Sauk ogle county living spring:summer 2018

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Spring/Summer 2018

Looking back on 125 years of service at Pinecrest Community

New gastropub in Byron boasts much more than just beer and burgers

Ogle County youth gets a kick out of games at carnival

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FEATURE • STORY L

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Publisher Don T. Bricker 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 Ogle 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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Inside 9

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5 – DJ’s Arcade Bar in Mount Morris 9 – Cork & Tap in Oregon 15 – Hazel’s Cafe in Oregon 21 – Pinecest Community in Mount Morris

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25 – Ogle County 4-H Penny Carnival 27 – Fitness Junction in Davis Junction 33 – Aero Ale House in Byron

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Bright lights, small village Arcade bar offers something unique

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ave and Maggie Johnson, owners of DJ’s Arcade Bar, have turned a gonesour situation into an exciting new proposition at 12 W. Main St. “We actually bought the building in 2011 and opened it up as Johnson’s Discount General Store,” Dave Johnson said. “And that never really took off. And then when Dollar General came to town, that pretty much put the kibosh on that.”

So there they were with a building built in the ’70s that they didn’t know what to do with. The couple already owned White Pines Roller Rink and Maggie’s Idle Hour.

DJ’s Arcade Bar offers plenty of fun things to do, including air hockey and arcade games.

Continued on page 6

STORY BY ANDREA MILLS & PHOTOS BY PETER BALSER FOR OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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Dave Johnson, co-owner of DJ’s Arcade Bar in Mount Morris, is shown behind the bar. Dave owns the bar with his wife, Maggie.

He has lived in the area for 34 years and is a former program director and radio disc jockey for 97ZOK in Rockford.

Continued from page 5

“We’ve had tremendous support from the community with Maggie’s Idle Hour,” Johnson said.

So, obviously, the couple knew how to run a bar, but they wanted to try a different concept.

Being in the roller skating industry at White Pines Roller Rink, they also knew about arcade games.

“We have a bunch of them out there,” Johnson said. “It seems like kind of an easy thing for us to kind of transition into. We just didn’t want to see one more empty building in Mount Morris.”

He said the building once housed the Brass Rail Bar. “It’s not very old compared to what’s around this town,” Johnson said.

He has lived in the area for 34 years and is a former program director and radio disc jockey for 97ZOK in Rockford.

DJ’s Bar and Arcade opened in early March 2017. It’s staffed by four employees and the Johnsons.

“It’s a new concept to this area,” he said.

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DJ’s Arcade Bar

Address: 12 W. Main St., Mount Morris Phone: 815-734-6290 Online: On Facebook Hours: 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Thursday; noon to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday Reservations accepted for corporate events and children’s and adult birthday parties, and arcade games can be purchased.

“People nowadays, when they go out, they do tend to drink less, which there’s nothing wrong with that. This just gives people something to do, a new way to socialize, have some fun.

We’re just not your traditional bar. The emphasis is on the fun, not so much on consumption.”

As a customer walks into the bar in the evening, they’ll notice the bright lights from the games and the chirping of the machines.

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Outside seating is available in the side porch, where smoking is allowed.

“We have a couple pool tables and an assortment of arcade games,” Johnson said.

There are also redemption games, where customers will get tickets based on their score.

Then, they can walk on over to the prize counter, and end up walking away with all sorts of prizes, including a 6-foot teddy bear.

They’ve given away three of those large bears. One recently was won by a girl who gave it to someone else in a kind gesture.

“People love getting those tickets,” he said.

“Had a gentleman in here the other night in his 30s, and he was so excited because he ended up with 1,000 tickets. He was like a kid again.”

Other prizes include goofy sunglasses, candy items, inflatable baseball bats, things that light up, joke items, stuffed animals, 6-foot long snakes and old-fashioned hand buzzers.

“If somebody offers you a stick of gum, don’t take it,” Johnson said. “When you pull on [the shock gum], it gives you a jolt. It’s probably the most popular item over there.”

