Indoor theme park under construction at White Oaks Mall
Malibu Jack’s, an indoor theme park, is under construction in the west wing at White Oaks Mall. The last long-standing tenant in that space, Bergner’s, closed its doors in August 2018. Bergner’s had been an anchor store at White Oaks Mall since 1978. In December, Indoor Theme Park Builders LLC obtained a commercial remodeling permit…
Medics First to hold open house, Chamber on Tap, at former Shop ‘n’ Save building
An open house will be held at the former Shop ‘n’ Save building on North Grand on Thursday, March 23, beginning at 4 p.m. A ribbon cutting for Medics First of Springfield will take place at 4:20, followed by a Chamber on Tap networking event from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Redevelopment of the former grocery store at…
Local First to hold networking event at Carrollton Bank on March 30
Join Local First Springfield for a happy hour and networking at Carrollton Bank on Thursday, March 30, from 5-7 p.m. Enjoy complimentary appetizers from Cured Catering along with beer, wine and soft drinks, and tour the newly remodeled and expanded offices at 2135 Wabash Ave. There is no cost to attend, but please submit an…
Late-night coffee shop and dry bar The Wakery will open April 1
The Wakery, a late-night coffee shop and dry bar, will open in downtown Springfield on Saturday, April 1. A ribbon cutting will be held at 4 p.m. Owner Elizabeth Wake said, “The back bar is completely built, we’re just getting the furniture put in and everything cleaned up and ready to go – we’re down…
Building permits – March 6-March 12
Building permits – March 6-March 12 National City Bank received a commercial remodel permit for 3019 Chatham Road. Contractor is Champaign Asphalt and the project is valued at $70,000. Julius L. Simmons received a commercial remodel permit for 609 Princeton Ave. Contractor is Julius L. Simmons Sr. and the project is valued at $25,000. Knight’s…
Dabble Springfield, a do-it-yourself arts and crafts studio, opens on North Grand
Dabble Springfield, a do-it-yourself arts and crafts studio, has brought a new concept to the capital city. Sisters Ashley Striplin and Amanda Terry launched their new business venture on March 3 with a location at 616 North Grand Ave. East. “My sister was the one who came up with the idea,” said Striplin. “She lived…
Building permits – Feb. 27-March 5
Building permits – Feb. 27-March 5 Ash Grove Apartments LLC received a commercial building permit for 4500 Ash Grove Drive. Contractor is Joyner Construction Services Inc. and the project is valued at $450,000. CHJSST I LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2451 Denver Drive. Contractor is XPR Corporation and the project is valued at…
Chamber Job Fair to be held on Wednesday, March 29
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce’s spring job fair will feature dozens of employers ready to hire qualified candidates. A list of the participating employers can be found on the Event Calendar for The Chamber at www.gscc.org. Whether you’re looking to advance within your current industry or start a new career, there are plenty of…
Amy Wolf to open Prompt Vet
Amy Wolf has operated her mobile veterinary service for more than a decade, but will soon add a brick-and-mortar location to focus on urgent care for cats and dogs. Her first business, Wolf Veterinary Services, launched in 2011. “I work out of my SUV, seeing dogs and cats in a home setting, mostly for wellness…
Café Fresca
By Thomas C. Pavlik I wouldn’t have known about Café Fresca but for my wife giving me a heads up that she had seen several positive reviews on Facebook for the place. Perhaps that’s because it doesn’t advertise much or because it’s located in the Bicentennial Building, occupied by the Illinois Department of Financial and…
Q&A Paula Ryan
By David Blanchette Photo by Elouise Photographie Paula Ryan is a Springfield native who graduated from Illinois State University with a degree in recreational therapy after originally starting out as an art major. Her interest in art and design has served her well, first working with her husband through his construction company, Ryan Homes and…
Best Places to Work 2023
Best Places to Work recognizes outstanding companies that are located in Sangamon or Morgan County. Companies are nominated by their employees for consideration and can be recognized in two categories: mid-sized (16-50 employees) or large (50 or more employees). After five years, a company is eligible to be recognized again in the alumni category. Read…
Building permits – Feb. 20-Feb. 26
Building permits – Feb. 20-Feb. 26 Don Curtis LLC received a commercial permit for 1601 S. Dirksen Parkway. Contractor is Capitol Builders Inc. and the project is valued at $485,000. Vegas Line Properties LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 215 S. Fifth St. Contractor is Cloyd Builders and the project is valued at $100,000.…
Major renovation project underway at Trustwell Living
Trustwell Living has begun an extensive remodel and renovation project at its 67-unit senior living community in Springfield. Trustwell Living acquired the property located at 2451 W. White Oaks Dr., which formerly operated as Bickford of Springfield, in May 2022. Trustwell Living is a senior living operating company based in New York City that was…
William “Bill” Bailey becomes CEO of Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc.
