East Peoria dancers will soon have a new option for lessons within the city limits.
Former EastSide Centre dance director Sheryl Huggins, and daughter Shannon McVey, also a former EastSide dance teacher, will open Creations Dance Studio this month.
One building that has been on the drawing board for years may soon become reality in East Peoria.
On July 20, city council unanimously approved issuing Gary E. Matthews, president of EM Properties Ltd., about a quarter of an acre of land to construct GEM Tower, a 12-story building on the property behind TGI Friday’s.
A total of eight people addressed city council members July 13 during a public hearing before the council officially approved a $45-million, 20-year lease agreement with Bass Pro Shops.
One by one, they asked questions to the council, and city attorney Dennis Triggs answered during the nearly hour-long hearing in the packed city hall.
Joy Vogel worked at the East Peoria Velvet Freeze for 23 years before it closed down on Jan. 26.
So when she got the phone call about getting her old job back at the new Wonderdog restaurant months later, the 61-year-old of East Peoria did not think twice about accepting the position.
A third Subway restaurant is coming to town.
“The lease is already signed,” said Dave Hanna, co-owner of the Subways in East Peoria. “The key factor is there’s an opportunity for a drive-thru. It will fit well with our other locations.”
When Becky Donaldson and her husband, Gary, first opened Absolute Hair in 1990, she was pregnant with her third son and said she worried the salon would fail.
“I used to have dreams that we were going to lose the business, and I’d be wrapping a perm and rocking a baby seat with my foot,” she said.
Randy Rundle was on his way to get lunch with his wife and two of his three children when his oldest son, Matt, looked out the window and saw quite a surprise.
The surprise was not the 15-foot rooster that stands guard outside Carl’s Bakery in East Peoria — he had seen that before. The surprise was the man standing by the rooster.
A frequent customer walked into Eysal’s Coffee Roaster last week and was greeted with a smile and was told, “I have your coffee waiting for you in the back.”
That type of personable service will soon be expanded over the Illinois River, as another Eysal’s opens in June at Midstate College in Peoria.
City council members unanimously approved June 1 to seek up to $45 million in general obligation bonds to fund the Bass Pro Shops project.
“This bond ordinance would authorize the city to issue bonds to provide the funds for the Bass Pro project,” said city attorney Dennis Triggs.
About a year after a first meeting with Washington Mayor Gary Manier, Dave Paskert finally announced Monday night at the city council meeting, his plans to purchase and revitalize the Sunnyland Plaza.
Paskert, of Chase Real Estate Group, has managed the plaza for the out-of-state owner for four years and recently formed the new company P-Six Sunnyland in order to purchase the 12-and-a-half-acre plaza.
A ribbon cutting and open house took place Monday at an East Peoria home that has served individuals with developmental disabilities since December.
The Tazewell County Resource Center’s newest community integrated living arrangement is located at 515 Cottonwood Circle.
Goodwill Industries is known for its assistance to those in need. The company that has helped individuals find work since 1902 has recently taken on a new role to help match the unemployed or underemployed with employers in need of workers.
Goodwill has become a subcontractor for the “Put Illinois to Work” program, a statewide initiative of Gov. Pat Quinn to create jobs and provide employment experience to those hardest hit by the recession.
Fishing and outdoor enthusiasts alike have much to be excited about after Thursday’s announcement that Bass Pro Shops will open their 58th outdoor store in East Peoria.
“It will definitely be great for everybody,” said Mark Propst, East Peoria Community High School’s bass fishing coach. “Hopefully, our team can work closely with them.”
A community within the city of East Peoria is celebrating its 25th anniversary with special events planned throughout the year. What sets this community apart from many others is that it is all located inside a building that looms over Centennial Drive.
With a Downtown 2010 site in the middle of construction, several businesses are actively searching for places to locate in town, according to city officials.
In a open forum in city hall April 20, one breakfast restaurant chain announced its interest in coming to East Peoria.
Glancing at the table of potential plans for the Illinois Route 8 commercial corridor through Sunnyland, Cindy Miller said she was pleased with what was in front of her.
“I am so happy about the sidewalks and the prospect that they will go all the way to East Peoria,” said Miller, of Sunnyland, during an open house at Countryside Banquet Facility. “If my little boy wants to ride his bike, he can.”
Employees and customers at a local salon had a very famous surprise visitor Saturday during one of their busiest days of the year.
Gina White, owner of Pamper Me Please, said she received a phone call Saturday morning and was told that Sarah Palin might stop by the salon for a manicure.
Area home builders heard about the “unintended consequences” of building regulations March 23 in East Peoria.
Senior economist Elliot Eisenberg presented a program at the Home Builders Association of Greater Peoria.
The city of East Peoria is one step closer to choosing a landscape design firm that will take on the streetscaping of the Downtown 2010 development project.
In February, the city sent out requests for design proposals to 21 regional and local firms, said Ty Livingston, director of planning and community development.
Twisty Treat, a staple in East Peoria since 1994, opened for the season March 31.
Kay Quinn and her grandson, Wesley Donaldson, 14, both of East Peoria, said they come to the ice cream shop all the time. “I’ve been waiting all winter for this,” said Kay Quinn, while waiting in line opening day.
