The store is owned by Shorewood couple Stephanie and Evan Ott and is in the space that formerly housed Happenstance Goods.

After investing many years into their Supervised Agricultural Experiences projects, two Illinois FFA members were named top in the nation as American Star winners. Nevin Erbsen from the Eastland FFA Chapter in Carroll County is one of the honorees.

With snowy season on the horizon, the city of St. Charles is expanding the boundaries of its downtown snow and ice removal district. The district was created to ensure both community members and visitors can enjoy the downtown freely without any safety concerns.

Alongside many small businesses open this Saturday, a few vendor and artist fairs will kick off the holiday season in the spirit of shopping local.

Buried in the bill that ended the federal government shutdown this month was a provision to ban those drinks, along with other impairing beverages and snacks made from hemp

The event begins each year with the OSF Saint Katharine Medical Center tree lighting, and features free photos with Santa at Santa’s Village, horse-drawn wagon rides, carolers, and the Dixon Municipal Band.

Sponsored by the Sterling Municipal Band, TubaChristmas will take place Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at The Mercantile in downtown Sterling. The event is open to euphonium, baritone, tuba, and sousaphone players...only low brass to celebrate the season.

The 2025 Goose Island - Bourbon County Brand Stout Release Party will be held Friday at Craft’d Plainfield.

In addition to supporting local businesses, shoppers have the opportunity to win an artisan gift basket. Simply stop at the Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce.

Lustig Jewelers—a family-owned jewelry store founded in 1949 by Ted Lustig—is continuing that story under the leadership of Michael Helfer, the third generation to carry forward a family tradition rooted in diamonds and fine craftsmanship.

St. Charles Collision Experts is one step closer to expanding its auto body shop after the city approved its designs on a site in the Legacy Business Center in St. Charles.

The 27th annual Light Up the Holidays Festival in downtown Joliet will be held from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

It was a large learning curve in her first year at the executive director of the Kankakee Development Corporation, but Nina Piolatto is set for year two.

The city of Sterling is hosting an outdoor Christmas decorating contest. Entry dates are Nov. 15 to Dec. 6, 2025.

Feathered gobblers are much more than the center of customers’ holiday meals for Renee Koster and her family at Windsweep Farm in Lee County.

Lane Welch - Thrivent Financial recently moved her office to the second floor of Main Street Market at 317 E. Main St., Streator.

The Boatyard Bar & Bistro, 1130 N. 27th Road, Ottawa, closed for the season.

The Rainbow Council serves youth and volunteers in Kankakee, Will, and Grundy counties. The store will operate with extended Saturday hours until it permanently closes on Dec. 15.

It’s a long-held tradition for children to visit Santa to tell jolly old St. Nick what they want for Christmas.

Hey Sweetie, a candy and ice cream store in downtown Ottawa will soon close its doors.

What will start with a great day of supporting local small businesses on Shop Small Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, will continue into December this year, as Discover Dixon’s Support Local promotion offers shoppers a chance to win prizes totaling $750.

The Grundy Economic Development Commission led a group of local business leaders, politicians and educators on a tour of the Procter & Gamble Greater Chicago Fulfilment Center at 222 Airport Road in Morris on Thursday.

The city of Rock Falls is excited to kick off the sixth annual holiday light display Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, at Centennial Park.

U.S. consumers were much less confident in the economy in November in the aftermath of the government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation

A ribboncutting ceremony was held Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, for Royal Arcade, a new arcade space inside local ice cream shop Roiel Scoop at 316 N. Sixth St.

The Ottawa Downtown Association was honored with the 2025 Lt. Governor’s Award for Excellence in Revitalization at the Illinois Main Street Awards Banquet.

Come visit Santa and Mrs. Claus at Old Settlers Cabin from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, at 115 Lincoln Statue Drive in Dixon.

The owners of Lena's Social Club in Dixon say the business has been operating at a loss since opening in March and they have decided to close and sell it.

The new Portillo's restaurant, located at the corner of 135th Street and Illinois Route 59 in Plainfield, is drive-thru only. Other pick up only locations are in Joliet, Rosemont and Orland Park.

Established in 2015, Blue Margaritas specializes in serving traditional Mexican dishes inspired by the cuisine of different parts of Mexico, according to its website. 

Column: Before you dive into the big-box Black Friday frenzy, we invite you to slow down just a bit, savor the season, and support the small businesses that make Batavia feel like home, writes Shirley Mott of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce.

With wood-fired gourmet pizzas, sharable Italian-style tapas plates, and plentiful pastas, Fire + Wine looks to bring an upscale-casual atmosphere to St. Charles. The restaurant is expected to open in January.

Lena's Social Club in Dixon ceased operations in November 2025 after the owners cited a lack of money.

Zaxbys has purchased the former Slim Chickens restaurant at Illinois Route 59 and 135th Street, village officials announced on Monday. It would be the first Zaxbys restaurant in Illinois.

General Laboratory Products, Inc. manufactures more than 1,000 products on-site. The current setback standard in the city is 25 feet. The owners want a five-foot setback.

Citgo Innovation Academies are STEM-focused educational programs to build a K-12 pipeline of future innovators in communities near Citgo’s operational areas.

The bakery will open inside the Walmart at 420 N. Weber Road in Romeoville.

Fine dining is not often associated with Momence, but that is about to change as a new upscale restaurant is nearing completion in this eastern Kankakee County city.

The Grundy Economic Development Council hosted a bus tour on Thursday, starting with showing off the new facilities and discussing coming improvements to the Morris Municipal Airport.

Downtown Sycamore came alive Friday night during Moonlight Magic where storefronts hosted local arts, theater and dance groups performing holiday themed programs.

Jalen Davis, 18 of Joliet, has been charged with three counts of burglary, possession of burglary tools, criminal damage to property and obstructing identification.

TCBY, which stands for The Country’s Best Yogurt, has hundreds of stores across the country. Samad Khan and his wife Ankita Patel in September became the franchise owners of the Oswego store.

RMY Homemade Goods Natural Skin Care celebrated it's grand opening with a ribbon-cutting with Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce ambassadors on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025 downtown Peru. The store features Handcrafted Beauty Rooted in Faith and Passion brings a fresh approach to beauty and wellness. RMY Homemade Goods is located at at 1822 4th Street, in Peru. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 9a.m.-7p.m. Saturday’s from noon-5p.m. closed on Monday’s and Sundays. To learn more, follow @rmyhomemadegoods on social media or email rmyhomemadegoods@gmail.com for product inquiries and updates. 

The pop-up art sale which will be held this Friday, Nov. 21 from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Brightmore Physical Therapy, 1240 Essington Road, Joliet.

Also Thursday, the Labor Department said in a separate report that U.S. employers added a surprisingly solid 119,000 jobs in September. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4%

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 12 at any Oswego fire station. Additional Toys for Tots drop boxes are located across the Oswego area.

Whether it will be built on a site under construction on U.S. Route 34 and Kendall Point Drive is not entirely clear. In February, village trustees unanimously approved plans for a 12,500-square-foot grocery store.

The St. Charles Business Alliance this week honored three local businesses with long legacies in the community, including The Bike Rack, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Ashley Speed began he career at Grundy Bank in May 2008.

The Wheaton City Council has rejected a plan to turn a former hardware store into a co-working space