Archive for December, 2007
December 21st, 2007
In January U.S. consumers are expected to buy more than $61 million worth of anti-smoking and smoking alternative products — and more than $46 million in nutritional diet aids– said The Nielsen Company.
In both of these product categories, January ranks number-one in annual dollar sales for the entire year; sales of nutritional diet aids are expected to jump more than 91 percent compared to the previous 4 week period.
But as with any other New Year’s resolutions, consumers’ good intentions may prove short-lived. Last year, anti-smoking products declined steadily from more than $61 million in sales in January to $49 million in September. And after a high at nearly $47 million in January, sales of nutritional diet aids dropped more than 14 percent to $40 million in February, said the December report from global information and media firm The Nielsen Company.
December 14th, 2007
If designer inspired purses are your thing, a new store in Roscoe has them. Too Purse ‘N’ All, open since Dec. 1 at 5306 Williams Drive in Main Street Square, Roscoe, carries look-alike handbags that resemble brands such as Coach, Burberry, Brighton and Kate Spade.
Proprieter Phaedra Morgan said designer-lookalike purse parties are a big hit in the Rock River Valley area, and she saw a market for a store carrying such items. “This seemed like a lot of fun and a way to meet people in the community,” she said. She also plans to make the store available to reserve for anyone who wants to hold after-hours purse parties.
Morgan plans a grand opening celebration sometime in January. The 1,700-square-foot store is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except on Wednesdays when it is open until 7 p.m. Also it will be open Sundays from noon till 4 p.m. until Christmas.
December 13th, 2007
A new downtown Rockford bar called Bar 3 — with a planned focus on urban-style live music and dancing — has opened in the spot where the Surf Lounge strip club used to be.Â
It has been a quick turnaround. Dennis Clement, owner of the club and the building at 326 E. State St., Rockford, said he made the decision the night of Tues., Nov. 13 to close the Surf Lounge and reopen as a different sort of venue. Barely a week later, the night before Thanksgiving, he reopened the club as Bar 3, named after the 300 block of State Street where it is located.Â
In between, he said, “we spent 20 hours a day trying to make a difference in how the place looked.” That included changing interior colors from grey to a palette of magenta, burgundy, black and silver — and adding fabric treatments for a softer look. Outdoors, the old Surf Lounge sign is covered, and Clement plans to replace it with a new Bar 3 sign. Meanwhile there’s a Bar 3 logo in the window.
“What we’re gearing for, at least on the weekends, is a Chicago style dance club environment; a lot of the music they play in those clubs is techno and house music,” Clement said. For now, some music is supplied by disc jockeys, although Clement hopes soon to bring in some live music acts. And while the current menu consists of drinks and snacks, he hopes to add expanded food offerings. Bar 3 will be open from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
Why the change? Clement had long been aware of the negative perceptions associated with his former business in the midst of downtown revitalization efforts, he said this week. “Instead of being perceived as an anchor holding everyone back, why not jump on the bandwagon and do something more in line with where the town wants to go?”
December 12th, 2007
The first Del Taco Mexican-style restaurant to open in Illinois — on the hot Illinois 173 retail corridor in Machesney Park — has closed after only about a year in business.
Machesney Park village president Linda Vaughn confirmed Wednesday that the 24-hour Del Taco eatery, opened in late 2006 by franchisee Phil DiGiovanni of Roscoe, had closed. DiGiovanni declined to comment Wednesday concerning when the restaurant had closed or why.
The 2,800-square-foot Del Taco, at 1555 W. Lane Road between Alpine and Forest Hills Roads, was one of more than 499 locations in 14 states, according to the chain’s Web site. In 2006, just before the Machesney Park restaurant opened, the Rockford Register Star reported that Del Taco was considered the number-two Mexican-style food chain behind Taco Bell.
DiGiovanni also owns DiGiovanni’s Ristorante in Roscoe, at 4866 Bluestern Road.
