Chris Stone opening new dispensary in Southern View
By David Blanchette Springfield resident and cannabis entrepreneur Chris Stone is opening Share, a new cannabis dispensary on South Sixth Street Frontage Road just north of the I-55 interchange in Southern View. The building was most recently occupied by Magnolia Lane Home Décor and More, which relocated to The Yard Shopping Center on Wabash Avenue…
Employers invited to participate in Art After Hours
The Springfield Area Arts Council has announced a new chapter in its On My Own Time program in 2023. To mark the 25th anniversary of this biennial visual arts program and to clarify its purpose, the Arts Council is renaming it Art After Hours. The program gives employees of participating businesses, government agencies and medical…
Building permits – July 10 – July 16
Dirksen Parkway Ventures LLC % Sikich LLP received a commercial permit for 3128 S. Dirksen Parkway. Contractor is Joyner Construction Services and the project is valued at $990,000. Henson Robinson Co. received a commercial remodel permit for 1100 Lincolnshire Blvd. Contractor is SM Wilson & Co. and the project is valued at $501,000. T and…
Big Sharks Fish and Chicken opening in Springfield July 17
Big Sharks Fish and Chicken is opening a Springfield location on Monday, July 17. Owner Sajed Qattoum has extensively remodeled the space at 330 South Grand Ave., which most recently housed Audi’s Café & Gaming. Owner Audrey Austin operated her own restaurant for nearly a year after parting ways with her business partner, Necole “Nickey”…
Applications for Isringhausen DRIVE Grant now open for businesses to locate downtown
The Isringhausen DRIVE Grant will launch a second round of applications to support and nurture new businesses in the downtown area. This grant is part of Isringhausen’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth within our community. The Isringhausen DRIVE Grant provides financial support to entrepreneurs looking to establish new businesses in the downtown…
Complimentary webinar offers tips on actively listening in the workplace
Express Employment Professionals, in partnership with Frontline Training Solutions, is offering a complimentary webinar, “Listen with Purpose,” on July 19 at 11 a.m. Listening well in the workplace is a critical skill that can have a profound impact on the overall dynamics and success of a team. When leaders and team members actively engage in…
Henson Robinson Co. acquiring Reliable Mechanical Corporation
Henson Robinson Company has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Reliable Mechanical Company, a commercial and residential HVAC and plumbing contractor based in Champaign, Illinois. “This merger provides us a strong foundation to grow and expand our market presence in Champaign and surrounding areas beyond just our roofing trade and continue to scale…
Crumbl Cookies opening Springfield location
Crumbl Cookies is coming to Springfield. The bakery with a devoted following has opened more than 800 locations in the U.S. and Canada since the first store launched in Utah in 2017. Springfield franchisees Matt and Angie Hanzel also operate two locations in Peoria. The couple moved to Peoria two years ago from Utah to…
Building permits – July 3 – July 9
JJ4 Properties LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2 S. Old State Capitol Plaza. Contractor is Bloom Springfield LLC and the project is valued at $4,000. White Oaks Plaza LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 2601 S. Veterans Parkway. Contractor is Tower Commercial Construction and the project is valued at $700,000. Nesbitt Enterprises…
Quencie Thomas: From Springfield to Hollywood
By Holly A. Whisler Quencie Thomas, a celebrity interviewer and founder of Studio Q media services, is a Springfield native who is making her dreams come true. Thomas describes herself as the loud kid in school who sang Whitney Houston songs, was self-driven and marched to the beat of her own drum. She later made…
Hot Pot & BBQ Buffet
By Thomas C. Pavlik, Jr. Chinese hot pot is more than just a meal, it’s an experience – and one that’s done nicely by Hot Pot & BBQ Buffet. Hot pot originated in the Mongolian Empire and started out as a simple broth bought to boil in a helmet into which a soldier added horsemeat…
Building permits – June 26 – July 2
U-Haul Company of Illinois received a commercial permit for 3641 S. 11th St. Contractor is Impact Strategies and the project is valued at $2.8 million. Solon LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3114 S. Sixth St. Contractor is J.C. Construction and the project is valued at $1,000. Bruce Clark received a commercial accessory structure…
HSHS welcomes two new leaders to executive team
Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS) has welcomed two new leaders to the executive team. Dr. Bonny Chen joins HSHS as the new chief health informatics officer, while Frank Rademacher is system vice president and chief information officer. Chen comes to HSHS from Ascension, where she most recently served as vice president and chief medical IS…
Nick Gentile joins Prairie State Bank
Nick Gentile has joined Prairie State Bank as vice president of commercial banking as of June 28. Most recently, Gentile was an assistant vice president and commercial lender at Town & Country Bank, now Heartland Bank and Trust Company. He also spent nearly five years at Busey. Gentile is the founder and co-president of RISE…
John O’Riordan purchases Brewhaus
Brewhaus, the iconic downtown watering hole, has a new owner. John O’Riordan, who also owns Celtic Mist, a nearby Irish-themed bar, confirmed that he has purchased the business at 617 E. Washington Ave. and temporarily closed it for renovations. “Basically, we’re freshening up everything. The bathrooms and flooring needed work. We’re also repairing the ceilings…
Building permits – June 19 – June 25
Shangri-la Springfield LLC received a commercial permit for 3126 S. Dirksen Parkway. Engineer/architect is the Martin Engineering Company and the project is valued at $123,000. SHP Properties LLC BMAC received a commercial remodel permit for 2144 S. MacArthur Blvd. Contractor is Matt Miner and the project is valued at $6,000. Mid-American Asset Management Inc. received…
Tapscott joins the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln
Sarah Tapscott has joined the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln as vice president of development. Her responsibilities include planning, directing and evaluating the Community Foundation’s fund development activities. “I am excited to start my journey here at the Community Foundation. I look forward to sharing the vison and mission of this wonderful organization…
LevelUp Seed & Garden Supply relocates to larger space
LevelUp Seed & Garden Supply opened a Springfield location less than a year ago, but is already relocating to a larger space. Steve and Ashley Epley originally opened a location in East Peoria two years ago before expanding to Springfield last August. Now, the business is moving from a strip center on Wabash Avenue to…
Eye Candy Boutique and Eye Candy Salon & Spa both shift business models
The mother-daughter duo behind Eye Candy Boutique and Eye Candy Salon & Spa both have changes in the works for their respective businesses. Alinda Hale has owned Eye Candy Boutique since 2015, and for the past five years she’s operated a retail location at 3001 W. White Oaks Dr. Her daughter, Tye Hale, opened Eye…
MJ’s Fish & Chicken Express will no longer offer carryout service
After a trial run of offering carryout orders on the weekends, MJ’s Fish & Chicken Express is shifting back to focusing solely on catering and special events. Owner Jerome Taylor opened a brick-and-mortar location at 711 E. Enos Ave. in 2017 after two years of operating MJ’s Fish & Chicken Express as a food truck…
Springfield Chamber announces Small Business Awards winners
The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce hosted its Annual Small Business Awards Luncheon on June 20 at the Crowne Plaza Springfield Convention Center. The event, presented by Hickory Point Bank, recognized four outstanding community entrepreneurs in the following categories: Not-for-Profit – Business Director of the Year recognizes an executive of a not-for-profit organization who has…
Building permits – June 12 – June 18
Douglas Combs % Lewis Memorial Christian Village received a commercial accessory structure permit for 3400 W. Washington St. Contractor is Shores Construction and the project is valued at $45,000. WRM Investments LLC received a commercial remodel permit for 3700 Wabash Ave. Contractor is Marriott Real Estate Services and the project is valued at $125,000. Mary,…
