Liquor license dilemma
The Illinois Liquor Control Commission is overruling the decision of Rochester’s village president to deny a liquor license to a business owner who had recently evicted his son. Village President Joe Suerdieck said Nov. 27 he hasn’t decided yet whether to appeal the commission’s ruling. He declined to speak further on the matter. “I don’t…
Five Guys closes White Oaks Mall location
After more than a decade of operations in Springfield, Five Guys Burgers and Fries has closed its White Oaks Mall location. Signs reading: “Sorry, this location is now permanently closed” appeared in the windows at the 2501 Wabash Ave. store Nov. 28. Five Guys, a fast food chain with a limited menu specializing in hamburgers,…
SmallCakes Cupcakery & Creamery reopening Dec. 1
SmallCakes Cupcakery & Creamery is reopening Dec. 1 under new ownership. The bakery at 2300 Wabash Ave. opened in 2018 but closed at the end of October after the landlord, Joyner Real Estate, filed an eviction notice against the previous franchisee. “In the past, we had done some marketing for the business,” said new owner…
BOS Center one step closer to major expansion
A tourism improvement district that would finance a $100 million expansion of Springfield’s downtown convention center cleared a major hurdle recently, with the proposed district – and a future surcharge on room rates – receiving majority support from the city’s hotels. “It’s a big step,” said state Rep. Mike Coffey, R-Springfield, a downtown restaurant owner…
Building permits – Nov. 20-Nov. 26
Wilmarth Renewals LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 1818/1820 S. MacArthur Blvd. Contractor is Neil Wilmarth and the project is valued at $15,600. First Presbyterian Church received a commercial demolition permit for 621 E. Capitol Ave. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $200,000. Kashmir DST LLC Series 804 North Sixth…
Sgt. Pepper’s Café opening on West Jefferson
Sgt. Pepper’s Café is coming to West Jefferson Street, but it will be a slightly different venture from the current restaurant on the corner of Stevenson and Baker Drive and will have different ownership. “It will be the same name and concept, and probably the same menu for the most part, but definitely two different…
Matt Rutledge joins Hanson Professional Services
Matt Rutledge has joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s Springfield headquarters as a project manager. His initial focus will involve state college building updates, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects, state of Illinois facility projects and K–12 educational facility updates. Rutledge brings to Hanson over 12 years of experience as a project manager, most recently working…
HAE’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe opens on Wabash
HAE’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe has opened a second location at 3844 Wabash Ave., just over a year after launching its first brick-and-mortar store. The new store occupies the endcap space of the newly built Wabash Crossing Mall in front of the AMC Showplace 12 theater. Existing tenants include Better With Bubbli Boutique and Galaxy…
Sara Linn joins Central Illinois Security
Sara Linn has joined Central Illinois Security, Inc. (CIS) as an account executive for new and existing business development. Linn has two decades of customer service experience and most recently worked for AmeriCall Communications. She will focus on the eastern service area for CIS, including Champaign, Decatur and surrounding communities. Linn serves as a board…
Kayla Graven to join city of Springfield
Kayla Graven looks forward to broadening the focus of her economic development expertise to all of Springfield. Graven, 34, told Illinois Times that the “opportunity to grow as a professional” attracted her to Springfield city government after working since 2018 at Downtown Springfield Inc., where she has been the nonprofit organization’s executive director the past…
Compass for Kids to hold ribbon cutting for new office
Compass for Kids is holding a ribbon cutting and open house on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at noon to celebrate its new office space. Compass recently purchased a building at 1201 S. Fourth St. after experiencing significant growth and hiring several new staff members. “We had outgrown what Central Baptist Church could offer us; we’ve been…
Lawmakers pass bill aimed at modernizing professional licensing in Illinois
As Illinois faces shortages of health care practitioners and mental health professionals, the state agency in charge of licensing for those and more than 100 other industries has struggled to keep up. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has failed to meet its goals to speed up both initial licensing and renewals in…
Springfield Reprographics acquires Laser Innovations
Springfield Reprographics has acquired Laser Innovations as part of the company’s expansion of services. “This new purchase adds to what we are already doing in that line of business, plus one more item,” said Steve Wakefield, owner of Springfield Reprographics. He noted that both companies sell toners for office printers, but Laser Innovations also maintains…
Academy Sports + Outdoors and Sierra both opening Springfield stores
Two new national retailers are opening in Springfield this week, both focused on outdoor activities and sporting goods. Academy Sports + Outdoors has a grand opening scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 17, for the new location at 3211 S. Veterans Parkway. Academy Sports joins Old Navy in the Southwest Plaza III shopping center…