The games attract a variety of clientele.

“People are here reliving some ’80s games and there’s other people here for the newer stuff,” Johnson said. “We do have video slots – video gaming has its own private gaming parlor in the back.”

The most popular games are the “Ice Ball” ski-ball machines – but the list goes on. Gamers can shoot some hoops, play darts, football and air hockey or try their hand at motion simulators like the motorcycle games, where players sit on a motorcycle that moves. And there’s pinball.

“Pinball is kind of a big deal,” Johnson said.

“It’s making a huge comeback nowadays – a resurgence.”

His pride and joy is a KISS pinball machine that was autographed by Ace Frehley of the rock band KISS. As far as he knows, it’s one of a kind, acquired by a previous owner and purchased by Johnson at an estate sale.

Bar food, such as nachos and soft pretzels, are available, and Johnson said people are welcome to bring in their own if they wish.

The bar has almost 40 different beers to choose from, and also serves soft drinks, bottled water, lemonade and more.

The arcade bar also is kid-friendly, with children welcome until 8 p.m.

“Parents definitely like being able to bring their kids in here. It’s something for them to do,” Johnson said. “And the parents are playing

Assorted pinball machines – including a KISS pinball machine that was autographed by Ace Frehley of the rock band – can be found at DJ’s Arcade Bar in Mount Morris.

the games with their children. ... The kids usually win. Kids are experts on all of these games the minute they walk through the door. ... They know how to do it. The adults, not so much.”

The bar offers a relaxed atmosphere, with 13 TVs, couches, comfy chairs and music videos.

“It’s kind of unique,” Johnson said. “Every song is a music video and they go all the way back to Elvis videos, not just new stuff.”

He said he considers the price of the arcade games to be reasonable – 25 cents to 50 cents a

game. Pool is $1.

Tokens are purchased at a machine and placed in buckets. After playing, tickets come out and those go into the bucket to be redeemed. Sometimes it’s a learning experience, but it’s a new twist.

“The arcade bar concept is one of the fastest growing bar concepts in the country right now,” Johnson said. “People are tired of the same old bar scene, looking for something different and we’re it. It’s a lot of fun. People come in here, and it’s a blast.” s

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Cork & Tap was packed for its grand opening and ribbon cutting Feb. 1 in downtown Oregon.

Community has caught the buzz A

New Oregon business taps into regional wines, brews

Story and Photos By Chris Johnson & Additional Photos By Earleen Hinton For Ogle County Living

place to socialize has been embraced as a new favorite hangout to have a glass of wine or a pint of beer.

Cork & Tap owner Carrie O’Neil, 32 of Oregon, and general manager Nicole Pecen eschew televisions and national brands of beers in favor of wines and brews by regional craftsmen.

“We are serving unique cocktails and featuring regional Midwest wine and beer,” Pecen said. “We have wine from Cedarville, Bollingbrook, and North Utica. Supporting local craftsmen makes us unique.”

Continued on page 11

The building is owned by Merlin Hagemann (left) and the business is owned by his daughter Carrie O’Neil (center). Nicole Pecen is general manager.

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Continued from page 9

Drink selections include wines such as August Harvest Winery’s August Infusion and Sweet Catawba and ISC’s Brut Ombre Rose and Demi Sec Rose.

Brew connoisseurs can find Pig Minds Brewing’s Vanilla Slap, Lakefront’s River West Stein, Wisconsin Brewing Co.’s Chocolate Lab porter, and Potosi’s Cave Ale amber ale among the 14 on tap, and new flavors are mixed in with old favorites each week.

Not sure which draft beer to pick? The bar offers a flight of nine, which is a sampler of some of its selections – and what’s on the flight deck will change based on season and availability. Sometimes a brewer will run out of a batch or a vineyard will have a bad year, limiting certain supplies.

That’s OK with them.

“This gives us a chance to rotate the selection and try something new,” Pecen said.

