Combination barber shop and tavern to open downtown
A combination barbershop and tavern is slated to open downtown later this month. Hair of the Dog Bar/Bershop will be located at 323 E. Monroe St. and will be operated by Declan Binninger and Jeremy Bredemeyer. “It’s like what you might have imagined your grandfather’s barbershop looked like, attached to the place your grandfather may…
Piper Glen Golf Course sells for $1.1 million
Illinois National Bank sold Piper Glen Golf Course to a group of investors this month for $1.1 million. Piper Glen Properties, LLC, managed by Bruce Thomas of Springfield, purchased the golf course on June 1. The other members of the investment group have not been disclosed, although Thomas says it’s a small group with only…
McDonald’s remodel slated for South Grand location – Building permit roundup
The McDonald’s restaurant at 501 South Grand Ave. West is slated for a major remodel beginning this month. Steve Jeffers, owner of Jeffers Enterprises and operator of several McDonald’s locations in Springfield, says the remodel is part of a nationwide “modernization” program for McDonald’s restaurants. Jeffers Enterprises obtained permits this week to remodel the South…
Springfield prepares to build Ash and Laurel underpasses
The City of Springfield is poised to accept a $14 million federal grant to help pay for new underpasses where Ash and Laurel streets cross the 10th Street rail corridor. The underpasses are the next phase of Springfield’s ongoing rail relocation project. At a Springfield City Council Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, the…
Redpath proposes new TIF to enable subdivision development
Ward 1 Ald. Chuck Redpath is proposing the creation of a new TIF district near Rochester to enable a subdivision development. The Springfield City Council Committee of the Whole voted on Tuesday to forward the proposed ordinance to the full city council for a vote. According to a proposed ordinance under consideration by the city…
City considers further change to large scale development oversight
The Springfield City Council is considering another change to its oversight of large scale developments, potentially specifying that certain multi-family residential projects and storage unit projects would be subject to review. In May, the council approved raising the project acreage which would trigger the review process. On Tuesday, the council’s Committee of the Whole forwarded…
Anheuser-Busch sues Chick Fritz in distribution dispute
BY MONICA STABILE Springfield business Robert ‘Chick’ Fritz Inc. is being sued by Anheuser-Busch for refusing to give up the right to distribute several European brands of beer. The federal lawsuit and a counterclaim by Chick Fritz question the application of a state law regulating beer distribution. Anheuser-Busch filed its complaint at the end of…
Medical cannabis industry sees room to grow
BY MONICA STABILE Employment in Illinois’ medical marijuana industry has more than doubled in one year, resulting in millions of dollars in annual economic output for the state. One industry group says the program is capable of even more. The Illinois medical cannabis pilot program has generated $147.8 million in annual economic activity, in addition…
Substitute medical marijuana for opioids, supporters say
BY MONICA STABILE Supporters of medical cannabis hope to expand the number of conditions currently covered under Illinois law to help reduce the number of people who overdose on opioid drugs. There were more fatalities in Illinois from opioid drug overdoses than from homicides or car accidents in 2014, according to the latest data from…
HSHS names new VP and chief physician executive
Hospital Sisters Health System announced this week the appointment of Dr. Kenneth Johnson as vice president and chief physician executive. Johnson currently serves as chief physician executive for HSHS Eastern Wisconsin Division. Mary Starmann-Harrison, president and CEO of HSHS, says Johnson will lead initiatives to improve quality, patient safety and clinical integration. “We look forward…
Springfield Clinic opens Jacksonville orthopedic clinic
Springfield Clinic opened a new orthopedic clinic in Jacksonville this month. Located at Passavant Area Hospital, the new Ortho 1st Clinic (O1C) employs orthopedic and sports medicine specialists to treat acute injuries to the musculoskeletal system. The clinic offers same-day appointments and local access to surgeons and sub-specialists from Springfield Clinic’s orthopedic group, include Jacksonville-based…
Kuhar moves to Wanless-Spengler
Springfield real estate broker James “Jim” Kuhar has moved to Wanless-Spengler Ltd. Kuhar previously worked at a Springfield office of KellerWilliams Realty established by a managing broker in Bloomington. Kuhar could not be reached for comment. Contact Patrick Yeagle at patrick@springfieldbusinessjournal.com.
