DC Magazine - February 2022

BROTHERS’ DREAM EXPANDS WITH NEW SYCAMORE CAFE & DELI KISHWAUKEE FAMILY YMCA A COMMUNITY HUB FOR 64 YEARS AND COUNTING LOOKING FOR FAMILY FUN? SWING INTO DEKALB’S MASON INDOOR GOLF

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2 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

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INSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AWARD WINNERS 94.9 WDKB named 2021 Business of the Year..........6 D&D JEWELERS: A LEGACY AND A TRIUMPH Quality and building customer relationships are hallmarks of Sycamore shop’s business model..........8 TWO BROTHERS, ONE DREAM Cesaroni’s Café and Deli launches expands with a location in Sycamore......................................11 64 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP AND FAMILY Kishwaukee Family YMCA remains a community staple after six decades.........................14 A HOLE IN ONE FOR FAMILY FUN Mason Indoor Golf fulfills DeKalb’s need for a family recreation option...................................17

Project Manager: Lisa Angel Layout & Design: Julie Barichello Photography: Mark Black, Mark Busch, Maypole Studios Writers: Katrina J.E. Milton, Kelley White Articles and advertisements are property of Shaw Media.

No portion of DC Magazine may be produced without written consent of the publisher.

4 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

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DEKALB CHAMBER NAMES 94.9 WDKB

2021 Business of the Year T

he DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s annual Celebration Dinner was a big night for entertainment in DeKalb, as both radio station 94.9 WDKB and the historic Egyptian Theatre were recognized for contributions to the community.

During the event, the Chamber named 94.9 WDKB the 2021 Business of the Year. The Egyptian Theatre earned the 2022 Nonprofit Organization Award at the event, which was held at Northern Illinois University’s Barsema Alumni & Visitor’s Center in DeKalb.

WDKB was recognized for what supporters said was its hands-on approach to helping local businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic by offering free marketing and business

By: Katrina J.E. Milton

webinars and live on-air interviews.

The radio station also honors community members who are making DeKalb County a better place with its weekly Hometown Hero Award, offers 260 spots for guest DJs throughout the year, holds the Feed the Need Food Drive to help feed people and pets and a fundraiser 0.1K race.

“This means more to me personally than I can really express,” said Shawn Lowe, WDKB’s program director. “We’re just getting started. We’re not going to slow down.”

Other finalists for the 2022 Nonprofit Organization Award were the DeKalb Rotary Club, Live Learn and Lead and Voluntary Action Center.

The Egyptian Theatre opened its doors in 1929.

With a $6.5 million expansion

6 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

completed in 2020, the theater is able to offer entertainment and events year-round.

In his acceptance speech, Executive Director Alex Nerad described the downtown DeKalb destination as belonging to the community at large.

“This is your Egyptian Theatre,” Nerad said. “It was the community that stepped up in 1978 to create our nonprofit to save the theater. It was the community that helped restore the theater in 1983 to its original grandeur. It is the community that helped expand the theater over the last couple of years. It is the community that helped the Egyptian survive the devastating impact of [COVID-19] these past two years.”

The chamber also highlighted other DeKalb community leaders from various backgrounds throughout the evening.

Gavin Wilson of Country Financial and owner of The Hillside Restaurant in DeKalb was named the 2021 Ambassador of the Year.

The Chamber also inducted two members into its Hall of Fame: Steve Doonan, president and general manager of DeKalb Mechanical, and Bill Nicklas, DeKalb City Manager.

“It’s hard to pick only one business and one nonprofit because they all do a terrific job,” Chamber Executive Director Matt Duffy said.

“It’s a way to recognize them and celebrate them. They all deserve recognition for all that they do.

DeKalb and the community would not be the same without their contributions and involvement.”

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F D&D Jewelers

or more than a century, D&D Jewelers has glittered on Sycamore’s local business landscape, evolving from Cooper’s into third-generational D&D Jewelers over 20 years ago.

The business was purchased from the Cooper family by married couple Dawn and Don Sukach and has strengthened its legacy in the community of Sycamore ever since.

Dawn recalls her time working for Mr. Cooper, the development of her business, and the life behind a shop that is a beloved and historical fixture in Sycamore. “I started working for Mr. Cooper and the Cooper family maybe 10 or so years before we took over the business,” Dawn said. “He took me under his wing and started teaching and preparing me.”