“Spring selections will include light and fruity [flavors] and the heartier wines and beer will be available in winter.”

“We are constantly refreshing our beer, wine and cocktail menus, so each week there are new things to try,” said Jason O’Neil, who is coowner and Carrie’s husband.

The business, in a historic downtown building on Washington Street that once housed a department store, has a rustic yet contemporary decor. It features a bright, two-story open space with the original tin ceiling on the main floor, a couple of intimate seating areas on the second floor, and space for an art gallery and events on the third floor.

“There is nothing like this in Oregon,” said Carrie.

Her father, Merlin Hagemann, 64, of Byron is the owner of Merlin’s Greenhouse in Oregon.

He bought the building and fixed it up over the past year.

Continued on page 13

Tucked away on the second floor, customers will find a relaxing place to have a drink.

“We do not want a bar atmosphere. We want a space to come out, relax, and socialize with friends,” owner Carrie O’Neil said.

Cork & Tap

Address: 305 W. Washington St., Oregon Phone: 815-677-6776 Hours: 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 3 to 10 p.m. Friday; noon to 10 p.m.

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Continued from page 11

“We do not want a bar atmosphere,” Carrie said. “We want a space to come out, relax, and socialize with friends.”

That’s evident by what’s missing: The only TVs in the business are used to display the drink menu. Bar games include cards, checkers, chess and a shuffleboard table.

“We hope people will come here for the experience and socialize,” Carrie said.

Jason said the drinks are flowing, and the customers are embracing the concept.

“We have been overwhelmed by the support of not only Oregon, but all of Ogle County,” he said. “People love the concept of a relaxed open environment to enjoy a few drinks with friends.”

When going by the business on a Friday night, you’ll see the tables are full of groups hanging out and socializing.

Some customers are driving more that 30 minutes just to experience the business, which is “really exciting,” Jason said.

In the 2 months the business has been open, the owners have seen the need to expand. They added extra seating options and have local clubs and groups renting out space for activities.

Some events offer exciting opportunities for visitors, Jason said. They include yoga with beer and wine classe, ukulele classes and performances, and painting classes.

The business is working together with downtown businesses. A French door connects Cork & Tap to Hazel’s next door.

“You can order food from Hazel’s or another restaurant and have it delivered for lunch or dinner,” said Jason.

As the saying goes, “the skies the limit,” for Oregon’s newest business owners. The are confident they will always have something up their sleeve to improve the business and downtown. s

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Let’s hear it for Hazel’s

Oregon High School senior Kaitlyn Mcloud, 18, said Hazel’s Cafe owner Candace Rivera “took our ideas and added her style” for some of the decor in the coffee shop, like this light fixture.

Oregon coffee shop moves into new downtown digs STORY BY CHRIS JOHNSON & PHOTOS BY PETER BALSER FOR OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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acking up and moving to a new location is never easy. For a business owner, the worry is whether customers will go with the move.

That has not been a problem for Hazel’s Cafe, the former Conover Coffee and Chocolates.

The shop originally opened in 2003 in Conover Square and was purchased by Candice Rivera, a longtime employee. In January, Rivera moved the business downtown, to 307 W. Washington St. “We are busy,” Rivera said. “It’s a very nice touch to downtown.”

While the location has changed, the tastes customers have grown to love remain, with some new twists.

Hazel’s continues to serve the coffee and chocolates that customers know and love, while offering an expanded menu, including bruschetta, flatbreads, soups, a variety of sandwiches, and burgers made with local beef.

What is new and exciting for Rivera is having Hazel’s located next door to Cork & Tap. The two busines owners have worked together to create an atmosphere for any taste. Customers can buy coffee and sandwiches at Hazel’s to enjoy next door at the wine bar – all they have to do is walk through a set of French doors.

Oregon High School senior Jacob Cullen checks out the light fixture at Hazel’s Cafe in Oregon on Feb. 2.