Binny’s seeks zoning variance for 100-foot rule – Zoning roundup
Liquor retailer Binny’s Beverage Depot is opening a store in Springfield soon, but first it must obtain a variance from a Springfield zoning rule which prevents package liquor stores from locating in certain areas. The store would be located at 2490 Wabash Ave., in the 20,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Staples office supply store. It’s…
Dish Network ordered to pay $280m in fines over telemarketing practices in Illinois and three other states
TV provider Dish Network LLC was ordered to pay $280 million in fines this week in a federal lawsuit filed in Springfield. The lawsuit, filed in March 2009 by the attorneys general of Illinois and three other states, alleged that Dish Network violated federal law regarding telemarketing practices. In an order filed June 5, U.S.…
West Iles Business Center gets green light – Building permit roundup
WIBC, Inc. of Springfield is building a new retail center at 3240 W. Iles Ave. To be located west of Illini Bank on West Iles, the facility will be called the West Iles Business Center. A permit for the project was granted by the City of Springfield Building and Zoning division on June 2. Ben…
Krell appointed to assistant VP at Hickory Point Bank
Jenny Krell has been promoted to assistant vice president of retail banking at Hickory Point Bank in Springfield. Announced June 2, Krell’s promotion means she will continue to oversee the daily operations of the branch at 3131 Wabash Ave. “Jenny has proven to be a vital team member of the bank and will continue to…
ISO announces Ken Lam as next music director
Following a two-year search and try-outs by four renowned conductors, the Illinois Symphony Orchestra announced today that Ken Lam will be its new music director. Originally from Hong Kong, Lam left a career as an international corporate attorney to pursue his passion for music. He received unanimous support from ISO’s board of directors and search…
Rives to lead Sangamon Auditorium
Bryan Rives will lead Sangamon Auditorium at the University of Illinois Springfield as the venue’s next director. Rives is transitioning into the role as current director Robert Vaughn prepares to retire at the beginning of October. “I am excited to be returning to the great state of Illinois,” said Rives, who most recently served as…
Brandt to sponsor Lincoln Land Charity Championship
Lincoln Land Charity Championship announced a new sponsor last week, followed this week by an announcement of two golfers joining the event. The charity golf event in Springfield is part of the Web.com Tour of the PGA. On May 26, Lincoln Land Charity Championship announced Springfield-based agricultural chemical company Brandt Consolidated, Inc. as a sponsor.…
St. John’s to start ICU remodel – Building permit roundup
HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield is slated to begin a remodel of its intensive care unit. The hospital obtained a building permit from the City of Springfield Building and Zoning department last week for the $5.9-million project. O’Shea Builders of Springfield is the contractor. Details on when construction begins weren’t immediately available. Other projects…
La Fiesta to reopen in June
La Fiesta Mexican restaurant, 2830 Adlai Stevenson Dr., may reopen in June with a new owner and a new look. Omar Hernandez, who also owns Omar’s Latin Fusion Cuisine, purchased La Fiesta and temporarily closed it earlier this year. While the restaurant was closed, Hernandez renovated the building and revamped the menu to include more fresh…
HSHS to open clinic in Sherman
HSHS Medical Group is opening a new primary care clinic in Sherman. Melinda Clark, CEO of HSHS Medical Group, says the clinic will employ one physician and three other employees. Located at 2806 E. Andrews Road, the clinic will offer same-day appointments, laboratory work, chronic illness management and more. Clark says it’s a priority for…
Honei Chayil moves to Fourth St. downtown
Honei Chayil Salon has moved to 305 S. Fourth St. in Springfield’s downtown. Owner Heidi Dillon opened the shop two years ago at 312 E. Monroe St. and moved this month to take advantage of higher traffic and visibility. The space previously held genHkids. Dillon, who hails from Chicago’s south side, says she’s used to…
Los Agaves closes after nearly 14 years
Los Agaves Mexican Restaurant, 2466 Wabash Ave., closed last week after nearly 14 years. General manager Oscar Alvarado announced the closure on the restaurant’s Facebook page on May 27. Alvarado couldn’t be reached for further comment, but in the announcement of the closure, he noted the difficulty of keeping a restaurant open and thanked customers.…
New assisted living facility planned on Old Jack
A new assisted living facility is planned for Old Jacksonville Road in Springfield. Dover Development, LLC plans to build Cedarhurst of Springfield Assisted Living and Memory Care on Old Jacksonville Road, just west of Koke Mill Road. The $12 million facility is expected to be 65,000 square feet, with 73 units and an estimated 50…
Illinois Department of Corrections to build new office
The Illinois Department of Corrections plans to build a new office at its headquarters in Springfield. The cost of the project will be shared between IDOC and property owner Government Property Fund LLC. The Sangamon County Land Development & Subdivision Planning Committee is scheduled on June 8 to examine plans for a new building (PDF)…
Buffalo Wild Wings remodel and more – Building permit roundup
The Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant at 2808 N. Dirksen Parkway in Springfield is being remodeled, following the remodel of the company’s other location at 4420 Wabash Ave. earlier this year. Wingmen V, LLC, which owns Buffalo Wild Wings, obtained a permit in April to remodel the Dirksen location. The remodel is valued at $397,008. The…
Wal-Mart remodeling three Springfield locations
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is remodeling its three Springfield locations and has already completed some of the work. The company obtained a building permit on May 15 from the City of Springfield to update the store at 2760 N. Dirksen Parkway. Wal-Mart previously obtained a building permit in April for its store at 1100 LeJune Drive…