A LEGACY AND A By: Kelley White

8 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

Mr. Cooper focused on teaching Dawn the intricacies of bench skills and watch repair. The bench skillset involves a variety of artisanal proficiencies in jewelry making and repair. Dawn facilitated a rapport with Cooper’s customers and began to take on more leadership roles, eventually purchasing the store and devoting her career to D&D Jewelers.

“When his son came in and was running the store, I helped run the management side and the sales floor – that kind of thing,” Dawn remembered. “When my husband and I bought the store, I learned about designers and took all the GIA courses. My husband went to watch school and goldsmithing school, and we learned all the facets of the business.”

Aside from practical skills, Mr. Cooper impressed strong business values on Dawn in her time with him at the store.

“A lot of what I learned at Cooper’s was valuing relationships,” Dawn said.

“Relationships with your customers, and your clients – that goes a long way.”

Recognizing and nurturing connections with her customers helped Dawn transition ownership of Cooper’s to D&D. “The transition of buying the business from Cooper’s went really well. We’ve always had a great relationship with them, and it went really smoothly. The community knew me, so they were really good about us taking over the store and the changes we were making.”

Eventually, D&D moved their location to give a growing customer base more room to peruse their sparkling wares.

“We moved location to change how we were servicing our customers,” Dawn said. “A lot of our business was on three different levels going up and down floors, and we just didn’t have the space that we needed. This location allows us all of us to be on one level with our shop, our offices, and all our sales staff. It has helped us be more proficient in serving our clients and it is also bigger, so we were able to spread out and do things better for everyone.”

Customers come first at D&D, and their whole business revolves around cultivating an atmosphere that encourages multiple generations to make D&D their jeweler.

“We always put our customers first and go above and beyond to do everything we can for them,” Dawn said. “My business philosophy is more of an understanding of what people want to express and what they’re wearing. Years ago, with engagement rings, it was all about ‘two months’ salary’ – that’s a non-starter. What we encourage and what we believe is that we will find something to work in your budget. We’ll find a way to make it work for you, and we’re just here to help you.”

Dawn expresses that she avoids making customers “feel like a number” at all costs, going that extra mile to make her clients happy with her business and their purchases.

TRIUMPH

DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | February 2022 | 9

“We really want to know the customer. We want to hear their story from start to finish, and we love it when people come back and show us their wedding pictures, tell us their stories.”

D&D Jewelers 739 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore 815-895-3377 • www.ddjewelers.com contactus@ddjewelers.com

“We really want to know the customer. We want to hear their story from start to finish, and we love it when people come back and show us their wedding pictures, tell us their stories, and tell us how they asked.”

D&D wants to celebrate life’s most precious moments with their customers, offering unparalleled quality in their jewelry and repair because they believe in authenticity.

“We try to do as much as we can with anything that is made in the United States as much as jewelry and gems can be,” Dawn said.

“For example, we work with [designers] Sylvie and Levy Creations, but one of our newest partnerships is a new line of diamonds we are one of the few shops supplying.”

D&D meets the criteria and mindset to supply these gorgeous gems.

“The brand, Rare and Forever Diamonds, are diamonds graded by AI. They are a higher end line that goes through and picks out the diamonds before they’re even graded, so none of the brown, yellow or milky colored stones are considered for these diamonds before they are cut,” Dawn said. “A lot of the diamonds out there don’t go through any of that process beforehand.”

According to Dawn, the Rare and Forever Diamonds brand subscribes to an old-school

10 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

method of grading, transcending current standards that tend to slip.

“Not many companies carry this line. They are very tight, and they are very strict on who is allowed to carry them. They work off a relationship with who they feel meets with them, understands the brand and knows the business,” Dawn said.

D&D Jewelers delights in creating beautiful custom pieces with excellence and attention to detail. The business offers custom design for engagement rings as well as many other jewelry items.

“Sometimes people will inherit several different pieces of jewelry and will want to do something special with them. We can combine all those different pieces of jewelry into one piece or several different ones,” Dawn said. “We had a customer with a tennis bracelet that we took apart and made into a number of different necklaces for all of her grandchildren.”

Dawn loves to recount stories of celebration and warmth with her customers, highlighting her values and dedication to providing the best service and experience she can.

“That’s what we like to do, we like to cheer on those moments,” Dawn said. “We’ve had people that we’ve started with for their engagements, and then they’ve come back with their sons or daughters and picked out engagement rings for their weddings. When you go from one generation to the next generation, when you have that relationship that carries on, that’s really what it’s all about.”