Continued on page 17

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Oregon High School senior Paige Griffin eats a cinnamon roll at Hazel’s Cafe in Oregon on Feb. 2.

Continued from page 15

“It is bittersweet to have this new location,” owner Rivera said of moving to downtown from the coffee cafe’s longtime location, but the “downtown is changing and I wanted to be a part of it. I am recreating and making the business my own, while embracing partnerships.”

It was not just business partnerships Rivera embraced. She worked with local high school students to help inspire the design for the business.

Students recently helped Rivera make herself at home in a new location, as part of the Oregon High School Social Entrepreneurship program. The program’s goals are twofold: teaching seniors how to build a successful business that has a social benefit at its core.

Students pitched ideas for the shop’s design, including a steampunk idea for the seating area, and the class was quick to see their ideas incorporated into the business. “[Rivera] took our ideas and added her style,” Kaitlyn Mcloud, 18, said. The ideas included hinged tables that can be folded up to create more floor space, metal sculptures, and separate seating areas.

Since the tables and artwork had metal

Hazel’s Cafe

Address: 307 W. Washington St., Oregon Phone: 815-732-7017 Email: candace.hazel@gmail.com Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday Online: hazels-cafe.com and Facebook accents, Rivera decided to go with metal lights to give the space a uniform look.

Alexis Castillo, 18, who was working on an assignment to analyze the business, said her classmates’ ideas helped create a comfortable space for customers.

Working with Hazel’s was an ideal way for students to learn how business owners sometimes have to take risks, like changing locations and designing a new space. The class met with Rivera when the space was an empty shell and helped fill it in.

Now that the business has been open for 2 months, the space has evolved with customers stopping by the location to socialize over a cup of joe. s

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A student-inspired light fixture at Hazel’s Cafe in Oregon.

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Hand-carved by a former resident, these two greet visitors when they first enter Pinecrest Community in Mount Morris.

STORY BY ANDREA MILLS & PHOTOS BY PETER BALSER FOR OGLE COUNTY LIVING

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arty at inecrest Ferol Labash, chief executive officer at Pinecrest community in Mount Morris, poses for a photo in her office.

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Mount Morris retirement community plans to celebrate 125 years in business with a day of fun

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inecrest has been part of the Mount Morris scene for more years than anyone can remember.

“We were started in 1893 by the Church of the Brethren,” chief executive officer Ferol Labash said. “It was really an effort to take care of widows and orphans; so when it first started, we actually had children as well as widows.”

Labash said she thought the orphanage part ended in the early 1900s. The outside structure began to really change in 1961.

“Our building used to be on Brayton Road, and in 1961, they built the Pinecrest Manor. It was described at that time by the Rockford Register Star as an an ultra-modern luxury hotel, if you can imagine,” Labash said. “That’s what it reminded them of.”

The Pinecrest board was thinking ahead when planning the new building.

“Our board was very thoughtful and showed a lot of foresight in making all of our resident rooms private at that time, which was very unusual for the ’60s and even now,” she said. “Most facilities don’t have all private rooms,” she said.

In the 1970s, the Manor was joined by the brick Pinecrest Village cottages. Pinecrest was now on the road to providing space for independent living.

“They recognized the need for residents who just couldn’t handle the maintenance of their home anymore,” Labash said. “That’s the apartment homes in the 3-story building.

There’s two of those buildings.”

In the Village, residents are completely independent.

“We prepare meals, plan activities, things like that, but they’re independent,” she said.

“They have their own kitchen.”

Although the residents have full kitchens, they also have the option of having lunch or supper in the dining room. The dietary department cooks all of the food.

“We’ve had a real effort in the last year of moving away from processed foods and moving toward homemade items,” Labash said.

“The food here is very good.”

The expansion wasn’t finished after Pinecrest Village.

“Then the next part that was built was Pinecrest Terrace, and that’s our specialized memory care unit,” Labash said. “That opened in ’98. It’s a unit that’s operated as a social model, so it’s very activities-focused. Residents are doing activities together from the time they get up, really 24-hours a day. Whenever someone is up, they’re doing things together.”

