advertising
Lincoln Daily News
(217) 732-7443
ldn@lincolndailynews.com
appliances
McEntire's Home
Appliance and TV
403 Broadway St.
(217) 732-4874
mcentires@abelink.com
attorneys
John R. Gehlbach
Law Office
529 Pulaski St.
(217) 735-4311
jrglaw@ccaonline.com
Thomas L. Van Hook
Lincoln
(217) 735-2187
Tvanhook@CCAonline.com
auto repair & service
DuVall's Automotive
Complete Auto Repair
720 N. Sherman St., rear
(217) 735-5545
duvallautomotive@hotmail.com
Thompson Auto Body
919 S. Kickapoo
(217) 735-2915
automobiles
Interstate Chevrolet
105-115 Lincoln Ave.
P.O. Box 170
Emden, IL
62635-0170
(888) OK-CHEVY
(652-4389)
www.interstatechevy.com
J&S Auto Center
103 S. Logan
(217) 732-8994
www.jandsautocentre.com/
Row Motors
222 S. McLean
(217) 732-3232
rowmotors@msn.com
banks
Logan County Bank
303 Pulaski
(217) 732-3151
books/educational
Prairie Years
121 N. Kickapoo
(217) 732-9216
bottled water
Culligan
318 N. Chicago
(217) 735-4450
www.culligan.com
Gold Springs
1165 - 2200th St.
Hartsburg, IL
(888) 478-9283
www.goldsprings.com
Puritan Springs
1709 N. Kickapoo St.
(217) 732-3292
(800) 292-2992
Puritan Springs at LDN
carpet cleaners
Advanced Carpet Cleaning
708 Pulaski St.
P.O. Box 306
(217) 732-3571
cellular phones
Team Express
411 Pulaski St.
(217) 732-8962
www.teamelectronics.org
colleges
Heartland Com. College
620 Broadway St.
(217) 735-1731
www.hcc.cc.il.us
computer service
CCA
601 Keokuk St.
(217) 735-2677
cca@ccaonline.com
consignment
Closet Classics
129 S. Sangamon St.
(217) 735-9151
(888) 739-0042
contractors
Koller Construction
2025 2100th St.
Atlanta, IL 61723
(217) 648-2672
(217) 732-2672 cell
stevekoller@aol.com
Roger Webster Construction
303 N. Sangamon St.
(217) 732-8722
www2.ccaonline.com/rwcinc/
convenience stores
APOLLOmart
725 Broadway
(217) 732-4193
credit unions
CEFCU
341 Fifth St.
(217) 735-5541
(800) 633-7077
www.cefcu.com
employment
Illinois Employment
and Training Center
120 S. McLean St.
(217) 735-5441
ietc@abelink.com
financial consultant
K. Bridget Schneider
A.G. Edwards & Sons,
Inc.
628 Broadway, Suite 1
(217) 732-3877
(800) 596-0014
www.agedwards.com/fc/
kbridget.schneider
florists
All Things Blooming
125 S. Lafayette St.
Mount Pulaski, IL 62548
(217) 792-5532
www.allthingsblooming.com
food & ice cream
Gleason's Dairy Bar
110 Clinton St.
(217) 732-3187
funeral directors
Fricke-Calvert-Schrader
127 S. Logan
(217) 732-4155
F-C-S at LDN
garden
Clark's Greenhouse
& Herbal Country
2580 100th Ave.
San Jose, IL
(309) 247-3679
www.herbalcountry.net
gifts
The Mustard Moon
1314 Fifth St.
(217) 735-1093
www.themustardmoon.com
home improvements
Kenshalo-Rousey
214 N. Chicago
(217) 732-8682
Windows, doors, siding,
awnings, sunrooms, etc.
www.almh.org
hospitals
ALMH
315 Eighth St
(217) 732-2161
www.almh.org
|
Features
|
Woody Jones to retire after 37 years;
Rick Hamm takes over agency
[MAY
21, 2002]
"I’ll
miss (being a State Farm agent)," says Woody Jones, who is retiring
May 31 after 37 years of serving the Lincoln community. "There are
hundreds of people I consider friends."
|
Jones is a life member of the President’s Club in three of six
possible categories — auto, fire and multiple line. This means that
he was among the top 50 agents in the country in State Farm auto and
fire policies and in the sum of all forms of insurance. And he did
it for at least five years to be a life member. All told, he
currently has about 14,000 policies of all types in force.
Owning a business in a small town as opposed to a metropolitan area
means increased person-to-person contact, and that is Jones’
favorite part of his work. Having grown up with many of his clients
also means added "pressure and responsibility, to give the best
service that you can," he said. His goal is to treat people the way
he’d want to be treated.
