Carroll county living fall winter 2016

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Fall/Winter 2016

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Permit No. 440 Sterling, IL 61081 P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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Local produce on menu in Mount Carroll Sign company contiues to grow in Chadwick Quaint store has quite the variety in Lanark

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Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editors Lucas Pauley Rusty Schrader Page Design Lucas Pauley Published by

Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Carroll County Living Magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. The information in this magazine is believed to be accurate; however, Sauk Valley Media cannot and does not guarantee its accuracy. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this magazine.

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Contents 5

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5 Four Paws Inn Shannon facility strives to take best care of your dog while you’re gone

8 Raven’s Grin Owner of Mount Carroll haunted house aims to scare, humor visitors

13 College Street Creations

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Savanna store offers handmade gifts and teachers customers craft skills

16 Molly’s Kitchen and Bar

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Couple creates menu of food and drinks with local produce in Mount Carroll

21 End of the Road Antiques Shop in Lanark features a wide variety of primitives for customers to enjoy

24 Compliance Signs Chadwick business keeps growing behind hard work of employees

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26 Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center Site near Thomson aims to help visitors reconnect with nature, environment

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30 Ewers Garage Auto repair shop has stayed in the family for more than 90 years in Milledgeville

Sammy gallops through the grass at Four Paws Inn in Shannon.

The grooming, boarding and training facility for dogs has been open for 16 years.

Paradise for a pooch Four Paws Inn is a home away from home for your furry friend

STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

Continued on page 6

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Four Paws Inn

Address: 401 West Arch St., Shannon Phone: 815-864-3412 Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday; and 6 to 7 p.m. Sunday

Continued from page 5

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eaving your pet for an extended period of time can be stressful.

You want to make sure it’s getting the best care possible.

Lynn Gardner, owner of Four Paws Inn in Shannon, a grooming and boarding facility for dogs, said when you leave your pup with her, there’s no need to panic.

“I treat [my customers’] dogs the way I would want my own dogs treated,” Gardner said.

Gardner’s dog grooming, boarding and training business has been around for 16 years, so it’s safe to say she is a seasoned caregiver of man’s best friend.

“I’ve always loved dogs,” she said.

“You get dogs that come in that are frightened, and you have to help them get over that. And you get dogs that are exuberant.”

Garder’s love for dogs is evident when stepping into the indoor playroom of her facility, where she lets her own dog, Zayn, hang out while she works.

She said taking care of dogs is all about each canine’s individual needs, and she will cater to those

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TOP: Zayn plays with a ball in the indoor playpen at Four Paws Inn. Zayn hangs out with his owner and the owner of the business, Lynn Gardner, each day while she works.

ABOVE: Kari Sandhal grooms Duke at Four Paws. needs to the best of her ability while they are in her hands.

“There is very much a routine,” she said. “If somebody brings in a dog and they tell us how they feed it, that’s how we try to feed it.”

The same goes for taking the dog outside.

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“When [the owners] come in, we talk about their particular dog and how often it goes out,” she said. “We try to get them outside in the yard as much as possible. If they have an accident in the kennel, we never get mad at them.”

Four Paws Inn boasts a spacious facility with heated floors in the kennels, air conditioning, a grooming facility and both indoor and outdoor play areas.

Rest assured, there’s plenty of toys for dogs of all shapes and sizes to enjoy.

Gardner said when she hires employees, it is essential that they love animals. It’s also important that they owned a dog at some point in their life.

“You get so many personalities of dogs; dogs all have their own personalities,” she said.

“You get big ones and little ones; you get dogs that’ll pull and jump and what have you, so [the employees] have to love animals. It helps if they’ve ever gone through a training class with dogs, too.”

In addition to the requirements potential employees face, there are also requirements to have your dog boarded in the facility as well.

“If there’s a dog that has bitten, or has gone after somebody else’s dog, I wont [take care of those dogs] for the safety of the people that work for me and for the safety of the other animals here,” Gardner said.

Dogs must also be flea free, have no infectious diseases, be up to date on all vaccinations, and be reasonably healthy.

