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November 20th, 2009
It’s been a busy few weeks for the folks at Sam’s Family Restaurant.
The closing of the Pump Handle Inn last month meant a loss of business for many establishments like them near 11th Street and Harrison Ave.
The future loss of business was enough that the owner of the building decided to close the restaurant, which meant the Ramadani family had to leave the space at 1603 Harrison Ave. they had leased and occupied for 23 years.
Their longtime connections to the community led them to the unoccupied restaurant space at 915 S. Alpine Road, just south of East State Street, a few weeks ago. That space most recently was occupied by the Undecided Restaurant, and used to be the Red Flame, Grandma’s, Bogart’s and for a long time was the Last Straw.
The family hopes to reopen Sam’s there by Monday. They’ve been busy painting the walls and chairs and rearranging the restaurant to make all of the equipment fit.
Sisters Fateme and DeeDee Ramadani, daughters of the restaurant’s namesake Sam Ramadani, said they’re happy to be somewhat close to the old location, but the reality of one location closing and another opening hasn’t really set in yet.
“We were all really close (at the old location). The customers and the staff all knew each other by name,” Fateme Ramadani said. “It’s been tough not being open, but we’ve had a lot of help from customers moving and getting this place ready … The whole thing is really surreal.”
The new restaurant will have a salad bar and a dinner buffet. Aside from that, the menu will stay pretty much the same.
Regular hours will be 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week, with plans to hopefully have later hours on Friday and Saturday. Call the restaurant at 815-398-8022 for more information.
November 20th, 2009
Granny’s Home Cookin’, 3605 Auburn St., is open with a menu full of breakfast, lunch and dinner specials.
The restaurant opened Nov. 7, owner Martin Acevedo said. He owns the Garden View Family Restaurant in Mount Morris and ran a Granny’s restaurant in Freeport for many years.
Acevedo said he was looking to break into the Rockford restaurant market.
Breakfast specials start at just less than $2 for oatmeal and $3 for waffles. Sandwich specials run about $4.50 and dinners start at $5.99.
Hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. now seven days a week, but Acevedo said they may bump up the closing time to 9 p.m. Call the restaurant at 815-490-1200 for more information.
November 13th, 2009
Mizu restaurant, 3801 N. Perryville Road, is open for lunch and dinner, minus alcohol for now.
The space started out as an Asian restaurant but most recently operated at The Breeze bar and grill.
The menu features sushi and sashimi priced from $3 to $15, as well as soups and salads, appetizers, special dinner entrees, hibachi entrees, tempura and hot noodle dishes, fried noodle and fried rice dishes, special selections for children and desserts.
Most dinner entrees range in price from $10.95 to $20.95. Lunch specials and platters range from $8.50 to $11.50.
Owners are John Li and Ken Lin, who have some experience with local restaurants. Mizu offers dine-in and take-out service, and officials hope to start catering and booking larger parties soon.
Manager May Chen said the restaurant hopes to have a liquor license by next month, and the plan is to sell beer, wine and sake selections.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Call the restaurant at 815-633-5555 for more information.
October 16th, 2009
A new hardware store is opening in Poplar Grove across from Candlewick Lake near other retail businesses.
Poplar Grove PRO Hardware, 13530 Julie Drive, is celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 17. The PRO-brand hardware store is a national model with stores typically located in the eastern part of the country, said owner Mike Farley, president of Farley Properties LLC in Poplar Grove.
Farley developed the Countryside Square retail center where the store is located.
“We are very proud to open their newest store and provide this much-needed service to Boone County,” Farley said in a news release. “Along with our emphasis on hometown service to the homeowner, we offer a complete line of commercial supplies for business and agricultural supplies for our farming community.”
The grand-opening celebration on Saturday will feature food, drinks and entertainment and will showcase antique tractors, motorcycles, classic cars and BMX bicycles. Paint, plumbing and electrical department representatives will be on hand to give away prizes, including a $100 gift certificate.
The store will be open normal hours from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call 779-552-8828 for more information.
October 16th, 2009
You can shop for clothing, shoes, accessories and more at the new store Gracie’s Got It Resale at 4010 E. State St.
The store offers clothing for men, women and children, purses and other accessories, winter coats, some formal attire, toys, books, household items and collectibles.
Store owner Mary Quist of Rockford worked at Chrysler’s plant in Belvidere for nine years and took the buyout recently. She was encouraged to start her own business because she’s always been a collector.
The store is named after her mom, Grace Awe. She’s already working with 17 consignors now, and she can work with more. As people bring in items, Quist checks to be sure there are no rips, tears or stains and then keeps them on consignment for 90 days. When the items sell, the consignors get a percentage of the sale.