Jones’ retirement will be celebrated at an open house May 23 from
12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at his agency, 628 N. Chicago. He and Mike Lumpp
own Keokuk Village, where the agency is located. Though he has moved
twice, Jones has remained within a block and a half of his first
location, next to the current Chad’s restaurant.
Luck is an important element in Jones’ formula for success. The
other key ingredients are offering a good product, knowing a lot of
people, securing a good location, hiring a professional staff and
taking advantage of opportunities. Jones considers himself fortunate
to have stumbled into the insurance business, a good fit for him,
when Don Stevenson retired 37 years ago. He said State Farm is
"tremendously financially strong" and he knows a client’s loss will
be taken care of.
Jones describes himself as a hands-on manager. "I enjoy getting
right in there with the staff and doing normal daily routines," he
explains. His staff consists of four employees — Robyn Yarcho,
Monica Ritchhart, Teresa Robbins and Misty Virgil.
Proximity to company headquarters means that people are familiar
with State Farm. In fact, "dozens and dozens" of Logan County
residents work at the Bloomington headquarters, he said.
Jones said his biggest fire claim was a home and contents over
$450,000, and he covered several bad auto accidents that reached
policy limits of $300,000. One winter midnight, about 20 years ago,
he was awakened by a call from an out-of-towner who had wrecked his
car north of town. Jones got the car towed, secured a motel room and
then asked to see the man’s policy. It was from Allstate.
Though several tornadoes have damaged more than one home he has
covered, Jones’ toughest situation was the widespread damage caused
by the 1995 hailstorm. There were 20 people lined up outside his
door when he got to work. Since 1995, he observed, Logan County
seems to have received more than its share of tornadoes, flooding
and other damage.
[to top of second column in
this article]
|
Jones intends to retire fully after May 31, although he said he
"might look at something locally down the line." He enjoys the
outdoors and expects to spend more time with family. He and his wife
Sue have a daughter, Jackie Toal of San Diego; a son, Jason, a
stockbroker with Edward Jones; and three grandchildren.
On
Aug. 29, 2001, Jones gave one-year retirement notice to State Farm,
but he says he didn’t mind when the company offered to speed it up a
bit. On June 1 Woody Jones / State Farm Insurance becomes the Rick
Hamm agency. Hamm has been working at the Lincoln office since April
1 in a two-month transition period.
Hamm said he has been with State Farm since he was 4 years old. His
father was an agent, and the two worked together for 11 years. Since
October 1993 Hamm has been a State Farm agency field executive
supervising 28 agents, including Woody Jones. "Woody was never a
problem," he said, and meetings between the two were "always just an
easy flow. It was like working with my dad."
Hamm has known Jones for most of his career — since well before he
became his supervisor. He said Jones will be a hard act to follow
since he is so well known in the community, but he added, "So was my
dad."
"I’m more a people person than an administrator," he said, noting
that being a field executive entailed more paperwork and meetings
and less personal contact than he would have wished. Hamm sees
Jones’ agency as a great opportunity. Jones prepared the staff well,
he said, and they have similar styles. Like Jones, Hamm is a
President’s Club agent, qualifying in life insurance and multiple
line.
Hamm has added one employee, Bridgitte Danner, to the agency. A
major change coming soon is 24-hour service through a call response
center. After-hours calls will automatically be switched to the
center, which can report claims, make appointments for a damage
estimate or with an adjuster, or take billing questions and requests
for changes in coverage. Customer messages will appear on agency
computers the next day.
Otherwise, Hamm said, clients will not notice any changes, and he
intends to offer the same service.
Hamm and his wife,
Betty, currently live on Lake Bloomington, with a Hudson address,
but have bought a house in Lincoln and plan to move here. Their
daughter, Stacey Hamm, works in fire claims in the State Farm
Bloomington headquarters, making her a third-generation employee.
Their son, Adam, is just finishing an Army stint in military
intelligence, working on satellite imagery.
[Lynn
Shearer Spellman]
|
Where
do you go for the
goods and services you want?
[MAY
14, 2002] In
the know…
|
You
finally discover where the best chai in town is and you’re
ecstatic! Then you discover it’s been there a year or so and no
one told you about it. You’re exasperated! Local businesses change
hands, move, increase their stock or services, do all sorts of
things you’d really like to know about, and somehow you don’t
get in on it.
The
cure:
Beginning
today, Tuesday, May 14, you can be "in the know" too!
LogOn Production’s Channel 15 premieres the show you have been
waiting for, "Chamber Chat." It airs from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
The
Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce will host the weekly
half-hour LIVE talk show. "Chamber Chat" will feature an
update on local business activity, interviews with volunteers and
committee chairpersons of special programs taking place in the
community, issues, and community events. There are plans to
occasionally film segments on location in local businesses to add to
the perspective and content of the show. There will also be
opportunity for viewers to call in with live questions. The show
will air several additional times each week, but Tuesday night will
be the LIVE show. [Click
here to hear it!]