“I’m very particular about how the dogs are taken care of, and any medications are given to them promptly,” she added.

The business has 33 kennels, but Gardner said she tries to steer clear of filling them all at once.

“Generally, we aren’t full unless it’s a holiday or summer weekend,” she said. “I try not to

Sadie and Daisy take a break from chasing a ball around the playpen at the facility. overbook, because I don’t want more than we can take care of and keep happy.”

The only aspiration Gardner said she has at this point for Four Paws Inn is to ensure she continues to make her business a good one.

“We concentrate on doing the best job we can

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do boarding and grooming. ... We do what we say we’re going to do,” she said. “I don’t want to pack dogs in. Money is not the bottom line for me; it’s taking care of the dogs and having a happy, healthy place for them to stay when they can’t stay at home.” s

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Spooky with some substance STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

Haunted house offers thrills, humor and some history in Mount Carroll

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ith Halloween just around the corner, you might be itching to roam through a haunted house, but why wait until October when Raven’s Grin is open yearround?

Jim Warfield runs – and lives in – the haunted house with his wife, Jessica.

The house was built in 1870 and has been a schoolhouse, a speakeasy, and a car dealership, among other things.

Warfield, 67, said he made his home into a haunted house for entertainment purposes, but many people have claimed to have had real supernatural experiences while inside of his home.

“People would go down to the wine cellar during the tour and I would walk down the steps and they would say, ‘Wow! That was really neat, how’d you do that?’ and I said ‘What?’ and they said, ‘That woman back there in the corner with the dark hair and the white dress, she floated across the room,’” said Warfield.

The only problem is: that wasn’t part of the attraction.

Warfield said people have had similar experiences in the wine cellar.

Despite living in a house that has had a plethora of ghost sightings, he said it doesn’t bother him very much because the ghosts seem to mind their own business for the most part.

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Jim Warfield has owned the house that is now known as Raven’s Grin for 29 years in Mount Carroll. The haunted attraction is open almost every night of the year.

Warfield said Raven’s Grin is a haunted house that all ages truly can enjoy, which is why he adds a little bit of humor to his tours.

“We try to have fun here, and I’ve had some people halfway through the house ask me to stop making them laugh because their face hurts,” he said.

Some might wonder where the name Raven’s Grin originated. According to Warfield, it has some literary and comedic affiliations.

“I sat down and thought about it for a long time before I came up with the name. I had about 85 different names I had come up with,” Warfield said. “One of the most popular poems in the United States was Edgar Alan Poe’s ‘The Raven’. It’s spooky, but it’s not over the top, but I wanted to entertain people, not terrorize them, so the raven is grinning.”

The house is four stories with dozens of rooms.

Warfield takes his customers on a room-byroom, hour-long tour filled with twists, turns, tunnels, secret passages and much more. All while delivering his own monologue of the house’s haunted history.

He purchased the house in 1988 for $3,000, against the wishes of many folks in town who warned him it was haunted.

Continued on page 11

The wine cellar inside Raven’s Grin was used as a speak easy during prohibition. The house was also used as a school at one point in its history.

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TOP LEFT: Raven’s Grin attracts haunted house visitors from all over the world. It’s hard to miss.

BOTTOM LEFT: A station wagon sits downtown to promote the haunted house.

TOP RIGHT: The tower at the site is shown. The building is four stories.

BOTTOM RIGHT: A message is posted for visitors.

Continued from page 9

At the time, there was no working electricity or plumbing in the house. Warfield has spent countless hours turning it into the haunted house of his dreams.

“I make all of my own stuff; I try not to copy other people,” he said.

As for the art of scaring, Warfield said it’s all about the build-up and less about the jumpy scares.

“Having a haunted house, you have to set people up for it, you have to make their anticipation level go up,” he said. “My house is not like a Hollywood horror movie. I think Hollywood does a big disservice with most of the movies they make because ... they take something that’s more subtle and then they keep

Raven’s Grin

Address: 411 N Carroll St., Mount Carroll Phone: 815- 244-4746 Website: hauntedravensgrin.com and on Facebook Email: ravensgrin@grics.net Hours: 7 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday; and 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to midnight Saturday and Sunday Admission: $15 for adults, $13 for children under 9 adding on to it and adding on to it.”