As owner of an independent and prominent business in Sycamore, Dawn understands the importance of supporting local businesses and keeping profits in her hometown. “Our business has brought a lot of stability to [Sycamore],” Dawn said. “They often say it’s tradition to come back here because their parents bought their rings here as well.

There is a lot of trust compared to today’s online market where there isn’t any faceto-face communication, you don’t know who you’re buying from, and there’s no relationship. We’re local, we live here, my kids live here, and we frequent other local businesses.”

To Dawn, it is about investing where she lives and thrives, building her community and helping it grow.

D&D Jewelers will carry on for generations to come, continuing a tradition long cemented in Sycamore’s history. “We want to make an impact,” Dawn concluded. “We want to have a legacy, and we care about this community now and for the future.”

TWO BROTHERS,

ONE DREAM

Cesaroni’s Café and Deli delights customers in Sycamore and Woodstock By: Kelley White

Heavenly aromas of fresh coffee, yeasty bread, and mouthwatering sandwiches are the perfect ingredients to a wellloved café and deli. The Cesaroni brothers established a beloved and familiar place for their fare in Woodstock and recently have expanded their love of fresh local foods and darn good coffee to the welcoming town of Sycamore. It is a story of a job well done, perseverance, and sustainable practices that are leading to a bright future for Cesaroni’s Café and Deli.

Brad Cesaroni reminisces on his time spent growing up with his brother and business partner, Brandon, and what has led to the successful opening of two locations for their Café and Deli.

With a sister and four years between them, Brad and Brandon Cesaroni have

shared a close bond throughout their entire life. “We played soccer together, raced motocross together, and we still do all those things when we can,” Brad said. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t even seem like work.”

Their strong work ethic was instilled at a young age when they saw their father run his own business and helped on the weekends. “We spent time after school going to help out with things that needed to be done,” Brad said. “Hard work stems from growing up and seeing what it takes firsthand.”

Brad was the first to try his hand at a deli, working in a sandwich shop throughout his college years. “I really enjoyed it, and I worked at multiple locations for the shop. Then, toward the end of college, I worked at the Corner Grind in Elburn.

DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | February 2022 | 11

CESARONI’S CAFE AND DELI Serves breakfast and lunch options 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily

219 W. State St., Sycamore 779-222-5087 • www.cesaronis.com sycamore@cesaronis.com

I was really one of their first employees they hired on to make their sandwiches. The owner was trying to transition out of being there every day, and I got to slowly step in and learn a lot from him. It was always on the back burner to do my own sandwich shop.”

Brad said. “We know the whole area really well. Sycamore was a no-brainer with people we’ve gotten to know through soccer and motocross, and we’ve really made quite a few connections to people in the area in general.”

In 2017, the brothers decided it was time to make their own foray into sandwiches and coffee. They looked to their grandmother’s building in Woodstock for their business endeavors.

Passion and a connection to their craft are two things that these brothers know well. “As kids, you could tell we were both interested in food, not necessarily being chefs, but we always had a passion for it,” Brad recalled. “I went to school to be a teacher and I enjoyed it, but it was not exactly what I hoped it would be.”

“My dad’s mom had purchased the building in Woodstock we’re in right now back in the early ‘80s or ‘90s for their business,” Brad said. “My dad’s mom started the company he runs right now, and we ended up taking over their building – it kind of worked out that way.”

As their business expanded, the brothers sought a new location in the place they’ve been close to their whole lives. “We’re from Burlington, just on the West Side of Elgin,”

12 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

Before they officially opened Cesaroni’s, Brandon was working in a metal stamping factory in Elburn and still figuring out his own direction. “He always knew it was a dream of mine to own a sandwich shop, and we just got to talking about it,” Brad said. “I told him if he wanted to do this together, we should do it.”

Brandon took up the restaurant and hospitality mantle with enthusiasm and ease, seeking to educate himself and gain experience while their business was still in its infancy. He applied for a job at another sandwich shop, where he worked for a couple of years to learn about the business.

“When we opened Cesaroni’s, it was cool to see that he had the most recent experience in the restaurant business as it had been a few years since I had worked in that [sector],” Brad said. “It was nice to have him come out fresh, and he had a lot of ideas.

We both have parts of the business we help out with, and he’s a very valuable asset in that sense.”