[to top of second column in this
article]
|
Lincoln/Logan
County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bobbi Abbott thinks,
"A focus on our GOOD NEWS will hopefully provide a domino
effect in positive attitudes and opinions about our community."
Abbott
invites, "If you have business activity, please e-mail
to me any news about your place of business —
expansions, new employees, new products or services, changes in
location or management, etc."
Bobbi
Abbott, Executive Director
303
S. Kickapoo Street
Lincoln,
IL 62656
(217)
735-2385
chamber@lincolnillinois.com
www.lincolnillinois.com
[LDN]
|
|
Sporting
a new name and
a new warehouse, box plant’s
ready for more business
[MAY
13, 2002] As
a result of Weyerhaeuser Company’s takeover of Willamette
Industries and a nearly complete addition to the Lincoln facility,
Joe Nemith, general manager of the corrugated container plant,
expects an increase in business.
|
Nemith
said the Lincoln plant has already picked up some business from the
Weyerhaeuser factory in Belleville. In line with a companywide push
for plants in close proximity to work together to avoid duplication,
the two facilities have been cooperating to identify overlaps.
Nemith reported few conflicts and only four mutual contracts, which
have been allocated in such a way that neither plant loses business.
For example, both had contracts with Holton Meats near St. Louis but
supplied different products. At a meeting on April 30 it was agreed
that though just one Weyerhaeuser sales representative will call on
Holton, each plant will continue supplying the products it did
before.
Nemith
reported the takeover has caused virtually no change to the local
operation so far. The phone is now answered in the name of
Weyerhaeuser and a temporary sign by the entrance identifies that
company, but the awning and permanent sign still say Willamette
Industries. Boxes are still marked Willamette as well, and Nemith
said the practice will continue until the printing plates wear out.
Beyond
the local scene a number of senior managers from Willamette have
retired, two plants have been closed and more plant closings are
expected. Plants must meet two criteria, Nemith said: Make money and
provide a safe operating environment. The closed plants in Virginia
and Tennessee were unsafe and unprofitable. "We don’t fit
either one of those categories," Nemith was happy to report, so
he expects operations to remain similar but busier.
Meanwhile,
he expects to occupy the 70,000-square-foot warehouse, currently
under construction, during the third week of May. H & H
Construction Services of Carlinville is general contractor for the
roughly triangular addition located on the south side of the
building. Nemith said there would be one more concrete pour, on May 4.
Some equipment will not be moved until Memorial Day weekend.
The
addition was approved under the Willamette watch. All told, Nemith
said, that company invested $6 million in the Lincoln facility
during the last five years and $50 million in the three Illinois
plants in the same period. Asked if he would have built the addition
if he had known about the coming takeover, Nemith answered: "I
would have. I don’t know if Weyerhaeuser would have approved
it."
However,
Weyerhaeuser has already approved three equipment purchases for the
Lincoln plant: a pre-feeder for automatically feeding existing
machinery, a unitizer for banding large units and a die-cut section
for the largest of three flexo-folder-gluers, which print, fold and
glue the boxes. Purchase of a fourth flexo-folder-gluer has been
deferred until business has increased.
Although
no employees will be added as a direct result of the new warehouse,
Nemith said the added space will make growth in business possible,
and increased business is the reason for hiring employees.
In
response to the anticipated increase in business, he does expect to
add three new permanent employees to the work force of approximately
100 by fall. He noted that employment at the Lincoln facility is
stable. Of two workers expected to retire in July, one has worked
here about 20 years and the other for 44.
Nemith praised local
employees’ positive attitude and said it results in a work
environment such that new hires learn the same attitude and also
become long-term employees. "All our people are responsive to
customers," he said.
[to top of second column in this
article]
|
The
Weyerhaeuser-Willamette takeover is unique in two respects, Nemith
claimed. First, the predator company is adopting some of the ways of
its prey. Because Willamette led the industry in profit on boxes,
Weyerhaeuser, though three times larger, is seeking to learn from
its former competitor.
Second,
the Weyerhaeuser chairman was formerly the CEO of Willamette. Steven
R. Rogel took over at Weyerhaeuser in 1995 after heading Willamette
for the previous two years. Lured by the bigger company, he set
about buying the smaller one. Part of the reason, Nemith said, was
that if Weyerhaeuser had not bought Willamette, they themselves
might have been subject to a buyout. For several years Willamette
resisted the takeover, preferring to remain independent. It took 14
months of negotiations to reach the $6.1 billion merger agreement.