It’s all about the perfect balance of humor and horror, Warfield said.

For instance, one of the many tales visitors will hear centers on a graveyard just across the parking lot and beyond a wooded area near his house.

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“I like to tell people that right beyond those trees is a graveyard ... 6,500 cold, hard stones.

There’s a lot of dead people buried up there, most of my relatives are buried there, and most of them – are dead,” he said with a cackle.

“The tallest stone you’ll find in that graveyard has my last name on it.” s

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Elizabeth Straight of College Street Creations makes most of the items in her store with husband, Kelly.

Creative, cool and custom

Savanna store sells handmade decorations, offers workshops to teach customers skills

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STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

ne-of-a-kind, custom-made items tailored specifically to customer’s individual tastes are a staple at College Street Creations in downtown Savanna.

“We give new life to a lot of old things,” said College Street Creations owner Elizabeth Straight.

When you walk into Straight’s shop, it’s likely

you’ll be greeted by her kitten, Lucky, who accompanies her every day.

After being welcomed by Lucky, you’ll likely notice the shop’s walls are lined with handmade signs, wreaths, and even giant versions of games, such as Jenga.

Continued on page 15

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College Street Creations

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Continued from page 13

“Our yard games are extremely popular,” Straight said. “We have giant Jenga, yard Yahtzee, dominoes, and have another game we’re getting to roll out this fall ... giant tic-tac-toe.”

Straight and her husband, Kelly, can paint the game pieces any color the customer wants and even offer glow-in-the-dark paint.

Straight, 32, said her shop specializes in creating any sort of custom piece her clients desire.

A lot of the stuff people request is things they know they will never have the time or the tools to make on their own, Straight said.

“We get a lot of messages in regards to Pinterest boards and pictures that have gone viral on Facebook,” she said.

Straight is determined to keep the merchandise in her store unique and handmade.

So, in addition to creating the merchandise she sells in her shop, she also allows other local creators sell their pieces.

Straight said her store is a lot less commercial than some of the other similar stores.

A couple of items which are mass produced, such as adult coloring books, but, for the most part, it’s local pieces made by local people.

“I’d say 90 percent of the stuff in our store is all handmade. ... That way, we’re not only supporting other local artists and crafters, but we’re also staying unique from other businesses.”

Straight also offers workshops, which help teach her customers how to create a piece of decor step-by-step.

“The most challenged person who says they have no creativity could come and take a class and we will help them from start to finish,” she said.

Some of the topics of the workshops include how to create pallet signs, door hangers and burlap wreaths.

Children’s workshops are also available, and Straight said there are plans to have children’s make-and-take workshops each Tuesday after school.

“Kids can come in after school and make a quick, fun project to take home,” she said. “It’s something to offer to the community so everyone’s not sitting at home.”

Straight offers both public and private workshops. Her public workshops tend to fill up fast, something she hopes might change in the future.

“We would like to have a bigger location where we can do more workshops or offer bigger workshops,” she said.

Straight said she loves her business, and her favorite thing about it is that she’s doing something different every day.

“It’s always changing. You’re never working on the same project for more than a couple days,” she said. s

ABOVE: The store’s walls are full of items for sale. The store also offers workshops, helping customers build their own pieces.

LEFT: Large Jenga blocks have become one of the most popular items in the store.

BELOW: Many of the items in the store, such as these wash cloths, are handmade.

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Molly McDonough, one of the owners of Molly’s Kitchen and Bar in Mount Carroll, places an order in the window.

Molly’s mojo

Eatery thrives with local produce in Mount Carroll

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STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

he term power couple often gets thrown around when referring to celebrities, but it seems Mount Carroll residents Molly McDonough and Ben Johnson fit the mold perfectly.

McDonough, 30, and Johnson, 32, have owned Molly’s Kitchen and Bar since 2014. Johnson, a Mount Carroll native, said he and Molly were ready for a change of pace after living in Los Angeles and decided to spend a winter in Mount Carroll while recording an album together.