A child care crisis
A lack of affordable day care options is contributing to a workforce shortage in the Springfield area, contends Kayla Edwards, managing partner of Express Employment Professionals. “I don’t use the word ‘crisis’ lightly. But we are in a crisis right now when it comes to finding enough people to fill positions,” she said. Her firm,…
Blue Cross fined by state for third time in two years
A third fine in fewer than two years for Illinois’ largest health insurance company proves that stronger regulations are needed to prevent insurers from promoting “ghost networks” of providers, state Rep. Sue Scherer says. “The fines are not solving the problem,” Scherer, D-Decatur, said in response to the Illinois Department of Insurance’s $231,900 fine announced…
Innovate Springfield to create mentorship program for high school students
Innovate Springfield, the University of Illinois Springfield’s downtown business incubator, is partnering with the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) to create a professional mentorship matching program for high school students in the Sangamon CEO program. The students will be paired with innovative leaders to work on student-driven business startup ideas. “We hope that these…
Building permits –Nov. 6-Nov. 12
HMN Properties LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 618 E. Washington St. Contractor is Evans Construction Co. and the project is valued at $1.35 million. Illinois Hospital Association received a commercial remodel permit for 700 S. Second St. No contractor listed. Project is valued at 10,000. Ginobon I LLC received a commercial remodel permit…
European Wax Center opens in Springfield
European Wax Center is coming to Springfield. The location at 4423 Yucan Dr. in Cobblestone Plaza is holding a soft opening on Thursday, Nov. 9, according to manager Sydney Beach. The company, based in Plano, Texas, has nearly 900 locations throughout the U.S. While there are numerous European Wax Center sites in the Chicago area,…
Compass for Kids moves into new office, hires Christy Freeman Stark
After experiencing significant growth, Compass for Kids has moved into its own office space with the purchase of a building at 1201 S. Fourth St. The nonprofit has also hired Christy Freeman Stark as director of marketing, a full-time position shared with Kidzeum of Health and Science. “We had outgrown what Central Baptist Church could…
217 Italian Week happening Nov. 6-12
Enjoy the new 217 Food Week, celebrating all things Italian, from Nov. 6-12. Sample featured dishes at Bella Milano, Curve Inn, Legacy Pointe Eatery, Main Gate Bar & Grill and Razzo’s Family Pizzeria. This food week allows restaurants the opportunity to set their own dish price, which range from $9-$14. Some locations offer to-go orders,…
Building permits – Oct. 30-Nov. 5
Sangamon North LLC % SLK Global Solutions America received a commercial remodel permit for 1897 Sangamon Ave. Contractor is Asfar Hasan and the project is valued at $80,000. First Presbyterian Church received a commercial permit for 621 E. Capitol Ave. Contractor is O’Shea Builders and the project is valued at $5 million. MacArthur Blvd Plaza…
Illinois has some success in attracting manufacturing
I told you back in January that if Gov. JB Pritzker managed to help convince Stellantis to reopen the Belvidere auto assembly plant and even expand, “he’ll have overcome some gargantuan hurdles.” Credit where credit is due. Pritzker helped the United Auto Workers Union and the White House put together a deal with Stellantis to…
The Railyard opens
The Railyard, an outdoor food venue based around shipping containers, opened Nov. 3, two years after plans were announced to bring the unique concept to Springfield. The property at 2442 S. Sixth St. is just north of the newly constructed overpass on South Sixth Street, part of the Springfield Rail Improvements Projects. Four shipping containers…
Cannabis business grant recipients push back on audit claims
Some recipients of business grants funded with a portion of Springfield’s share of sales taxes on adult-use cannabis are upset their businesses were mentioned in an independent audit critical of the new program. Meanwhile, city officials are considering changes to the program in coming months to create a more consistent system for disbursing and monitoring…
Mercury opens office in downtown Springfield
Mercury, a global, bipartisan public strategy firm, is opening an office in downtown Springfield at 235 S. Sixth St. The office at the northwest corner of Sixth and Monroe streets is the second Illinois location for the firm, which recently opened a Chicago branch office. Former Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, who was born and raised in…
New Hyundai dealership to open Nov. 1
Green Family Stores will open the doors of its new Hyundai dealership Nov. 1. The 30,000-square-foot facility at 601 W. Stanford Ave. broke ground in May 2022. The new store is intended to be more centrally located, while the current Hyundai facility at 1200 S. Dirksen Parkway will remain open as a dealership for used…
Bloom Wine Bar & Florals opening downtown Nov. 18
Bloom Wine Bar & Florals will be opening Nov. 18 at 2 S. Old State Capitol Plaza offering wine, craft cocktails and beer along with floral services and a space for private events. Brittney Robinson, Hannah Goss and Caitlin Becker are the three ladies behind the new venture. “We became friends eight or nine…
Perspectives Art Gallery to open in Petersburg