Despite
numerous closings there are still over 2,000 box factories in the
United States, and consolidation is common in the container
industry, Nemith noted. In fact, "this is the fourth name on
this building," he said. Built by U.S. Corrugated in 1946, it
was bought by Boise Cascade in 1984 and Willamette in 1992. Despite
the changes in parent company, much remains the same. "Every
facility has a personality" that doesn’t change, he said.
Nemith
himself worked for Weyerhaeuser from 1979 to 1981, after they bought
the company he was with. "I really thought the world of them
then," he said. "They are the only large company in the
industry I would want to buy us," because they treat their
people well. One dramatic event that occurred during Nemith’s
earlier tenure was the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Weyerhaeuser
owned much of the mountain.
The
combined Weyerhaeuser Company, based in Federal Way, Wash., is among
the top three companies in the world in lumber, pulp, boxes and fine
paper. Before the merger Weyerhaeuser was No. 4 in corrugated
containers in the United States and Willamette was No. 11; together
they are No. 2 internationally.
A
committee made up of representatives of the two companies will
recommend ways to merge them. Although none of the recommendations
has yet been announced, Nemith expects one of them to reconfigure
the regions of the combined company. Currently, the Lincoln plant is
in a region stretching from New Jersey to Minnesota, and he expects
that to be split into at least two.
One
change that won’t occur until Jan. 1, 2003, is for local employees
to go on the Weyerhaeuser benefit plan. Nemith said the plan is
comparable to or better than the Willamette one, so he does not
foresee problems despite the fact that people are understandably
wary of changes.
Recent
research showed Nemith that of the Lincoln plant’s 181 customers,
80 percent are in towns the size of Lincoln or smaller.
He is an
advocate of the Logan County Economic Development Council’s
proposed industrial park north of town. "It will be good for
Lincoln," he said, noting the town’s excellent location.
Nemith
is optimistic about the future of the Weyerhaeuser plant in Lincoln.
"I really expect to be a lot busier," he says. "We’ll
have a good, strong future."
[Lynn
Shearer Spellman] |
|
Three
short blocks -- three times as many people
[MAY
9, 2002] Coffee
With Einstein CoffeeHouse and FranzExpress in downtown Lincoln will
be moving soon. May 24 is the target date. The businesses will move
three blocks to accommodate three times as much seating capacity.
|
[Click map to enlarge] |
|
Ameren reaches
agreement
to purchase CILCORP
[MAY
7, 2002] ST.
LOUIS — Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) recently announced the
signing of a definitive agreement for the purchase of CILCORP, Inc.,
from The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES). CILCORP is the parent company
of Peoria-based Central Illinois Light Co., known as CILCO.
|
In
a transaction valued at $1.4 billion, Ameren will assume CILCORP
debt at closing and pay the balance in cash to purchase the common
stock of CILCORP, along with certain other assets. The purchase
includes CILCORP’s natural gas and electric businesses, including
1,200 megawatts of largely coal-fired generating capacity. Upon
completion of the acquisition, expected within 12 months, CILCO
would become an Ameren subsidiary, but would remain a separate
utility company, known as AmerenCILCO.
With
this acquisition, Ameren will rank as Illinois’ second-largest
electric utility, based on the number of customers, total assets and
operating revenues.
"This
acquisition is a natural fit with our core energy growth
strategy," says Charles W. Mueller, chairman and chief
executive officer of Ameren Corporation. "CILCORP’s
operations are in a service territory and market where we already
operate very effectively. In addition, CILCORP’s base-load
generation assets, strong customer base and low-cost operations
complement Ameren’s existing Illinois operations extremely well.
Synergies from the acquisition will make this transaction
immediately accretive to earnings and will drive strong long-term
growth for our company."
"This
acquisition brings impressive benefits to customers and communities
in Illinois," says Gary L. Rainwater, president and chief
operating officer of Ameren Corporation. "We will expand our
commitment of bringing high-quality, reliable electric and natural
gas services to CILCORP’s approximately 200,000 electric and
200,000 gas customers. We take this commitment seriously, as
evidenced by our top ratings on customer service in a recent
Illinois Commerce Commission survey."
The
transaction was unanimously approved by both companies’ boards of
directors but is subject to the approval of the Illinois Commerce
Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission, and the expiration of the waiting
period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. No approval is required from
shareholders of either company.
Following
are key components of the transaction:
• The headquarters of AmerenCILCO will remain in Peoria, where Ameren
anticipates maintaining the existing operations center, customer
call center, business-to-business and retail marketing groups, plus
other support functions.