Both agreed that music and food are an essential part of their lives, and after completing their album, “Submarines in Space,” they decided to stay in Mount Carroll and open a restaurant.

“We’re a really good team. So when we set out to do this, we decided we were going to make this work. ... We said if we’re going to make this investment in our time and financially, then it is going to work,” McDonough said. “We just had that determined attitude about it.”

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The pasta ratatouille is shown at the downtown restaurant.

Husband and wife, Molly McDonough and Ben Johnson, own Molly’s Kitchen and Bar in downtown Mount Carroll.

McDonough had an abundance of experience as a chef before opening the restaurant. She was a pastry sous chef at Mozza Osteria and Pizzeria before leaving Los Angeles.

According to the couple, what really sets their establishment apart from others is everything on the menu is made completely from scratch with local produce – even the drinks.

“We make all of our drinks with fresh fruit juices that we squeeze regularly,” Johnson said. “All our produce right now is coming from just outside of town.”

The couple alter the menu every so often and try to keep it small so they can perfect all of their meals.

“Before we opened in 2014, we spent a lot of time on the menu, making sure we were happy with all the recipes and the preparations and stuff, but Molly does change the menu every month,” Johnson said. “She switches up about 60 percent of it based on what kind of produce is fresh, and based on seasonal things like what you want to eat at that specific time of the year.”

Continued on page 19

The half chicken is shown at the restaurant. The owners change the menu regularly to keep things fresh.

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Continued from page 17

McDonough likes to keep things fresh so the regulars have something new to try.

“We have people in town that come in once or twice a week, and we didn’t want them to come in and be like, ‘Oh, God, this is just the same thing,’” McDonough said.

The couple agreed that they want people to feel comfortable coming into their restaurant no matter what they’re wearing. They strive to have a casual atmosphere.

“A lot of people describe it as urban, that it feels like a restaurant that would be in the city or something,” Johnson said. “At the same time, we get a lot of farmers that come in here to eat in their work clothes and we love that.”

In addition to the restaurant, a small inn is located directly above it, which Johnson’s parents own.

“My family purchased the building last year and completely restored it – they’re like suites really,” Johnson said.

Despite the inn being above the restaurant, the two don’t overlap much, other than being in the same building.

“We aren’t doing any package deals or anything right now, but we’ve been surprised, too, because there’s just a demand for an inn in town,” Johnson said.

McDonough said she loves the small-town life and is glad her and Johnson decided to start up a business in Mount Carroll.

“There’s no mold here. ... There’s no young culture you have to follow. You can really just be your own person and it allows you that time to figure out exactly what you want to do,” McDonough said. “Whether or not we’re here in 10 years, everything we’ve done in the last 2.5 years to open the business has been an awesome experience.”

Johnson said this never would have been possible for them to do in a big city, but it still consumes a majority of the couple’s time.

But they don’t mind.

After being married for 4 years and together for 8 years prior to that, they’re committed – to

ABOVE: The owners want people to feel comfortable coming into their restaurant no matter what they’re wearing. They aim to have a casual atmosphere. BELOW: McDonough prepares a salad for dinner service.

Molly’s Kitchen and Bar

Address: 110 W Market St., Mount Carroll Phone: 815-906-0052 Online: mollysmountcarroll.com and on Facebook Hours: 4:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday Reservations: Taken daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Special reservations required for parties of eight or more. each other and to the restaurant.

“Surrender the rest of your life,” Johnson said with a laugh. “We’re totally committed to it. ...

We have an excellent staff. It’s small but they’re all really hard-working and really dedicated. We love doing it. We love making food, we love making drinks and we love serving people.” s

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A Rock-Solid Reputation

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End of the Road Antiques in Lanark offers a wide selection of seasonal and unique antiques.

Get lost at Lanark shop Primitives are plentiful at the End of the Road Antiques

R

STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

ustic farmhouse trends have gained in home decor popularity over the past few years, which requires many people to stray from the beaten path when shopping for that special something for their home.