Pinecrest Grove joined the group in 2006.

Its community center can be rented for parties and celebrations.

“That’s the south part of our campus,” Labash said. “That’s open to the public and we have several businesses located in there. We have Mount Morris Chiropractic. Miracle Ear sees patients there. We have our own patient rehab in that building. There’s a beauty shop – Cheryl’s Beauty. There’s McKendrie Street Cafe and then the Performing Arts Guild.”

The short-term rehabilitation is designed for people who’ve had surgery or a hospital stay and plan on rehab and then going home.

The main entrance of Pinecrest Community in Mount Morris.

A sign in the garden of Pinecrest Community is shown.

Continued on page 21

Pinecrest Community

Address: 414 S. Wesley Ave., Mount Morris Phone: 815-734-4103 Email: info@pinecrestcommunity.org Online: pinecrestcommunity.org and Facebook

Shown is one of the many lounge spaces.

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Hat Contest

Continued from page 19

“We also do that and have a separate wing for that,” she said. “It’s primarily for seniors.”

Next to the community center are duplex homes, which house very active, independent residents.

Pinecrest continues to be led by a board of 14 directors, which includes the president. A simple majority are Church of the Brethren, and the rest are at-large members.

“They set the direction for Pinecrest along with me,” Labash said.

“They give a lot of time to us. They’re a great group of really diverse professionals.”

The board includes a physician, nurse, attorney, financial planner, insurance agent. The board president is Dr. Ed Baker.

“It’s a good broad range of skill sets and that makes for a really good board, a very strong board,” Labash said.

Those considering a move to Pinecrest have the option of moving as their needs change.

“You can move into any part of our campus as your needs change and don’t have to worry about moving to a new location because we offer the full continuum of care,” Labash said. “We see this frequently – a resident in our Village will have a spouse who has advancing health needs, so maybe one spouse will live in the Manor or even the Terrace and it’s all connected. They don’t have to go outside. They don’t have to drive to see their spouse.”

That’s something that residents appreciate.

“One resident actually told me, ‘It’s 500 steps for me to get from my apartment to my husband,’” Labash said. “She’d actually counted the steps down to his room.”

As a faith-based, not-for-profit community, Pinecrest’s primary focus isn’t on that bottom line.

“We have to survive, but our focus is on providing the best care that we can,” she said. “We’re a 5-star community rated by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which is the highest rating, so we’re proud of that. We have been for a number of years.”

On Aug. 11, Pinecrest will celebrate 125 years in business with a full day of activities for residents, their families, Pinecrest staff, the Mount Morris community and area communities.

“At that event, we’ll share with the public our plans for the future,” Labash said. “We’re looking forward to that day.”

This spring, the Wesley Avenue parking lot is going to be torn out and redone.

“We’re going to be putting in new lighting, new sidewalks and curves and an entirely new parking lot,” she said. “That’s our big project for this year.”

Over the years, it’s been the people who have helped to make Pinecrest a success.

“As a not-for-profit, when we do projects like this we rely on our donors and we’ve had so many generous supporters over the years who have helped us,” Labash said. “That’s probably been the biggest blessing of my job is seeing how people come to love Pinecrest and support it with their gifts.”

Labash has her own Pinecrest love story, which started with her mother.

“I’ve lived in Mount Morris almost 25 years now,” she said. “I actually came here because my mother came here to live. I didn’t work here, but she had a disease that required long-term care and I had always said I wouldn’t put her in a nursing home. I grew up visiting nursing homes.

My dad was a pastor, and so we visited nursing homes. I didn’t think they were very nice places.”

However, she couldn’t care for her mother at home.