Every aspect of their business matters to them and has a story to tell, from the Cesaroni’s buildings to the produce used in their sandwiches and the coffee served fresh – history and future come together to create a wonderful atmosphere.

“We like the history behind the building in Woodstock, same with our building here in Sycamore, both were built in the late 1800s with the same kind of style,” Brad said.

“Both of us love learning the history behind the buildings and the towns, and we were able to find out about every owner and business that have been in our buildings since they were constructed.”

Being a part of history helps the brothers facilitate lasting relationships with their customers. Brad said multiple customers who visit their Woodstock location share stories about the businesses that resided in the building during their childhood. He and his brother are looking forward to the same stories and relationships in Sycamore.

“Lots and lots of cool stories. It’s fun to give our buildings new life and to bring back some things people remember.”

Sustainable partnerships with local and regional vendors run through the heart of their business and help shape the unique and authentic taste that is Cesaroni’s. “We try to have the best products and offer the best to everyone here,” Brad said. “Two Brothers was a no brainer as we wanted to have our own coffee blend unique to us, and Two Brothers was able to do that. With Kleins, we have produce grown 15 minutes from our Sycamore store, so we have the freshest produce you can get, especially in the summertime when we get all our tomatoes, lettuce and veggies coming straight from their fields – it’s hard to beat that.”

After sampling most bakeries in Northern Illinois, Turano got the gold. “Everything is top notch from them. Fresh and no preservatives with deliveries every day,” Brad said. As for the meats and cheeses?

The brothers looked no further than what they’d grown up on. “Boar’s Head was my first thought and was something we really needed to have. It was what we always ate growing up and it made sense to use them. Other than that, we just try to get everything local. From the farmer’s market, we get jams, jellies, and honey.”

Customers can walk in and expect to be greeted with warmth and welcome in a clean and inviting environment. “We take pride in everything we do, and you can tell,” Brad said. “People appreciate that.

One of our favorite parts about this is meeting new people, the connections, and the networking. It’s only been three years in the Woodstock location, and we are excited to meet even more people in Sycamore.”

With a philosophy rooted in their upbringing and a dedication to hospitality, Cesaroni’s Café and Deli stands for all the best things about hometown heart and authenticity.

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s r a e y 64 KISHWAUKEE FAMILY YMCA

of partnership and family in Sycamore By: Kelley White

s a pillar of strength and a welcoming presence in countless communities, the YMCA organization continues to provide bountiful resources to their members for better mind and spirit. Celebrating its 64th anniversary this year, the Kishwaukee Family YMCA has a rich history in the Sycamore area. CEO Mark Spiegelhoff and former CEO Gary Chesnut, as well as Herman Kussro, the longest Kishwaukee Family YMCA employee, offer their unique perspectives on the history and future of the YMCA organization and what the Y means to the Sycamore community.

“I arrived in April of 1970, before the new Y was completed, and I worked for a while

14 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

at the storefront operation on Third Street in DeKalb,” Chesnut said. “During the summer months, I was the aquatic director at that time, and I did all the training for the staff.”

Chesnut thought the location for the YMCA was an interesting choice, noting it caused some controversy and raised brows across the community. “It was interesting because the director and the community leaders felt that particular location was where the city was going to be heading, despite there not being anything out there yet. And wouldn’t you know it, that is exactly where the city headed.”

By the time Chesnut left the Y, the main pool, tennis courts, racquetball courts and several programs were added to

the facilities. Chesnut recalls a lack of programming in town prior to the YMCA, but when he moved on from CEO, there were popular leagues running at the Y and a strong community support for the establishment.

Kussro began teaching at the Y in 1965.

Currently, he teaches tai chi, karate, kung fu and women’s self-defense classes. “I have taught at the Y for 56 years,” Kussro said said. “I continue to teach at the Y to be part of something bigger than myself, part of an institution and people with the same values and goals so that together we can make a positive difference.”

To Kussro, the Y has stayed consistent in its values despite natural change over the years, which is a steadiness he attributes

to his longevity at the facility. “There have been individual differences with leadership style, changes in society, and health fads that come and go,” Kussro said. “But the atmosphere for staff and members has been positive and focused on offering members opportunities for self-improvement.”

Kussro credits much of the Y’s success in early years to director Ross Young.