• The transaction also includes AES-Medina Valley Cogen, LLC — a
40-megawatt, gas-fired electric generation plant. The plant produces
electricity, steam and chilled water, which is sold to CILCO. CILCO
resells plant output to Caterpillar, CILCO’s largest industrial
customer.
• Electric rates will remain frozen at current levels at least until
2004, and existing generation and energy services contracts with
nonresidential customers will remain in force.
• With the addition of CILCO, Ameren expects to make very limited staff
reductions overall, and those reductions would be made primarily
through attrition. Existing labor contracts will be honored.
• Ameren plans to increase CILCO’s annual civic, charitable and social
service contribution levels to at least $1 million to be used in the
Peoria area and other locations now served by CILCO. That level will
allow for continued support of such activities and for the expansion
of three Ameren programs into the former CILCO service territory.
They are:
• Dollar More, a low-income energy assistance program.
• Power Player, a program to support youth sports teams.
• SmartLights, which provides installation of energy-efficient lighting
in public areas.
• Ameren plans to commit additional funds annually in continued support
for economic development organizations and to support special
marketing programs aimed at attracting new jobs to the Peoria area.
[to top of second column in
this article]
|
"Together,
Ameren and CILCORP will continue a heritage of providing strong
support to hundreds of Illinois communities with a combined customer
base of nearly 600,000 electric and nearly 400,000 natural gas
customers in Illinois," added Rainwater.
Ameren
was advised on the transaction by Goldman, Sachs & Co.
About
the companies
Ameren
Corporation: A $10
billion-asset company based in St. Louis, Mo., Ameren Corporation
provides energy services to 1.5 million electric and 300,000 natural
gas customers over 44,500 square miles in Illinois and Missouri.
Among the nation’s top utility companies in size and sales, Ameren’s
regulated companies — AmerenUE and AmerenCIPS — were founded a
century ago as Union Electric Company and Central Illinois Public
Service Company, respectively. On May 1, 2000, AmerenCIPS generating
facilities became part of a newly created nonregulated company,
AmerenEnergy Generating Company; this power is marketed by a
nonregulated affilate, AmerenEnergy Marketing Company. Ameren
subsidiaries also include AmerenEnergy, Inc., a nonregulated energy
trading company, and AmerenEnergy Fuels and Services, a fuels
marketing, trading and management services organization.
Approximately 92 percent of the corporation’s $4.5 billion in
revenues flows from electric sales, with the remainder primarily
from sales of natural gas.
CILCORP:
With $1.8 billion
in assets and 2001 revenues of $815 million, CILCORP, formed in 1985
and headquartered in Peoria, is an energy services company. CILCORP’s
largest subsidiary, CILCO, serves 200,000 electric and more than
200,000 natural gas customers, and includes a regulated electric and
natural gas delivery unit, power generation facilities, and a retail
energy business. CILCO has been providing electricity and natural
gas to customers in central Illinois since 1915. The company has
four generating units primarily fueled by coal, with a total
capacity of over 1,200 megawatts.
Safe
Harbor statement
Statements
made in this release, which are not based on historical facts, are
"forward-looking" and, accordingly, involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those discussed. Although such "forward-looking"
statements have been made in good faith and are based on reasonable
assumptions, there is no assurance that the expected results will be
achieved. These statements include (without limitation) statements
as to future expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives,
events, conditions, and financial performance. In connection with
the "Safe Harbor" provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Ameren is providing this cautionary
statement to identify important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those anticipated. The following
factors, in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this release
and in Ameren’s annual report on SEC Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended Dec. 31, 2001, and subsequent securities filings, could cause
results to differ materially from management expectations as
suggested by such "forward-looking" statements: delays in
receipt of regulatory approvals for the acquisition of CILCORP or
unexpected adverse conditions or terms of those approvals;
difficulties in integrating CILCO with Ameren’s other businesses;
changes in the coal markets, environmental laws or regulations or
other factors adversely impacting synergy assumptions; and
disruptions of the capital markets or other events making Ameren’s
access to necessary capital more difficult or costly.
[Ameren
news release] |
|
Russell Stover grand opening
[MAY
4, 2002]
You
will find lots of taste-tempting delights throughout the spacious
new store. Delicious cookies, candies and ice cream
await you.
[Click here for original LDN story on Russell Stover]
|
[Photos by Jan Youngquist]
Russell
Stover is ready with beautifully packaged sweet things just right
for Mother's Day.
FIX 96's Jim Ash eats free food
and gives away
prizes. |
Customers sign up for free gift baskets.