“This was the only place we even looked at, because I had friends who

“The Spirit of Compassion” by Jeff Adams is the statue visitors see in the circle drive at Pinecrest Community in Mount Morris.

worked here and I knew it was a good place,” she said. “As hard as it was to bring her here, after a week probably, I knew I had done the right thing. ... I was here every day with Mom and fell in love with Pinecrest and knew the care they provided was next to none. It was the best.”

After her mother died, Labash, a stay-at-home mom, was starting to come to the point where she wanted to go back to work.

“About a year after she was gone, I saw a job opening in the fundraising, development office here at Pinecrest,” she said. “It was a little bit sooner than I planned to go back to work, but I said to my husband, ‘What do you think?’ And so I applied. I celebrated my 10th year last year.”

She worked in the development office as the event planner and annual giving manager and then moved to director of advancement and then CEO, a position she’s held for 7 years.

“We’ve got a terrific staff here,” Labash said. “We’re the largest employer in Mount Morris. We have probably about 180 staff members.”

She praised housekeeping for keeping Pinecrest so clean and sweetsmelling.

“I’m just proud of them,” she added.

Labash said they have a large number of staff who have been at Pinecrest for 25, 30 and even 40 years.

Continued on page 23

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We transport residents from Lee and Ogle Counties regardless of age, ability or disability. Give us a call to schedule a public transportation ride to where you need to go in the area. LOTS provides rides Monday-Friday from 6:00AM to 4:30PM. We kindly ask that in-town ride appointments be made at least 24 hours in advance. For out-of-town rides (outside your zip code) please give 48 hours notice. If you have questions talk with our friendly dispatch staff at (815) 288-2117. www.leeogletransportation.com.

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Continued from page 21

“I’m kind of a newbie when you compare me with the others,” Labash said. “I think of Lola Scerba [who worked with medical records]. She was here for 43 years and now she comes back and volunteers.”

The employees continue to show that it’s more than a job. The seven wings of care areas at Pinecrest needed painting and Labash said they had staff members who wanted to see it painted. They rolled up their sleeves and volunteered.

“They’ve done all the west side and they’re on their way to the east side,” she said. “We’ve had staff who have painted our entire dining room for the east side.

It’s just amazing the number of people who volunteer as staff members. It kind of blows you away. You don’t see that at most places of employment I would think.

We’ve got some really special people here.”

It’s not just the surroundings staff members are concerned about.

“They care very much about their residents,” Labash said. “They become family to us.”

Leading the way are Jolene LeClere. administrator of health services, who’s responsible for all of the nursing home; Meg Unger, director of nursing; and Chelsey Lizer, assistant director of nursing.

“They’re a terrific team,” Labash said. “I have great confidence in them and their ability to continue our legacy of care.” s

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PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT AND EARLEEN HINTON FOR OGLE COUNTY LIVING

Fun for a few pennies

Ogle County 4-H Penny Carnival offered fun for the whole family March 3 at Oregon Coliseum.

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Mia Cox, 9 of Baileyville, tosses a potato at “Feed the Pig” game as Megan Buttens supervises at the Blackhawk Crossing 4-H Club’s game at the Penny Carnival.

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Kelsey Adams of Byron leans on her rack of new dumbbells – which go all the way up to 100 pounds – at Fitness Junction. She loves helping people of all fitness levels hit their goals. Read about the business on page 29.

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Aviana Hernandez (left) of Davis Junction and Donna Probasco of Kings enjoy a mid-afternoon workout at Fitness Junction.

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fitness aficionado on the east end of Davis Junction has made her dream come true as she helps the public reach their goals.

What is the key to hitting a fitness stride and sticking with it?

If you ask Kelsey Adams, 26, of Byron, it’s a combination of a great place with the right equipment and a trainer who’s invested in your success.

Both of those are the crux of her business at Fitness Junction, 5661 N. Junction Way, in Davis Junction.

The 24-hour gym, located right near the corner of state Routes 72 and 251, does not have a marquee sign flashing above its doors, but you’ll know it when you see it, with larger-than-life posters of people exercising their right to a healthy lifestyle covering the storefront windows.