Engineering and consulting firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. has announced William “Bill” Bailey as the company’s CEO, effective as of the firm’s annual meeting of shareholders, which took place Feb. 25. Over the course of his 34-year career with CMT, Bailey has taken on diverse and progressively responsible roles, including chief structural engineer, continuous…
Women-owned Business Showcase to take place March 8
The Women Entrepreneurs of Central Illinois (WECI) will hold the third annual Women-owned Business Showcase on Wednesday, March 8, from 4:30-7 p.m. This event coincides with International Women’s Day, whose goal is to raise awareness about the struggles of women the world over and honor their achievements. The event, which is free and open to…
Walgreens to close store at Fifth Street and South Grand Avenue
Walgreens is closing its location at 1310 S. Fifth St. in Springfield as of March 29, according to a sign posted on the door. CVS closed its nearby store at 611 South Grand Ave. in February 2017. Closures for both drugstore chains increased in 2022. Walgreens had more than 8,800 stores as of October 2022,…
Give input on new master plan for Downtown Springfield and the Mid-Illinois Medical District
A group of community partners are collaborating on a new Master Plan for Downtown Springfield and the Mid-Illinois Medical District. The plan is intended to create a set of policies and programs that direct future growth and development. Additionally, the creation of a master plan can lead to strategies that will help guide community leaders as…
Taylor Brown joins Illinois Lieutenant Governor’s office
Taylor Brown began her new role as the communications manager in the office of the Illinois Lieutenant Governor’s on Feb. 16. She most recently worked as the marketing and communications digital coordinator at Springfield Clinic. Prior to that, she was with Neuhoff Communications for nearly 10 years in multiple roles, including on-air talent, promotions director…
Grab-A-Java opens third Springfield location
Springfield coffee shop Grab-A-Java has officially opened its third location at 300 Chatham Road. “We opened on Saturday and didn’t even tell anybody, because we wanted to work out any kinks,” said owner Bill Legge. “This was a new design, new layout, my first time building a new store. But we were very pleased; it…
Building permits – Feb. 13-Feb. 19
Buffalo Harbor LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2931 Montvale Drive. Contractor is Joyner Construction Services Inc. and the project is valued at $200,000. Ronda Brinkman received a commercial remodel permit for 5531 International Parkway. Contractor is Region Construction Group and the project is valued at $387,000.
Raising Cane’s hiring in anticipation of March 7 opening
Raising Cane’s, a fast-food restaurant specializing in chicken fingers, will be opening at 3100 W. White Oaks Dr. on Tuesday, March 7, a year after announcing a Springfield location as part of the company’s aggressive expansion plans. “We’re very excited to be planting such strong roots in Illinois,” Jason Zwerin, vice president of company restaurants,…
Building Permits – Jan. 23 – Jan. 29, 2023
Advanced Medical Transport of Springfield Inc. obtained a commercial remodel permit for 200 North Grand Ave. W. O’Shea Builders is the contractor and the project is valued at $2.1 million. MBR Springfield Downtown Property LLC obtained a commercial remodel permit for 560 W. Jefferson St. Contractor is Joyner Construction Services LLC and the project is…