Randy Welp, 66, owner of End of the Road

Antiques, said if you’re looking for an original primitive antique, his shop is the place to go.

“Victorian is kind of out, and someday it’ll come back again, but primitive seems to stay in,” Welp said. “I like that general store, farm, rural kind of look in my shop.”

Antiquing has become a popular hobby over the past few years, helped along by shows such as “American Pickers,” and is something that has become a trend with all ages of people.

Continued on page 23

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(815) 855-3061

Continued from page 21

Welp said there’s definitely a mix of ages that come to his shop nowadays. “More younger people are taking an interest in older stuff and that historical aspect of it and the quality of it,� he said.

End of the Road Antiques is a quaint store, but despite its size, it’s filled with all sorts of odds and ends, from old, wooden cabinets to farmhouse milk jugs.

It definitely gives off that old farmhouse vibe. “We get a lot of people in our shop that say, ‘Wow, he’s got this displayed so nicely,’� Welp said. “Every once in a while, there’s someone that says there’s too much stuff in here, that it’s overwhelming. But, in general, people love to walk around and spend time in here looking.

There are people that love to dig down and open the cupboards up and find something in there that might be hidden. There’s something to that.�

Welp said he travels all over the country to find antiques to sell in his shop and is very dedicated to making sure he picks things that his customers will enjoy. “I have some very regular customers, many from Sterling, Rock Falls, the Oregon area, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin,� he said.�They come back because this is their kind of stuff.�

The ongoing search of finding the gems to put in his store keeps Welp on his toes. “There’s a challenge to finding stuff and buying it with the understanding that somebody else has to purchase it from you,� he said.

Gift items, such as candles and signs, are also available at the store, and Welp said prices in his shop range anywhere from $1 to $4,000. “I’ve just always liked the history of old stuff and what it did,� Welp said. “It’s fun unearthing interesting treasures. ... There’s something here for everyone.� s

ABOVE: Wooden bowls, pottery and other primitives are shown at the store.

BELOW: A popular lawn item is shown outside the store.

End of the Road Antiques

Address: 308 SE Lanark Avenue, Lanark Phone: 815-4936487 Online: On Facebook Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday (hours can vary)

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Signs of

success

TOP: Paul Sandefer (at left, in red), president of Compliance Signs in Chadwick, stands with some of his employeers outside of the business. The company makes all types of showns, including the ones shown above.

STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

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Compliance Signs has grown significantly since its beginning in 2006 in Chadwick

P

eople see signs every day, everywhere.

No matter where you look, you’re bound to spot a sign at some point. But have you ever stopped and wondered where so many of these signs come from?

Compliance Signs in Chadwick plays a big role in the production and distribution of signs locally, nationally and even internationally.

Paul Sandefer, 47, president Paul of Compliance Sandefer Signs, said President of although the Compliance Signs sign business might not seem exciting, it is something that is necessary and high in demand.

“You can’t convince anybody to buy a ‘Danger: High Voltage’ sign unless they need one,” Sandefer said. “But if they do need one, they’re going to buy one. And from that standpoint, we have a lot of demand that isn’t dependent on the economy, because the signs are always cheaper than the injury or the fine or the insurance claim.”

Compliance Signs creates a plethora of signs, some of which include street signs, no smoking signs, braille signs, hazardous materials signs, parking signs and

Compliance Signs

Address: 56 Main St., Chadwick Phone: 800-578-1245 Online: compliancesigns. com and on Facebook Email: sales@compliancesigns.com even signs to stick in the window of your home to alert firefighters that you have pets inside of your house in the event of a fire.

Compliance Signs has about 75 employees, some of whom work in Indianapolis and Sterling. About 60 work in the Compliance Signs building in Chadwick.

“It is a great place to work; it’s very customer oriented,” said Lori Queckboerner, a customer service inside sales and graphics supervisor. “We work very hard to keep the customers happy, to make the custom items that they’re looking for. We try to help them with that as best we can. We want 100 percent satisfaction, so we work really hard with our customer service group.”

Queckboerner has worked at Compliance Signs for 11 years and said, during that time, she has climbed the ladder and has grown immensely in her career.