Perspectives Art Gallery, a fine art gallery space that features both local and national artists, opens its doors Nov. 11 in Petersburg. Located on the eastern side of the town square at 112 S. Sixth St., Perspectives Art Gallery will showcase an eclectic mix of talent, featuring the works of nationally and locally-renowned artists including…
Springfield Clinic to open new laboratory building
Springfield Clinic’s downtown drive-up lab is relocating to a new facility at 1351 S. Eighth St. starting Monday, Oct. 30, at 7 a.m. The drive-up lab’s current location will close on Friday, Oct. 27, at noon and remain closed Saturday to facilitate the move to the new location. The new 25,000-square-foot medical laboratory is on…
Building permits – Oct. 23 – Oct. 29
Rehan Properties LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 710 South Grand Ave. E. Contractor is Gustavo Sanchez and the project is valued at $100,000. Illinois Retail Stores LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3071 Wabash Ave. Contractor is Jessica Simon and the project is valued at $1.7 million. William T. and Lori A.…
Investing for a different kind of dividend
Springfield-area financial service organizations make wise investments in our community with both dollars and time volunteered to help change lives. National investment and wealth management organizations, such as Edward Jones and Morgan Stanley, have large corporate impact goals which can mean millions of dollars distributed to nonprofits nationwide. Edward Jones, for example, focuses philanthropic giving…
Busy business owners still need to plan
As most anyone reading this article can attest, business owners are very busy people. This is why the shoemaker’s children go barefoot. As a result, business owners often suffer from a variety of gaps in their overall planning construct. Here are a few planning topics business owners should consider: Asset protection planning Financial, tax and…
Springfield Clinic opens new pediatrics center
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…
Simmons Cancer Institute seeks volunteers
For a patient undergoing cancer care, a friendly greeting can make all the difference in their day. SIU Medicine’s team of surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, genetic counselors, therapists, nurses and medical staff are seeking volunteers for an important role at Simmons Cancer Institute (SCI). They would like to have more friendly faces at the front desk…
Organizational change and leaky basements
About 13 years ago our family made the decision to move back to the Springfield area, my husband’s hometown. We bought a 1974-fixer-upper on Lake Petersburg. We knew when we bought it that it hadn’t been updated in years, but it had good bones and we could see a vision for its potential – flowing…
Q&A with Steven Koch
After 36 years of helping clients plan for their financial goals and prepare for retirement, Steve Koch made a transition of his own last year when he sold his financial planning practice, Koch, Sylvia and Associates, to a longtime business partner. Koch is also known for his extensive community involvement, and says he plans to…
Bus Gates: A local business with a global reach
An estimated 43 million drivers in the United States will illegally pass stopped school buses this year, according to the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services. In fact, the association’s latest survey during the 2022-2023 school year reported that nearly 62,500 vehicles illegally passed stopped school buses during a single measurement day.…
Higher interest rates and fewer deposits
Inflation is the name of the game in 2023, with higher prices for consumers and the Federal Reserve continuing to increase interest rates in hopes of countering rising costs. “In order to get inflation under wraps, the need to increase interest rates has become problematic,” said Joel Oschwald, market president at First Bankers Trust Company.…
Building permits –Nov. 13-Nov. 19
Arena Food Service Inc. received a commercial remodel permit for 3086 Normandy Road. Contractor is Siciliano, Inc., and the project is valued at $100,000. 629 East LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 631 E. Adams St. Contractor is Siciliano, Inc. and the project is valued at $184,000. 427 E. Monroe LLC received a commercial…
Going cashless is costing small businesses
Think about the last time you bought a drink at your local coffee shop – how did you pay? Did you hesitate before pulling out your debit card? Or, maybe you used your smartphone’s mobile wallet to quickly tap and go. Whatever the case, the odds aren’t high you paid with cash. The digitalization of…
Generational wealth: How to build a legacy
It’s being called the great wealth transfer – the amount of generational wealth being passed from the baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, to the millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996. According to a 2022 study conducted by Cerulli Associates, a research firm that provides data for the financial services industry, $84.4…
Mandatory retirement plans and more
The state of Illinois employs more than 76,000 people, the governor’s office has 157 staff members and every senator and representative has several staff members. I assume most of these people have no idea what it is like to run a small business, but they love to pile on the requirements for those of you…
Ginna’s Cafe
I’ve been to SCHEELS, and knew that somewhere in the back of my mind the store served soda, coffee and fudge. What I didn’t know is that Ginna’s Café & Coffee at SCHEELS offers a full menu. Indeed, I visited Ginna’s Café & Coffee with a group of friends that goes out for chili once…
