Eyes on Enterprise

The Route 34 Drive-In in Earlville opens this weekend. 

Don Henderson has been cutting hair since President Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office, and has operated a Sycamore barbershop since “Star Wars” premiered in theaters. But that’s all set to change.

If the warm weather isn’t enough to make you feel like summer is near, maybe ice cream will help. Tones Cones, 523 W. Main St., Ottawa, opens Saturday for the season serving soft serve ice cream. 

Aura Honey Studio, a Cortland-based beauty salon is poised to expand into an adjoining retail business space after the owner experienced success following the loss of her parents.

The Illinois Valley Food and Deli in La Salle closed permanently Wednesday, according to a store announcement.

True Leaves Bookshop in Princeton will be celebrating Independent Bookstore Day – a nationwide event honoring the magic of indie bookstores and the communities that support them – from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 26.

Johnny’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream in Marseilles opens Friday for the season.

Tio’s Donuts in Joliet will officially open Thursday with a ribbon cutting.

Shay’s Hair Studio recently opened at 1110 Peoria St., Peru.

The longtime location of Goetsch’s Fresh Fruits & Veggies Farm Stand is for sale putting the farm stand’s future in jeopardy.

The Gamers Guild Lounge, 104 N. Main St., Princeton, offers tabletop gaming, video gaming and virtual reality games.

Wanting to prevent continued economic malaise in the downtown business area, Wauconda officials have authorized the acquisition — one way or another — of the former Bulldogs restaurant.

Akima Beauty salon and spa is now open in downtown Joliet

Abby Meeks, Austin Day and Joya Katner were recently promoted to shift leaders at Culver’s of Dixon.

Mercedes-Benz is opening a new dealership at 541 S. Weber Road, in Roemeoville.

A Wauconda developer has pulled plans to build an eight-building storage unit facility in Sleepy Hollow following a no vote from the village’s planning and zoning commission.

The Joliet City Center Partnership and 11 downtown businesses are celebrating the 1980s on May 3.

Woodstock's Old Courthouse, owned by the city, has seen mixed success in keeping shops there, so city officials have "adjusted our approach," to finding tenants, Mayor Mike Turner said.

Sugarbakers serves more than 60 cocktails and over 20 martinis, along with 60 different wines, and just as many bourbons, by the bottle, glass or flight.

Jitters coffee shop in downtown Joliet is now serving a beverage that pays homage to Joliet Central High School and its Steelmen mascot.

Terrabis, a multi-state cannabis operator with a Dixon location, has announced the launch of its high-potency flower in the Illinois market.

The MCC Sustainability Center and the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County host the county's first Repair Fair with a focus on sustainability and community connections.

Nellie Roberts Curiosity Shop, 625 N. Main St., Princeton, recently opened a new antique mall, joining other area antique and collectable stores in the city.

Crystal Lake-based Schafer Brothers Remodeling announced it has received the 2025 “Best in Houzz” Award in Service recognition.

A two-story office building off Route 14 in Cary could be turned into a 12-unit studio and one-bedroom apartment building in the next few years.

Located at 3512 E. Lincolnway in Sterling, Boots and Boujee Boutique offers one-of-a-kind “boho, new-vibe” inspired shirts, jeans, boots, hats, lingerie, jackets and jewelry.

Blissful Branch in Kewanee opened a second location in Sheffield, 113 S. Main St.

The Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce honored members and businesses at its annual dinner Friday night.

Jiffy Lube has opened a new location at 682 E, Lincoln Hwy. in New Lenox.

Hamilton Loft in Lockport is available for public and private events, workshops, brand pop-ups, photos shoots and meetings.

A DeKalb panel is preliminarily backing plans to rezone a Grove Street building that once housed a motorbike seller, in hopes of helping the building’s owner market the vacant space for new business.

White Fence Farm has added three new food items to its carryout menu at its four locations.

Lake in the Hills is trying to help some of the businesses that will be hit by the Randall Road construction.

3 Rivers Cafe in Channahon is a modern breakfast and lunch restaurant with “liquor options."

Wing Snob, a nationally branded wing restaurant, will be opening a location in Romeoville along Weber Road this summmer.

After less than a year in operation, the Illinois Food and Deli in La Salle will close Wednesday, April 30, the company said Thursday on its Facebook page.

The Crystal Lake Chamber Foundation has announced plans for the 12th anniversary of its GEM Leadership Celebration and this year’s GEM award honorees.

This is the last week for women’s boutique Bromley & Brown, 308 E. Main St., Streator. 

The owners of the staple downtown Crystal Lake retail store The Clothes Gallery are celebrating 30 years of business this week with a celebration party on Saturday.

A sign proclaiming, “Coming soon – The Pancake House" hangs off the fence near its new home at 3147 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

The owners of The Dirty Bird 815, a staple Sycamore fried chicken restaurant, will soon open up a new food venture in the city’s downtown area.

The Big Dipper, 1901 S. Bloomington St., in South Streator is scheduled to open Thursday, April 10, for the season.

Matthew Hicks, who also teaches building trades at the Whiteside Area Career Center and owns a construction business, built the 13-hole course. It will have a grand opening Saturday, April 12.

The Milk Moustache in downtown Princeton is for sale. The business will remain open while a buyer is sought.

Developers are looking to construct an age-restricted apartment building in Crystal Lake with the aim to be more affordable compared to other units in the area.

Collective Wellness & Aesthetics opens Wednesday at 2222 Fourth St., Peru.

La Cocina De Irene, a food truck, recently opened a brick and mortar location in downtown Spring Valley, 219 East St. Paul St.

The Anderson family has been making chocolates at Anderson's Candy Shop for more than 100 years but a late Easter means more chocolate for customers

Scorched Earth Brewing Company in Algonquin will host its Sip Into Spring Makers Market Sunday.

La Colonia in Romeoville features handcrafted cocktails, along with an extensive menu that also includes a breakfast and a children’s menu.