Babies R Us, Toys R Us opening Friday

Add comment September 17th, 2008

The new Babies R Us and Toys R Us (dubbed the “R Superstore” by the company) is having its grand opening Friday. The 6449 E. State St. store is occupying the space once held by the Media Play store that closed last year. The new store is 64,000 square feet and is the first Toys/Babies R Us combo in the state. Several special events and activities are planned this weekend in commemoration of the store’s opening.

Tees & Tutus opens

Add comment September 5th, 2008

A new children’s clothing boutique, Tees & Tutus, has opened in the Edgebrook shopping center at North Alpine and Highcrest roads. Owner Kim Thiede said the store, located next to Egg Harbor Cafe, sells clothing and accessories for children sizes newborn through 10. It opened the week of Aug. 11.

You’ll have to look sharp to find the store, however - Thiede hasn’t put a marquee sign up yet. After a car hit one of the support pillars in front of Egg Harbor, she decided to hold off on signage until after repairs are made.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call 815-399-9110 for details.

Figli’s to reopen, retool

2 comments September 4th, 2008

Figli’s restaurant, 200 E. Riverside Blvd., closed this week for some retooling. New managers Joanne and Terry Carner are transforming the site to Northwoods Grill & Bar, which will retain some of the original bar atmosphere but also offer a setting conducive to sit-down dining.

Joanne Carner said the menu will include lots of fish entrees, plus steak, pork and lots of appetizers. The decor will be “outdoorsy,” inspired by the couple’s many trips to Wisconsin.

They’re planning a soft opening sometime next week, so stay tuned to the blog for more details.

New spa to open in April at District at CherryVale

Add comment March 5th, 2008

A new Asha SalonSpa is scheduled to open in early April at The District at CherryVale, the new lifestyle center at CherryVale Mall, 7200 Harrison Ave., Cherry Valley.

It will be an Aveda Lifestyle SalonSpa, which means it will carry the full line of Aveda care products for hair, skin and nails, and provide all Aveda signature services. The spa will have a nail bar for manicures and pedicures. Among other services, it will provide hair coloring, facials, massages and body waxing.

The spa will be the fifth Asha SalonSpa; the other four are in the Chicago area, where the company is based, said Kathleen Bergeron, managing partner of the entire Asha SalonSpa collection. Construction on the new CherryVale salon started in mid-January, and training and a soft opening will start at the beginning of April, said Bergeron. Grand opening parties will start around April 20, said Bergeron.

Bergeron opened the first Asha SalonSpa seven years ago. She will be commuting daily from Huntley to help with the new location. Team leader Maureen O’Rielly will be running the salon.

T.J. Maxx to move from Rockford to Machesney Park

3 comments February 24th, 2008

Off-price retailer T.J. Maxx will be moving to Machesney Park in March and closing its East State Street store in Rockford.

T.J. Maxx plans to open its new Machesney Park store, in Machesney Crossing at 1009 W. Lane Road, on March 13, with grand opening hours of 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.  The current T.J. Maxx Location, at 6363 E. State St. in Rockford, is scheduled to close March 9.

The new Machesney Park store will carry a larger accessories department than a typical T.J. Maxx store — including handbags, jewelry and luggage — according to a press release from the company.

T.J. Maxx, based in Framingham, Mass., has more than 800 stores in 48 states.

First Rockford Group is the developer of Machesney Crossing, a retail complex at the southeast corner of Illinois 251 and Illinois 173.  Retailers began opening in its main 220,000-square-foot inline building in October and November 2007. 

Bed Bath & Beyond at Machesney Crossing

Add comment 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. 

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.

A new Fiesta!

3 comments 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.

Restaurant in A Perryville Place

10 comments November 20th, 2007

The Ember Restaurant and Bar is scheduled to open Wed., Dec. 5 at A Perryville Place, 6957 Olde Creek Road, Rockford.  Owners Andy and Matt Ameti are brothers from Chicago; they have previous restaurant ownership experience in that city and in the Quad Cities.

The menu will include steak, seafood, ribs, pizza and pasta. The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Bar hours are Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.

They do house calls

Add comment November 19th, 2007

House calls for bridal parties, eyelash perming and MP3 music for pedicure clients — all are services offered by new beauty salon Artatrish at 7088 Walton St., Rockford.  Co-owners and sisters Julie and Trisha Tran opened the salon in late October; a grand opening is planned for after the holiday season. The salon offers nails, skin care, and hair care including hair extensions and permanent straightening. Walk-ins and appointments both are welcome.

Why house calls for bridal parties (which incidentally include nails as well as hair)?  Observed Julie Tran: “A bride has a lot to worry about; she doesn’t need to run around like a madwoman.”

The Tran family originally is from Vietnam; Julie’s and Trisha’s parents emigrated to Janesville in the late 1970s.  Julie was born in Janesville; Trisha came to the U.S. in 1991.

The Room Place opens in former Leath spot

Add comment November 15th, 2007

A furniture store is again open at 7340 E. State St. in Rockford.  The Room Place  opened Fri., Nov. 16 in the 30,000-square-foot building formerly occupied by Leath Furniture. 

The Lombard, Ill-based furniture retailer had viewed Rockford as a potential market for a long time, said marketing manager Valerie Berman.  “We’d been looking to expand into markets we were able to service out of our current distribution center (in Woodridge) and Rockford was a good fit distance-wise.”

The location on East State also made sense for The Room Place because it previously had been a furniture store, she said.  The company completely rebuilt the interior in the style of its Chicago stores.  The Rockford store employs 40 to 50 people, Berman added.

Displaying complete rooms put together by professional designers, The Room Place operates under the concept “the more you buy,  the more you save.” What does that mean? “You can buy each piece individually, but we have packaged it in a way so it is a better value (as a package),” said Berman.

The Rockford store — the company’s 22nd — will have its grand opening celebration on Dec. 4.  Store hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 pm.