A to Z Bargains has opened on North Grand Avenue East, selling new inventory from major retailers at a fraction of the cost. The liquidation store, which occupies the former Family Dollar building at 313 North Grand Ave. East, carries items from Target, Walmart, Lowe’s and Home Depot, plus online merchants such as Amazon and […]
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La Bamba closes, African restaurant to take its place
Diners will no longer be able to get a burrito as big as their head, but a new restaurant is already in the works for the former La Bamba space. The Mexican restaurant at 1731 S. MacArthur Blvd. closed over Easter weekend, due to what owner Ramiro Aguas referred to as staffing issues with that […]
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Building permits April 10-April 16
ARG SPSPRIL001 LLC has obtained a commercial remodel permit for an interior build out at 3231 Veterans Parkway. The contractor is Doyle Construction Co. and the project is valued at $450,000. ILCARRICOSIX LLC has obtained a commercial remodel permit for an interior build out at 2427 Stevenson Dr., Suite D. The contractor is Schuster Construction […]
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Versona to close as of April 29
The Springfield Versona, an apparel, jewelry and accessories store, is closing as of April 29. A sign posted on the front of the store, located at 2841 S. Veterans Parkway in White Oaks Plaza, asks shoppers to patronize the Woodfield Mall store in Schaumburg instead. The Cato Corporation, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is a […]
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HAE’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe to open second location
HAE’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe hopes to have a second store open in time for the one-year anniversary of its first brick-and-mortar location in October. “This opportunity arose faster than we had expected; we just jumped on it and away we went,” said Chris Benad, who owns the business along with his wife, Amy. The […]
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Joel Oschwald joins First Bankers Trust Company as market president
Joel Oschwald has joined First Bankers Trust Company as market president in Springfield. First Bankers is a wholly-owned subsidiary of First Bankers Trustshares, Inc., headquartered in Quincy. In this role, Oschwald will be responsible for all staff, operations, growth and profitability of First Bankers in Springfield and the surrounding areas. He will office at the […]
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Traci M. Krause will serve as the next chancellor of St. John’s College of Nursing
Traci M. Krause will serve as the next chancellor of St. John’s College of Nursing in Springfield, beginning May 29. She replaces Dr. Charlene Aaron, who has served in that role since 2016. Krause has spent the last decade of her career within Minnesota State Agencies, most recently as the dean of the School of […]
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Building Permits April 3-April 9
Washington Prime Group has obtained a commercial remodel permit for 2765 S. Veterans Parkway for remodel of an existing Lenscrafters space. The contractor is Nextore and the project is valued at $110,000. Union Baptist Church has obtained a commercial roofing permit for 1405 E. Monroe St. The contractor is Sunley Roofing Inc. and the project […]
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Noonan True Value to shift from retail operations to rental business
A third-generation family-owned company is preparing to rebrand as Noonan True Value shifts from retail operations to focus primarily on its rental business. “We’ve been thinking about this for the last few years and working with a consultant,” said Matt Noonan IV. “What’s our growth? What’s our future look like?” Noonan said with home remodeling […]
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Ugly Restaurant & Bar, a Turkish grill, to open on Wabash Avenue
A new restaurant that is unique both because of its cuisine and its name is preparing to open in the former Dew Chilli Parlor space on Wabash Avenue. Owner Ersen Yildirin said his wife, Tuba Yildirin, came up with the name Ugly Restaurant & Bar for their Turkish grill at 2312 W. Wabash Ave. “My […]
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Building permits March 27-April 2
STEVE ZHAO received a commercial remodel permit for 1754 Wabash Ave., Suite B for an interior remodel. Contractor is Steve Zhao and the project is valued at $100,000. ADAM KOHLRUS received a commercial fence permit for 2805 W. White Oaks Dr. Contractor is Amco Fence and the project is valued at $5,000.
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Fact or fiction: Is Bob Evans on Stevenson Drive permanently closed?
Since March 25, posts on various social media sites have questioned why the Bob Evans at 3050 Stevenson Dr. is closed. Initially, a sign posted on the door indicated it was a temporary closure for maintenance and repairs. While there was speculation the closure may have been the result of an inspection the week prior […]