Thursday, December 6, 2012
The downtown Libertyville shop offers hand-crafted furniture and décor.
The promise at Spring Valley Trading Co. in downtown Libertyville is that customers can find something new there every day. It's a promise that owner Brooke Adler is determined to keep. On a recent Tuesday, an employee was busy creating sachets, packaging them with ribbon and then carefully displaying them on shelves for customers to enjoy. "Since we make everything locally, we haven't had a problem meeting that promise," said Adler. Spring Valley Trading Co. is a rustic décor lover's dream. The store's motto is "Rustic Elegance Redefined," and Adler said the goal is to offer largely locally-crafted rustic contemporary furniture and décor. She opened the store Oct. 5. Adler, a Wadsworth resident, said she selected Libertyville because of …
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Kristine Knutson, the owner of the Libertyville store, wants her shop "to be unique at an affordable price."
Editor's Note: I am working on a series that takes a look at the shops and restaurants that make up Libertyville's vibrant downtown. If you would like to see your business included in this series—or you'd like to suggest that we feature your favorite shop or restaurant—contact me, editor Korrina Grom, at korrina.grom@patch.com. ----------------------- It has been almost 10 years since Kristine Knutson launched her own business, How Impressive!, out of her home. She started an online-only letter-pressing business after getting an enthusiastic response to the cards she'd made for her daughter's First Communion. It's no surprise, then, that there are lots of cards to be found in her downtown Libertyville shop, located at 326 N. Milwaukee Ave…
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Allure Designs in Beauty, located in downtown Libertyville, recently expanded its salon to include a boutique.
When people stop by Allure Designs in Beauty salon in downtown Libertyville, they can have their hair cut and colored, get a massage, have the new gels applied to their nails, and get a one-hour make-up lesson. But there's something else Allure offers that, according to owner Shelly Malizola, sets the salon apart: a boutique. There are, of course, the Aveda products and the Bumble and Bumble line for customers to pick up. But the boutique also offers everything from colorful Namaste bracelets with their glass beads to the vegan Shiraleah products, like the feels-just-like-leather items. The opening of the boutique is one of many changes the salon has undergone in recent years, which also included a move and expansion this past June. "I …
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Repairhub, a new site started by Buffalo Grove resident Garry Rosenfeldt, makes it easier to find local service shops and book appointments.
When your car needs maintenance or a repair, where do you turn? Garry Rosenfeldt wants to take the hassle out of finding reputable service shops and making appointments. This month, the Buffalo Grove resident launched Repairhub, a website that makes it easy for vehicle owners to make such arrangements. “It was kind of a no-brainer,” Rosenfeldt said of his venture. “People hate calling around town to find a mechanic.” Rosenfeldt know this because he spent nine years as the director of marketing research at Midas, where he conducted focus groups. He recalls asking participants what they looked for when searching online for auto service shops. Their responses, he said, were always the same, and he took them into account when designing …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
The store, located in Westfield Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, has toys and games for all ages.
For Carol Van De Hoef, the best part of owning a toy store is working with her top-notch employees—and greeting the parents and grandparents who stop in to find gifts for their children and grandchildren. "So many people come in and say, 'You have things that are different,'" said Van De Hoef. "It's nice, too, because we have some of the same toys (the parents and grandparents) had when they were little," added spokeswoman Rachel Bailey. There are lots of interesting and unique toys and games to be found at Snickelfritz Toys, which is located on the lower level of Westfield Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, just outside of the JC Penney store. It is the company's sole store, aside from its online store. Van De Hoef opened the store as Bookids…
More retailers are choosing to open their doors on Thanksgiving night to eager bargain hunters. Meanwhile, an employee of Target is taking a stand, and has gotten more than 338,000 signatures from others who agree Thanksgiving needs to be saved.
Has Black Friday been stretched too far, or near, now that deals are actually being offered starting Thanksgiving night? The answer to that question is yes, says one Target employee out of Corona, CA. “C Renee” has obtained 338,418 signatures on Change.org from people who agree Target needs to take the high road and "save Thanksgiving." "Since workers need to show up sometimes hours before the story officially opens, this will take much of Thanksgiving away from retail employees across the country," C Renee said in her petition on Change.org. "Target can take the high road and save Thanksgiving for employees like me and our families by saying no to 'Thanksgiving Creep,'" C Renee added. Target’s Black Friday deals start at 9 on …
Friday, November 9, 2012
The technology manufacturing company, founded in 1995, moved to Libertyville from Wauconda.
Seventeen years ago, MBX Systems opened its first facility in Island Lake with three employees in a 500-square-foot space. On Thursday, the company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open its new headquarters at 1200 Technology Way in Libertyville. The 83,000-square-foot facility is set to employ more than 200 people by 2017. "I would've never envisioned it would grow to something we're celebrating here today," said Tom Crowley, founder and CEO of the technology manufacturing company. Crowley said the Libertyville headquarters is the biggest location MBX Systems has had since it first opened on April 10, 1995. MBX was most recently located in Wauconda. "We're very happy to be here," Crowley said, adding that he is happy to be …
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
David DeGrazia and Bryant Gourdie recently launched Winkage, a new form of social media.
There are thousands of Facebook users out there who love checking in on other people, but wish they could stay anonymous. Two Barrington residents took this concept and created the newest trend in social media: Winkage. Winkage is a new smart phone app created by David DeGrazia and Bryant Gourdie. The concept was developed to help people meet new friends or acquaintances through social media without having to expose too much about themselves. “We kind of said, wouldn’t it be cool if you could interact on our network and none of your information is ever exchanged unless you want to exchange it,” Winkage co-founder David DeGrazia said. Winkage users can check-in wherever they are much like Four Square and see who else is also checked-in …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Located in Vernon Hills, the business offers prepared meals.
John Marks is hoping to help people eat healthy foods and do so in a more convenient way with a business he recently started in Vernon Hills. Fit Healthy Foods offers fresh, prepared meals — including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks — that either can be picked up at three locations or delivered to customers' homes. "We're almost like a personal chef for people that don't want to cook or can't," said Marks, a Deerfield resident. Marks got the idea to start Fit Healthy Foods after visiting a store in Houston. Marks, who helps manage professional boxer Mike Lee, went to visit Lee in Houston. Lee's roommate worked at a store that offers prepared meals in a series of refrigerators. "I'd been looking for a business to start for a while," …
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Company is looking to start construction on its Franklin Boulevard site later this spring.
One of Libertyville’s largest employers is planning to expand its site by 50 percent, according to a village press release. VW Credit Inc., a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group of America Inc., plans to add about 30,000 square feet, expanding its site by 50 percent at 1401 Franklin Blvd. While the company owned land adjacent to the site for possible expansion, it also had opportunities at other corporate facilities in other states. “We’re pleased with VW Credit Inc.’s decision to expand its Libertyville facility and keep hundreds of jobs right here in Illinois,” said Warren Ribley, director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “Illinois has great assets, including a centralized location, world-class infrastructure and a …
42.29824
-88.00779
1401 Franklin Blvd, Libertyville, IL
/articles/vw-credit-to-expand-its-libertyville-site-by-50-percent
/locations/6573827
Suzie Neumann
10:18 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Can't stop thinking of the unique things at this store. Love it! more ›