Quist said the store has a ton of children’s clothing, as well as plus-size choices for adults and a large variety of shoe sizes. She’ll also carry some seasonal items around the holidays.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Quist is hosting a grand-opening event on Saturday, Oct. 17, with refreshments and door prizes.
Call the store at 815-394-2121 for more information.
October 16th, 2009
Longtime quilter Lesley Gebbie is doing her part to further the pastime with her new store Acorn Quilts, 6409 E. Riverside Blvd.
The store, which opened about three weeks ago, is about 1,800 square feet and features a large selection of fabrics that she says appeals to younger and more traditional sewers.
“I call it urban chic meets vintage charm,” Gebbie said of the contemporary fabric selection. “We also carry reproduction fabrics and more traditional fabrics.”
Gebbie has been quilting for more than 20 years. Her middle name is Alcorn, and “acorn” has been a nickname since childhood, so it was a natural fit for the store name.
She had been seriously considering opening a quilt store during the last five years.
“I had a job that I really liked, and there also were other quilt shops around,” Gebbie said. “But I got to a point where I wanted to do more than just shop, and I wanted to have my signature on things. Once you do (quilting), it’s in your blood.”
The store also carries laminated fabrics, which have become more popular for bags and aprons. Gebbie said she doesn’t carry any sewing machines in the store, but the store does host classes on topics like beginning piecing and machine quilting, and a wool club meets there.
Gebbie said wool appliques have become more popular for quilts or table runners.
The store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Call the store at 815-977-5275 or e-mail Gebbie at acornquilts2@gmail.com for more information. Gebbie’s daughter is also working on a Facebook page for the business, so look for that soon.
She’s hosting a grand-opening event on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 where selected fabric groups will be on sale, as will books. Light refreshments also will be served.
October 16th, 2009
A new Asian restaurant is moving into the space recently vacated by The Breeze Sports Bar & Grill at the Perryville Square Shopping Center.
Mizu, 3801 N. Perryville Road, is set to open Nov. 1, and the menu will feature sushi, Thai food and hibachi-grilled entrees from the kitchen.
The owner is Jing Wu Lin, who has run similar restaurants in other markets. The 3,675-square-foot restaurant and bar will be open for lunch and dinner.
I’m scheduled to interview Lin next week, so stay tuned for more information.
September 25th, 2009
A new kitchen design showroom is set to open by November within the East Riverside Retail Center.
Kitchens by Diane is the product of Diane Feuillerat, who has done kitchen design in the Rockford region for more than 25 years and worked at three other design stores in town.
Feuillerat, who lives in Rockton, said the store will feature several varieties, including contemporary and traditional designs, of cabinetry, countertops and flooring, as well as necessities for bathrooms and other living spaces.
“I want it to be the best kitchen design showroom in Rockford,” Feuillerat said. “I think the timing is going to be good. The focus is on great design, helping people accomplish their dream kitchens and bathrooms.”
Feuillerat hopes to have sections in the store designed by different interior decorators in town. She’s spreading the word about her business by contacting clients and customers about her new business venture.
She’s working on jobs now even before her retail space is finished. Call her at 815-633-7227 or e-mail diane@kitchensbydiane.com for more information.
September 25th, 2009
Pho Square Restaurant, featuring traditional Vietnamese cuisine, is set to open next month as part of the East Riverside Retail Center on Riverside Boulevard in Loves Park.
The restaurant, 6338 E. Riverside Blvd., is owned by Thu Le, known as “Kammy” to friends and family. She said the restaurant’s name comes from the combination of “pho,” a Vietnamese national dish, and “square,” meaning a full and substantial meal.
“If you eat at Pho Square, that means you had a full and substantial meal,” Le said. “We want our customers to experience a taste of Vietnam and have an unforgettable and satisfying meal every time they come to visit.”
The menu features items like steamed rice with grilled pork chops, chicken or seafood, noodle dishes, traditional Vietnamese appetizers and tea and coffee drinks.
Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is the signature dish consisting of rice noodles with a choice of meat in a steaming, aromatic bowl of beef or chicken broth. The broths are made from scratch daily and simmered for several hours.
Le said the goal was to keep menu prices affordable, ranging from $5 to $10. She moved to the Rockford area from California 13 years ago, and this is her first foray into the restaurant business. She and her husband are originally from Vietnam.
Keep an eye out for the restaurant’s Web site at phosquare.com. It’s still under construction.
September 25th, 2009
Register Star file photo by Scott Morgan
Owner Michele Bardell at Just Because Coffee in February 2008.
Just Because Coffee Cafe, 3963 W. Riverside Blvd., has closed its doors, and the space is available for leasing.
The cafe sits across Riverside from a Wal-Mart Supercenter in the same plaza as a U.S. Cellular store and several other empty storefronts.
Just Because opened in December 2007, selling soups, sandwiches, coffee drinks and bakery items.
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