Friendly
staff are ready to help you find your favorite sweet or choose from
an array of gift packaged for that special someone. |
|
Service-oriented
office supply store
to open in Lincoln
[APRIL
30, 2002] Citing
a "remarkable reception from the people of Lincoln" to
their delivery business, Glenn Brunk Stationers of Springfield will
open a store at 511 Broadway about June 1.
|
The
company, run by the Stanfield family who bought it from the founder’s
widow in 1997, specializes in personal service to the point of
delivering a single item.
Ed
Stanfield Jr., a sales representative who began calling on local
merchants about a year ago, said he was "ecstatic" when he
discovered that Lincoln was without an office supply store for the
first time in 60 years. At that time Staples had already left and
BAT (formerly Lincoln Office Supply) had closed the week before.
The
Lincoln store will be the second Glenn Brunk location. Stanfield
said he chose the downtown area because of all the small businesses
located there and because he really likes downtown Lincoln.
The
location at 511 Broadway is across from State Bank of Lincoln and
was formerly occupied by Heights Finance. Stanfield said remodeling
will consist of creating offices for himself and a store manager. In
addition, shelving units must be put in place and stock brought in.
The
Lincoln store will carry commonly used office supplies, such as file
folders, paper and computer cartridges, plus whatever customers ask
for. "The people of Lincoln will run the store," Stanfield
said, in the sense that their needs will decide the stock. Paper
from the former Willamette company, now known as Weyerhaeuser, will
be regularly stocked, and Stanfield said Glenn Brunk uses boxes from
the same company whenever possible.
At
first there will be one new employee in Lincoln, the store manager.
Later, again as need demands, Stanfield envisions hiring an
additional office person and a delivery driver. To this point
deliveries have been made every Tuesday and as needed, but once the
store opens he expects them to be daily. Orders will be delivered
next day for the most part, except for occasional items that must be
back ordered.
The
Glenn Brunk Stationers motto is "Providing the best customer
service for 43 years," and the company provides a number of
services in addition to free delivery and placement wherever the
product is needed. Customers may buy products in bulk, commonly
paper by the pallet, and have it stored at the Springfield store,
then delivered as needed. A representative will go to a client’s
office to measure and design a furniture layout, and furnishings
will then be installed for free. Glenn Brunk also offers refurbished
scratch-and-dent furniture on a limited basis, depending on what the
supplier has available. Much of it shows little damage to begin
with, Stanfield noted, adding that repaired HON brand chairs come at
reduced price with a lifetime warranty.
[to top of second column in this
article]
|
Stanfield
is excited about his reception in Lincoln. Though it is typical for
a sales representative to get 5-10 percent of orders from cold
calls, he said, he gets 60-70 percent in Lincoln. "People
really want a local office supply store," he explained.
Ribbon-cutting
and grand opening ceremonies have not yet been scheduled, but
Stanfield is hoping they can be held on June 1. That is a Saturday
when the whole company can attend, including president Ed Stanfield
Sr. and secretary-treasurer Malinda Stanfield, his wife.
Glenn
Brunk Stationers belongs to the chamber of commerce in both
Springfield and Lincoln, and Ed Jr. is a chamber ambassador in both
cities.
He
says of the founder of his company, "There are two types of
people in Springfield: those who knew and loved Glenn Brunk and
those who never met him." A World War II combat medic, Brunk
began selling and installing billing machine ribbons from his garage
in 1955. He and his wife, Mary, moved the business first to Fifth
Street and then to its current location at 2222 S. Sixth St. in
Springfield, next to Gallagher’s steakhouse.
Mary
Brunk ran the business from Glenn’s death in 1972 until 1997, when
she sold it to the Stanfields. Malinda Stanfield had been hired in
1988 as bookkeeper, then promoted to office manager. Ed Stanfield
Jr. said Brunk had other offers but did not want the name associated
with a big company.
All
three Stanfield sons work in the business. Ed Jr. is a sales
representative; Joe is a delivery driver; and Bill, a Champaign
resident, works on his day off.
[Lynn
Shearer Spellman]
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RE/MAX
realty takes over
Lincoln Office Supply space
[APRIL
23, 2002] The
former Lincoln Office Supply store at 500 Broadway is being
completely remodeled as the new home of RE/MAX Hometown Realty,
scheduled to open by May 1.
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[Greg Brinner, owner of RE/MAX Hometown Realty, in his new office]
RE/MAX
owner Greg Brinner of Lincoln said he chose to move from his former
location at 1310 Fifth St. because he needed room to expand, the
building became available and interest rates were favorable. "I
felt it was time to grow my business," he said, and the new
site "allows space to build up from bottom to top and integrate
higher level technology than I would be able to in my existing
place."
Another
motive was "to help rejuvenate the downtown area," Brinner
said. He added that traffic on Fifth Street and on the west side
moves past the door at 35 mph, but in the downtown area vehicles
move slower and there is more foot traffic.