“It started out as a part-time job, ... but that only lasted for about 3 weeks,” she said.

1007 4th St. Fulton, IL (815) 589-3000

Queckboerner said she enjoys what she does. She said the company is a fun place to work, is very employee-oriented and is willing to work around each employee’s schedule.

Sandefer said one of the benefits of working at Compliance Signs is the air conditioned facilities, which is necessary when printing signs.

When he walks through the production facility he greets many employees by name, but tries his best to stay out of their way as they work.

That has been something he’s always stressed when it comes to running his business.

“I talk to my counterparts when I go to conferences and I always hear about, ‘Oh, our employees don’t work hard,’ and its confusing

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to me because our employees, we give them what they need and tell them what we want them to accomplish, then we get out of their way,” Sandefer said.

“I think being in farm country and being around people that grew up working, they bring that work ethic with them to work and it makes it very easy as a manager.”

It would appear Sandefer’s method works, because for the past 6 years Compliance Signs has made Inc. Magazine’s top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies list.

“As we continue to grow and get better at what we do, then it feeds on itself,” Sandefer said. “It continues to grow the business and continues to provide a good product at a fair price and a good place for employees to work.” s

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Become one with nature Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center focuses on getting people back in touch with the environment

ABOVE: Pam Steinhaus, 52, a visitor services manager at Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center near Thomson, talks about the many activities available along the Mississippi River Refuge. TOP: A wolf is displayed next to an owl at the center.

Story By Kacie Klinge & Photos by Philip Marruffo For Carroll County Living

T

hese days, almost everyone has a smartphone capable of giving them information about almost any topic.

But is there a difference between reading about something and experiencing it first hand?

Pam Steinhaus, 52, a visitor services manager at Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center, thinks so.

“It’s a reality that we feel like we need to go to zoos to see wildlife when there’s a refuge right out here, outside of our back door. ... We’re losing touch,” she said. “Coming to a place where you can actually see and do is where people really get to learn.”

Ingersoll Wetlands Learning Center has been around for 92 years and sits on 35 acres of sand prairie.

The center promotes environmental education and conservation of the Mississippi River, with a focus on hands-on educational experiences when it comes to nature and wildlife.

The facility achieves this by offering a variety of nature-related activities. “[After visiting], most people say, ‘Wow. I can’t believe it took me so long to get here,’” Steinhaus said.

Some of the activities include monthly bird walks, golf cart tours and movie days. There are also self-led activities, such as bird watching, hiking, biking, canoeing, hunting and fishing. All of the activities are free to participants.

Continued on page 28

We invite you to stop by and enjoy a multi-level shopping experience SM-ST5897-0822

307 First Ave., Sterling

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Full Service Auto Repair SM-ST5876-0822

AUTOMOTIVE

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Address: 7071 Riverview Road, Thomson Phone: 815-273-2732 Website: fws.gov/refuge/upper_mississippi_river and on Facebook Email: stewardsumrr@gmail.com Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

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A boater enjoys an August afternoon on Spring Lake at the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge.

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The center offers literature on are animals and taxidermy, which allows guests to get an up-close view of what the local wildlife looks like.

“A lot of people come here to see the birds during the spring time and the fall; the Mississippi River is a migration corridor,” she said.

And there’s not just one that the people come to see. The area has a wide variety of birds.

“In the winter time, it’s a big area for bald eagle watching,” Steinhaus said. “We have tundra swans that come through; we get at least 1,000 or so.”

In addition to outdoor activities, the inside of the center offers literature on area animals

and taxidermy, which allows guests to get an up-close view of what the local wildlife looks like.

If you’re looking to get your children more involved in the great outdoors, Steinhaus said the Junior Stewards of the Upper Mississippi Refuge Program, which has been up-and-running for 5 years, might be something to look into.

The group is for kids ages 9 to 14 and meets once a month to partake in different activities.

“We recently searched for monarchs and looked for eggs and larvae,” she said.

When it comes down to it, Steinhaus said their facility just wants to help people appreciate the majesty of the great outdoors.