December 11th, 2007
A Bed Bath & Beyond store is slated for February 2008 at Machesney Crossing, the shopping center being developed by First Rockford Group at the southeast corner of Illinois 251 and Illinois 173 in Machesney Park.Â
The Winnebago County Building Dept. issued a $700,000 construction permit for “Bed, Bath & Beyond Tenant Buildout” on Nov. 9 to First Rockford Group. “Construction is well along” on the 24,000-square-foot space, said Marc Strauss, First Rockford Group general counsel. “We still have some landlord work that needs to be done before they stock the store.”
While the scope of “landlord work” is different for every job, it can include construction of such features as concrete floor and perimeter walls; washrooms; and even slatboard, the boards to which brackets are attached to hold up shelving.
Bed Bath & Beyond is a domestics and home furnishings retailer with more than 800 stores, including a store in Rockford in Forest Plaza at 6309 E. State St. Machesney Crossing already has Famous Footwear, OfficeMax and maurices stores in its main building. Off-price retailer T.J. Maxx also is planning a store in the complex.
December 10th, 2007
Fiesta Cancun just opened its newest location today, at 631 Highgrove Place in Perryville Commons, near Perryville Road just south of East State Street. The new restaurant is the fifth Fiesta Cancun traditional Mexican restaurant owned by Mario Lopez and Jose Rosalio, both of Rockford. Feista Cancun also has a restaurant at 1508 E. Riverside Blvd. in Loves Park; at 1645 S. West Ave. in Freeport; and in Monroe and Platteville, Wis.
The new Rockford restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
December 5th, 2007
One of your most important holiday gift shopping strategies could be researching the store’s return policy, says the Better Business Bureau. Some study tips:
* Most stores have a return policy. But while some offer full refunds, others only give store credit or exchanges. Make sure you know who offers what.
* Always ask for a gift receipt and enclose it with the present — or at least, leave the price tag on with the price cut off.
* With on-sale and clearance items, return policies may be different than for full-priced items. Check before buying.
* Don’t take electronics out of their boxes before wrapping. Original packaging may be required for a return. And some merchants charge a restocking or “open box” fee for returns of such items.
* Pay attention to differences in return policies when you’re shopping online, from catalogs or in a bricks-and-mortar store. If ordered merchandise can’t be returned at a store, you may be charged a shipping fee for returns.
* Returns of some personal items such as intimate apparel and hats may be prohibited by health regulations.
* Make sure you know what the time limit is on returns. Many stores only offer a limited time frame from the date of purchase.
December 4th, 2007
Natalie Leal’s new business serves both of the above. Ray’s Flower’s and Gifts, at 1016 Ralston Road, Machesney Park, carries fresh flowers, plants, and gifts — including the “cakes.”
The “diaper cakes” — with the “cake” part made of diapers and the decor of washcloths, t-shirts and bottles — are sold as baby gifts. The “towel cakes” — made of, you guessed it, towels — are for wedding or anniversary gifts. They’re modeled on 12-inch bases like real layer cakes, said Leal, and can be custom made in the couple’s colors or with their registered gift towels.
Leal just moved to the Rock River Valley a year ago from Wyoming, and opened her shop in October. This is her first time owning a flower shop, but she comes by it honestly: Her mother was a florist and her dad Ray was the “green thumb lawn guy.’ Ray passed away two years ago, and Leal named her new business in his honor. Â
December 3rd, 2007
Christmas shopping for toys, children’s furniture or clothing — and concerned you may have missed some toy recall information? Wonder if you still have some recalled toys floating around at home — or over the river and through the woods at grandma’s? The Illinois Attorney General’s office has released a 2007 Safe Shopping Guide to help parents and shoppers keep track.
The 91-page guide lists recalled products by name and manufacturer, with color photos. It also outlines the products’ unsafe features and recall dates.  You can see it online here. Or, request a hard copy through snail-mail, by calling the Attorney General’s Recall Hotline at 1-888-414-7678.
You can even sign up here for future e-mail notifications on recalls.