After
experimenting with five or six plans, Brinner chose one that has
entirely reconfigured the space and changed the look, using cherry
woodwork and furniture and replacing walls, flooring and some
ceiling tiles. French doors distinguish otherwise windowless
interior offices. Furnishings are also new. As remodeled, the office
consists of a reception area, Brinner’s office with room for an
assistant, four offices for agents, a conference room, break room
and areas for equipment and supplies.
At
present RE/MAX Hometown Realty employs two agents, Doris Oltmanns
and Cynthia Pagel, receptionist Joyce Hyde, and Patty Brinner, who
does bookkeeping and secretarial work.
Greg
Brinner said the former store originally comprised three buildings.
The rear section has been divided into one or two separate office
suites, with the address of 102 N. Chicago St. The space totals
three rooms and a reception area, with access to the RE/MAX break
room.
[to top of second column in this
article]
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A
special feature of the remodeled real estate office is a new
PC-based, database-driven telephone system. Because it is PC-based,
the system can be updated with new software. Brinner explained,
"In today’s fast-moving technology I feel it is necessary to
go with a system where we can upgrade software systems as they
become available."
Only
one other RE/MAX office, located in Washington state, has the phone
system, which has been adapted from its usual application in the
medical field. Brinner said he expects it to improve customer
service but was silent about its precise capabilities.
RE/MAX,
which stands for real estate maximums, is the only real estate
franchise in Logan County. Being part of a franchise permits
networking with other offices and agent training through a satellite
network, Brinner said. World headquarters for the firm is in Denver
and regional headquarters in St. Louis.
Brinner
said his office has the highest productivity per agent among the
Logan County Board of Realtors. "We provide world-class service
with hometown people," he claimed.
For
some listings, computerized virtual tours are available on the firm’s
website at www.remax-hometown.com. Brinner said the website is being
rebuilt to include links for the virtual tours. At present,
information on locating them is available at the specific properties
and on Multiple Listing Service sheets offered by members of the
Logan County Board of Realtors.
Work
on remodeling the property began in mid-December, and RE/MAX
Hometown Realty is scheduled to move into it by May 1. A grand
opening with ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place in the near
future, but no date has been set.
[Lynn
Shearer Spellman]
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Eagle reopens
[APRIL
22, 2002]
Eagle
Discount Foods reopened its doors 8 a.m. sharp Saturday morning
with a ribbon-cutting.
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The store was closed all day Friday as last-minute rearrangements
took place. There was live entertainment inside and outside, and
lots of giveaways and bargains highlighted the day. Maps of the
store were handed out to help regular patrons find their favorite
products in the new store layout.
[LDN]
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[Photo by Bob Frank] |
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New
tasty morsels available in Mount Pulaski
[APRIL
18, 2002] Mount
Pulaski has its very own brand-new Subway Sandwich Shop. City
officials and employees came out and joined owners Bill McKinney and
Scott McKinney in the official grand opening and ribbon cut
Wednesday morning. The shop actually opened for business and began
serving food at 6 a.m. Thursday morning.
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Now
some might ask, "What do you get at a Subway for
breakfast?" Breakfast fare includes breakfast sandwiches,
bagels and Mel-O-Cream doughnuts in addition to the regular lunch
menu. Rounding out the day’s culinary desires, hand-dipped ice
cream will soon be offered as well.
Located
at 513 E. Chestnut St., the new Subway is open from 6 a.m. to 10
p.m. daily.
[LDN]
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[Front
row, left to right: Alderman John Holmes, co-owner Bill McKinney,
Mayor Bill Glaze, co-owner Scott McKinney, Alderman John
Poffenbarger.
Back
row, left to right: city collector Cindy Cyrulik, office manager
Sharon Gerdes, Alderman John Bates, city employees Meredith Parish,
Jim Montgomery, Jerry McCain.]
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Announcements
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Clinton-area
farmers market
[MAY
1, 2002] The
Clinton Area Farmers and Artisans Market is coming to Mr. Lincoln’s
Square in Clinton. The first market will be open Saturday, May 4,
from 8 a.m. to noon.
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A
ribbon-cutting ceremony with Mayor Tom Edmonds is scheduled for 9:30
a.m., as well as a rhubarb cook-off contest. Entries must be in by
that time, and winners will be announced at 10 a.m.
This
year’s markets will be the first and third Saturdays in May
through October, from 8 a.m. to noon. During June, July and August
the market will also be open Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m.
For
information on setting up at the farmers market, contact the Clinton
Area Chamber of Commerce at 935-3364.