“Ross was a WWII vet. When he returned home, like many vets, he wanted to make a positive difference in his community. The Y was Ross’s way of making that difference. He added Family to the name (a new idea at that time), making the Y unique in purpose, offerings, and function.” Kussro believes that Young would be proud of what the YMCA has become today.

over the years. The YMCA is a dynamic organization that has a profound impact on its community, wherever it’s located. The YMCA focuses on how we develop our youth in our communities and the strive to create better health and wellness opportunities for our community members moves us toward that development.”

Spiegelhoff underscores the significance of the YMCA organization’s positive evolutions over several decades.

“There’s been a general perception that we’re just a gym and swim, but that is so not the case,” he said. “We certainly do that – but we’re not just focused on healthy living. The youth development and the social responsibility component are equally important at the YMCA. We’re a reflection of the community.”

Current CEO Mark Spiegelhoff is incredibly gratified to be adding to Kishwaukee Family YMCA’s legacy and continuing its work in the community.

“This is my seventh year as a CEO of this YMCA, and I have been a YMCA CEO for 25 years as well as a professional in the YMCA movement for 37 years. I’ve watched the YMCA evolve from an emphasis primarily on health and fitness to serving a lot of other community needs, including childcare components with the emergence of Latchkey Kids and Two Working Parents.”

The YMCA is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization, a fact that may come as a surprise to some. As a nonprofit, the YMCA works to meet community needs, including those without the means for paper services.

The Y has a strong influence on a community’s youth demographic, and Spiegelhoff praises the steps taken toward more diverse and inclusive programming. “I’ve watched the YMCA become the fabric of most communities

A prevalent service that is unique to the Kishwaukee Family YMCA involves helping those with chronic diseases during their recovery period as a haven for camaraderie and wellness. “We offer a LIVESTRONG at the YMCA

“Just about 50% of the kids we serve come from low-income families,” Spiegelhoff said. “At the YMCA, they can be in a wholesome environment with plenty of stimulation and activities.

That is one of the core areas this particular YMCA steps forward to meet the community need.”

DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | February 2022 | 15

program,” Spiegelhoff said. “It’s a free program for anyone who chooses to participate. Our goal is to help the individuals who are on their recovery in terms of reclaiming their health and we’ve had about 150 people who’ve graduated from the program since we started it back in 2012.”

One YMCA member who participated in the program talks about the positive impact it has had on them after their ordeal: “When I first learned about the LIVESTRONG program at my Y, I felt a sense of hope. The feeling of regaining control physically after feeling hopeless for quite some time is what I gained from this program. Knowing you’re not alone is an amazing comfort.”

Spiegelhoff notes that DeKalb has twice the national rate for Parkinson’s Disease patients, a fact the Y has recognized and sought to address with incredible results. “In 2017 we launched the Pedaling for Parkinson’s program. We adopted this program

that was originally developed at the Cleveland Clinic where they discovered if Parkinson’s patients sustained exercise of pedaling a bike at over 80 revolutions per minute, that they could successfully stabilize the disease’s progression.” At the Kishwaukee YMCA, the participating group of Parkinson’s patients have become a family and continue to show amazing improvements in mitigating their symptoms.

Community, empathy, and care make the YMCA thrive year after year, affording health and wellness programs for everyone and creating family ties that bind forever. The future of the Kishwaukee Family YMCA is brighter than ever, even after the pandemic, and Spiegelhoff is encouraged in the recovery of the YMCA and its programs. An unbreakable sense of companionship and family is what keeps the facility flourishing, despite the world’s hardships.

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HOLEforINFamily ONEFun By: Kelley White

MASON INDOOR GOLF FULFILLS DEKALB’S NEED FOR A FAMILY RECREATION OPTION

J

im Mason, a prominent business owner and artful entrepreneur in DeKalb County, draws up another success in Mason Indoor Golf Family Fun Center, an indoor extravaganza of all-American delights. The facility offers patrons a mix of sports, family fun, drinks, and good times. Mason, along with his business manager Sarah Whiting, discusses his newest investment in the DeKalb community and the future for Mason Indoor Golf in the fabric of DeKalb’s family entertainment tableau.

For decades, Mason has built and designed his own businesses in the DeKalb area (and beyond) from the ground up,

often branching out to create a name in all of his passions. “I’ve been a talk show host for the last five to six years, I had JCM leasing – a Part 135 operation where I flew politicians and corporate people around in my three turbo prop jets out of DeKalb airport,” he said. “I owned a car rental enterprise for three to four years, and I’ve had three yachts that I leased out at my Shady Banks Resort in Fort Lauderdale.”