“This facility is connecting people to the refuge and back to nature. ... Our services are safe and well-run,” she said. “It’s a great stopping place [for people] to take a hike, take a bike trip, use your binoculars, just to get out and experience [nature] for themselves.” s

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Dental Care for the Whole Family

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Ewers Garage, Inc. 815-225-7151 18 E. 4th St.,

c a r r o l l

Serving the area Since 1921

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Milledgeville, IL 61051 www.ewersgarage.com

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They care about auto repair

Todd Ewers works on a vehicale at his auto repair shop in Milledgeville.

Todd purchased the business from Tom, his father, in 1995. Tom purchased the business from his father, William, in 1958.

Ewers Garage fueled by family – theirs and yours STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR CARROLL COUNTY LIVING

E

wers Garage has managed to stay in the family – and in business – for 95 years.

Owner Todd Ewers purchased the business from Tom, his father, in 1995. Tom purchased the business from his father, William, in 1958.

“We’ve been at this particular location since 1958,” Todd said.

Todd, 51, has expanded the building since purchasing it from his father. He attached a 900-square-foot office and waiting area in 1999.

The business consists of four lifts, seven bays and is equipped with up-to-date diagnostic and repair equipment.

Todd said the quality of their service is top priority.

“We treat the vehicles as if they are our own,” Todd said. “If it needs something, we’ll let you know. We’re not going to sell you something that you don’t need.

“I just think if it was my daughter riding in that vehicle and they brought it in for an

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oil change and it needed other things done, I think what would I want that customer to know,” Todd said. “We take care of people and we try to do it efficiently and get their vehicle back to them the same day if possible.”

Todd admits there are chains around the area that might be cheaper, but he believes his employees hold their work to a higher standard.

Continued on page 31

Mark Conkrite, an employee of Ewers Garage for 20 years, works on a truck at the Milledgeville auto repair shop.

Continued from page 30

“I don’t try to compete with ... places like that – I can’t,” he said.

Services such as oil changes might cost more at his shop, but it’s because of the high quality of the products the shop uses, he said.

“We do a lot of things that they don’t when it comes to checking things,” Todd said. “One of the sayings I’ve had on my sign over the years was ‘Maintenance doesn’t cost, it pays.’”

Todd graduated from the Wichita Automotive and Electronics Institute in 1984 and is an ASE master certified technician.

In addition to working on vehicles, he also works with customers and manages the day-to-day operations of the business.

“I have to wear a lot of different hats,” he said.

Ewers Garage is a general repair shop. In a nutshell, they take care of all your vehicle needs, except for tires.

“We do everything from an oil change to an engine overhaul and everything in between,” Todd said.

Mark Conkrite, 43, has been working at Ewers Garage for 20 years as an auto technician and said he doesn’t plan on going anywhere.

“It’s a nice job,” Conkrite said. “It’s a very laid back atmosphere. ...

We do good work, and we treat people right” Todd said they average about eight vehicles a day.

There are currently three employees working in the shop and two employees in charge of office work.

“I’m lucky; I’ve got good employees. ... Don’t tell them I said that,” Todd said with a laugh. “Everybody knows their job, and they’re good at doing it.”

Todd said there’s a specific phrase he tries to live by, and instill in his employees, when it comes to his business.

“Treat our customers the way we would want to be treated,” he said. s

Todd looks over the appointment schedule at the shop. In addition to working on vehicles, he also works with customers and manages the day-to-day operations of the business.

Ewers Garage

Address: 18 East 4th St., Milledgeville Phone: 815-225-7151 Online: ewersgarage.com and on Facebook Email: info@ewersgarage.com Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 8 a.m. to noon the first Saturday of the month

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THE CROOKED ROOF

DOWNRIGHT DELICIOUS!

Che

ck Out The Menu!

• Char-grilled Burgers • Hand Made Pizzas • Local Steaks and Pork Chops • Specialty Menu Items • Full Bar and a Ton of Craft Beers

• Fun, Cozy Environment • Music on the Weekends • Beer Garden • Everybody Welcome!

109 E. Carroll St. Lanark IL 815-493-6838