Dec. 22—Elm City Coffee owner Ben Smith already knew from his company’s previous visits to Market at the Square that Urbana is a coffee-loving city.
Still, he said the community response to their Dec. 13 opening at 208 W. Main St. “has exceeded all expectations.”
“So far it seems like it’s a really good match,” he said. “So we’re extremely lucky.”
The store is open Monday to Sunday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Main Street location was previously home to Cafeteria & Company, which had its last day of business on November 23.
Elm City’s original location and roastery in Jacksonville opened nearly three years ago, Smith said.
Since then, he has worked to expand into new markets by selling beans wholesale to stores like Cafeteria & Company, partnering with retailers to sell bags of coffee and bottles of cold brew, and visiting farmers markets.
Elm City had a presence at Market at the Square this past year, which allowed them to make local connections, Smith said.
Cafeteria and business owner Matt Cho later offered him the opportunity to locate at 208 W. Main St.
“It went so well at the farmers market that we decided to just go ahead and pull the trigger,” Smith said.
SYNERGY Homecare plans to relocate its Champaign-Urbana offices in the new year.
The company, currently located at 2860 S. Philo Road, will move to 3401 Fields South Drive, Suite 126 in Champaign, said Gaye Aaberg, co-owner and president of SYNERGY Homecare of Central Illinois.
“We hope to move in early January; logistics are still being worked out,” Aaberg said. “Our lease in Urbana expires on January 31, 2025. We made the decision to move because we needed more space.”
She added that the new 2,000-square-foot location will include a larger conference room, which will facilitate the company’s “community education events” where members of the public can learn more about SYNERGY’s services.
The spot is also near several referral partners of Carle’s company.
“We will miss the Pines, they are great people to work with and we enjoyed that location,” Aaberg said. “In business as in life, change is inevitable.”
SYNERGY’s current location is available for lease beginning February 1, 2025 and is listed by Guth and Associates at .
A new store with a mix of Western fashion and workwear is coming to the North Prospect Avenue business district.
According to city records, a building conversion permit has been issued for 720 Town Center Boulevard, describing the project as a “Boot Barn fit out.”
Signage at the location confirms the brand is coming to town, and vacancies for the local store have been posted at .
Boot Barn stores offer not only cowboy boots and work boots, but also western wear, work clothes, “Western-inspired fashion” and outdoor gear.
The chain currently has five existing locations in Illinois, including one in Springfield, and more than 400 stores nationwide.
The utility room, located at 1199 Tuscola Blvd. in Tuscola, has announced it will “serve its last cup of coffee on Christmas Eve” as the restaurant’s owners retire.
“The business IS for sale, so please feel free to reach out if you have any questions,” The Pantry shared on social media. “If we don’t find the right buyer, we will likely hold an online sale or auction.”
Pan & Cake Catering Co. at W. Tomaras Ave. 104 in Savoy has also announced its permanent closure, which will take place at the end of this month.
“This journey has been one of tremendous learning and growth,” the company shared on social media. “We are so grateful for the many wins, as well as the lessons learned through the challenges of small business ownership that have led us to where we are today.”
An employee of Marble’s Catering, also located on W. Tomaras Ave. 104, told The News-Gazette they are closing at the end of January.
Although the December 31 deadline for occupancy is approaching, Hotel Royer was still closed at the time of writing on Wednesday morning.
Haaris Pervaiz, a partner of developer Icon Hospitality, expected them to be open before the end of the year. He could not be reached for comment on this latest article.
When asked if there were any updates on the hotel’s opening timeline, Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin told The News-Gazette, “We have no new information on Hotel Royer at this time.”
The city of Urbana has committed to providing $5.5 million for the project, but will not issue the bond until the hotel meets certain conditions, including obtaining a certificate of occupancy.
The City Council voted in late February to approve an extension for the developer, giving them until December 31 to start using the property. Council members also amended the agreement to include a penalty: for every three months the project runs past that date, $150,000 will be deducted from the city’s $5.5 million incentive.
Councilors previously agreed to extend the occupancy date from December 31, 2022 to August 31, 2023 and then to February 29, 2024.
The hotel’s website lists February 28, 2025 as the first available booking date. Pervaiz said in an earlier interview that it is Hilton’s practice to put the first available booking date online later than the expected opening to avoid problems if the opening date is postponed.
Geswein Farm & Land Realty & Auction has announced the appointment of Matt Rhodes as a licensed real estate agent and certified general appraiser for Illinois and Indiana.
Geswein officials said Rhodes is a fourth-generation corn and soybean farmer based in East Central Illinois, which gives him a useful perspective on the agricultural real estate market. His family manages 4,000 hectares and he has more than 15 years of experience in sales, appraisal and management.
His office is located in Tuscola, the company said.
“We are pleased to welcome Matt to the Geswein Farm & Land family,” said Johnny Klemme, co-owner, consultant and broker of the agency. “He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge that will help Geswein grow while meeting the needs of our current and future customers.”
Geswein officials said that before joining the company, Rhodes sold and appraised more than 230,000 acres in 81 Illinois and Indiana counties. He received his bachelor of science degree from the University of Illinois.
“Geswein Farm & Land really stood out to me because of their focus on serving customer needs and making connections within the community,” Rhodes said. “I wanted to join a team that focused exclusively on agricultural real estate. Geswein has the support staff, history and knowledge behind him to really get off the ground.”
Geswein is headquartered in Lafayette, Ind. and serves buyers and sellers throughout Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
