Melotte was born in Wisconsin and graduated from University of Illinois in 1970 with a degree in architecture. Along with Richard Morse, he co-founded the firm now known as…
Building permit roundup – Nov. 11 – Nov. 17
BY STACIE LEWIS Read which building permits were approved by the City of Springfield between Nov. 11 and Nov. 17, 2019. Siciliano, Inc. obtained a commercial remodel permit for an interior demolition at 3501 Winchester Rd. The owner is the contractor and the project is valued at $7,500. Central Illinois Trade Services, LLC obtained a…