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The
Chamber Report
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The
chamber of commerce is a catalyst for community progress, bringing
business and professional people together to work for the common
good of Lincoln and Logan County. |
Bobbi
Abbott, Executive Director
Lincoln/Logan
County Chamber of Commerce
303
S. Kickapoo St.
Lincoln,
IL 62656
(217)
735-2385
chamber@lincolnillinois.com
www.lincolnillinois.com
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Honors
& Awards
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Main
Street Corner News
|
Main
Street Lincoln
Cindy McLaughlin, program manager
303
S. Kickapoo
Lincoln,
IL 62656
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Phone:
(217) 732-2929
Fax:
(217) 735-9205
E-mail:
manager@mainstreetlincoln.com
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insurance
Aid Association
for Lutherans/
Lutheran Brotherhood
604 Broadway St., Suite 4
(217) 735-2253
linda_aper@aal.org
www.aal.org
Behne & Co. Inc.
Richard I Ray & Assoc
1350 Richland Ave.
(217) 732-9333
May Enterprise
106 S. Chicago
P.O. Box 129
(217) 732-9626
Moriearty Insurance
Agency, Inc.
218 Eighth St.
(217) 732-7341
miai@ccaonline.com
State Farm-
Deron Powell
114 E. Cooke St.
P.O. Box 78
Mount Pulaski, IL 62548
(217) 732-7341
www.statefarm.com
interior decorators
Gossett's
Decorator Studio
311 Broadway St.
(217) 732-3111
bgossett@abelink.com
internet services
CCAonline
601 Keokuk St.
(217) 735-2677
webmaster@ccaonline.com
investments
Aid Association
for Lutherans/
Lutheran Brotherhood
604 Broadway St., Suite 4
(217) 735-2253
linda_aper@aal.org
www.aal.org
janitor/cleaning serv.
Donna Jones
Commercial Cleaning
Floor waxing,
polishing & cleaning
(217) 735-2705
massage
All About You
408 Pulaski St.
(217) 735-4700
Serenity Now
716 N. Logan
(217) 735-9921
meat market
Benner's Too
511 Woodlawn Road
(217) 735-9815
motels
Holiday Inn Express
130 Olson Drive
(217) 735-5800
www.cdmhotel.com
nursing homes
Maple Ridge
2202 N. Kickapoo
(217) 735-1538
Maple Ridge at LDN
office supply
Glenn Brunk
Stationers
2222 S. Sixth
Springfield, IL 62703
(217) 522-3363
www.glennbrunk.com
optometrists
Advanced Eye Care
623 Pulaski St.
(217) 732-9606
www.advancedeyecenters.com
Nobbe Eye Care
Center, LLC
1400 Woodlawn Road
(217) 735-2020
pest control
Good Ole Pest Control
Daron Whittaker, owner
380 Limit St.
(217) 735-3206
pizza
Stuffed-Aria Pizza
102 Fifth St.(217) 732-3100
printer/printing
Key Printing
Tom Seggelke
(217) 732-9879
key@keyprinting.net
www.keyprinting.net
real estate
Alexander & Co.
Real Estate
410 Pulaski St.
(217) 732-8353
sonnie@ccaonline.com
Diane Schriber
Realty
610 N. Logan
(217) 735-2550
schriber@ccaonline.com
ME Realty
222 N. McLean
(217) 735-5424
merealty.com
Werth & Associates
1203 Woodlawn Road
(217) 735-3411
werthrealty@abelink.com
restaurants
Blue Dog Inn
111 S. Sangamon St.
(217) 735-1743
www.bluedoginn.com
service station
Greyhound Lube
1101 Woodlawn Road
(217) 735-2761
sewing
The Sewing Place
503 Woodlawn Road
(217) 732-7930
thrift stores
Lincoln Mission Mart
819 Woodlawn Road
(217) 732-8806
Clinton Mission Mart
104 E. Side Square
Clinton, IL 61727
(217) 935-1376
tires
Neal Tire & Auto
451 Broadway
(217) 735-5471
www.bentire.com
title companies
Logan County Title Co.
507 Pulaski St.
LCtitle@ccaonline.com
tourism
Abraham Lincoln Tour.
Bureau of Log. Co.
303 S. Kickapoo
(217) 732-8687
www.logancountytourism.org
towing
AA Towing & Repair
945 Broadwell Drive
(217) 732-7400
upholstery
L.C. Upholstery
529 Woodlawn Road
(217) 735-4224
weddings
The Classic Touch
129 S. Sangamon St.
(217) 735-9151
(888) 739-0042
Weddings by Crystal
121 S. Sheridan St.
(217) 735-9696
www.weddingsbycrystal.net
youth programs
YMCA
319 W. Kickapoo St.
(217) 735-3915
(800) 282-3520
http://www.ymca.net/
index.jsp?assn=1802
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