Mason also owns two mega laundromats out of West Chicago and DeKalb. He has an impressive arsenal of business ventures, with these representing just a few examples of what he has been capable of over the decades of his career.

Why indoor golf? It’s simple. Mason has a desire to invest in the DeKalb community and its families.

“When you invest in your community, you’re helping yourself as you help other people,” Mason said. “Sarah and I do everything we can to do business the right way locally. I’m the largest private property taxpayer in the county, and we do everything we can to do business here in town.”

He also attributes the direction of his latest enterprise to the fact that he loves to play golf.

DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | February 2022 | 17

As a capitalist, Mason believes in traditional values as the basis for his business ventures: service, quality, creativity, and entrepreneurship.

“Quality is everything. Ten to 20 years ago, people took it for granted, but they don’t take it for granted anymore,” he said.

Mason recognizes change on the horizon, adapting his businesses to better suit the community needs.

“We’ve got a lot of new things happening here in DeKalb. People are coming from all over to live here, and there’s a renaissance going on in the community. There’s a massive exodus out of the Cook County area, and people are coming here because the quality of life is better in DeKalb than most places.”

As families make their exit away from city and settle in areas like DeKalb, they will be looking for amenities and activities to experience together. Whiting points out DeKalb’s lack of family entertainment centers and why the community needed Mason Indoor Golf as an option.

“DeKalb doesn’t have a lot of family things to do, so we wanted to try and do something in town,” Whiting said. “We can do banquets here. We have five full swing bays that do golf, but they also have simulated basketball, football, zombie dodgeball, and 13 other sports as well as laser shooting.

That’s where the family fun center comes into it. We don’t really have another place like that in town, that families can come to and enjoy their time together.” The full swing bays also include baseball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, and carnival games.

Mason Indoor Golf opened in November 2020, ultimately weathering the pandemic that hampered many businesses. Again, Mason correctly anticipated what the DeKalb community was looking for. “After the pandemic, people wanted to be outside,” Mason said.

“A lot of the grade schools and the high schools pushed their sports into the summer, so everyone was playing outside in the summertime and then COVID hit again.” When the cold started to set in, and school-aged children had nothing to do, they realized they could fulfill their love of sports and teamwork at Mason’s facility.

18 | February 2022 | DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE

MASON INDOOR GOLF 1500 Sycamore Rd., D ​ eKalb 815-517-1372 www.masonindoorgolf.com MasonIndoorGolf@gmail.com

Brimming with a wide variety of sports to play on giant screens, Mason Indoor Golf is a world apart from other facilities of its kind.

“This facility is good for people 5 to 105 years old,” Mason said.

“There’s a game for everybody.

When you go online and look at it, we have two golf carts in front of each screen. The screens are 16 feet wide, 8 to 10 feet high, and the little kids can grab the steering wheel and bounce up and down while mom and dad are playing golf. Male, female, kids – there’s something here for everybody, and we have all the bases covered.”

Another offering Mason mentioned is laser guns for shooting targets and clays for target practice.

He said all of the activities and sports eventually will develop into leagues. Mason advises customers to make reservations due to the surge in popularity as more and more people find out about this unique facility.

After so much success in its early stages, Mason Indoor Golf continues to grow, now offering banquets and company outings.

Mason hopes to be open 24 hours a day in the future to accommodate the interest he has seen so far in the community.

One of the most exciting collaborations Mason talks about is a partnership with Texas Roadhouse. Mason took notice of the elongated wait times for food and tables at the restaurant and proposed they work together to create a collaborative business venture.

“I’ve made an offer, and they have accepted it,” Mason said.

“I’m going to let people order food, deliver it to my place at a pre-designated time, and they can eat the food at my place that Texas Roadhouse sends down while playing games and having drinks. Play my games, drink my drinks, and you can also have Texas Roadhouse.”

“The sky is the limit,” Mason said.

“We have it all.”

DeKalb Public Library.................................16 Discover Sycamore.......................................5 Egyptian Theatre..........................................6 First National Bank.......................................2 Hampton Inn by Hilton.................................7

Home2 Suites by Hilton................................7 Larry Gregory Photography .........................3 NIU Dept. of Visual Arts.............................20 Pizza Villa....................................................13 Yaeger’s Farm Market.................................16

DEKALB COUNTY MAGAZINE | February 2022 | 19

Artistry. Applied.

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