Squat racks, smith machines, cable machines, a leg press, olympic benches, and a rack of brand new dumbbells up to 100 pounds pepper the east end of the gym.

The west end services your cardio needs, with enough treadmills, ellipticals, and exercise bikes to accommodate more than 10 people at a time.

Fitness Junction also has something Adams says is hard to find in gyms: a sled on which weights can be added for resistance.

The doors officially opened on Jan. 29, and since then, Adams says business has been amazing.

“I’ve had maybe one day since opening where a new client didn’t sign up,” she said.

Adams said she also loves the clientele of a smaller area like Davis Junction, because she says they tend to be more invested.

Continued on page 31

STORY & PHOTOS BY ZACH ARBOGAST FOR OGLE COUNTY LIVING Fitness Junction

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Fitness Junction isn’t hard to miss, with posters of people exercising visible on many storefront windows.

Continued from page 29

“The clientele of a small town is different; they like to know who they’re coming to see,” Adams said. “That’s what we were looking for – that ‘community feel.’”

With growth and that “community feel” in mind, Adams keeps active on the gym’s Facebook page, making sure the public is up to date on gym promotions and, of course, meeting new staff.

Adams hired two other personal trainers, Shannell Boettcher of Davis Junction and Trevor Svartoien of Rockford.

Boettcher, a mixed martial artist and basketball coach, teaches group sessions, including cardio kickboxing.

Svartoien, a football and sports medicine and rehab alumnus from Marian University in Indianapolis, does both group and one-on-one personal training.

“One-on-one training is our bread and butter,”

Adams said. “The best investment you can make really is an investment in yourself and your health.”

Training isn’t the only thing going on, either.

Adams wants to hold fitness contests and incentives, such as a “Summer Ascending Challenge,” a 12-week event beginning in May and held in partnership with Owlflex Athletics, a fitness clothing company that supplies Fitness Junction’s apparel.

“People tend to fall off with attendance in the summertime,” she said. “Events like this help get people to keep coming in those warmer months, when they’d rather be outside.”

Opening the gym was a natural progression for Adams. Being on a cheer squad for 13 years, she wanted something new when she attended University of Wisconsin-Platteville and later Morehead State University in Kentucky.

She started weight lifting and bodybuilding, and has kept up with it ever since.

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That’s why she became a personal trainer.

After college, Adams worked as a trainer for one of the Anytime Fitness facilities in Rockford throughout the last year.

“I fell in love with seeing people change,” Adams said. “It is literally the most rewarding job ever.”

A single membership at Fitness Junction will run you $35 per month. A 6-month contract is required to show commitment; after that it moves to a month-to-month deal and a onetime fee of $39 for a key fob gets you in the gym whenever you want.

Sign-up includes a free fitness consultation, seeing where you start and helping you set goals.

Adams just wants to see you come in.

“I truly care about everybody here,” Adams said. “I’ve been through the journey myself. If you feel good about yourself, your whole life can change.” s

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Matt Pendergrass, owner-operator of AERO Ale House in Byron, stands next to his 14 beer taps in the center of the bar.

Byron pub sets the bar high

STORY & PHOTOS BY ZACH ARBOGAST FOR OGLE COUNTY LIVING

W

ith truly fresh-never-frozen food, a beer menu larger than some restaurant menus, and a convenient location just off of state Route 2, this Byron gastropub should probably be on your list of local haunts.

The AERO Ale House, 120 N. Union St., can be spotted while driving through Byron’s main road, and if you decide to stop, you’re in for more than just “beer and burgers.”

First, you’ll be treated to fresh food – and fresh isn’t just a buzzword at AERO. AERO’s “scratch kitchen” doesn’t include a freezer. Everything you eat has been brought in fresh and is waiting in the coolers to be turned into hearty meals.

That means the black Angus burgers, buffalo chicken spring rolls, shrimp tacos, macaroni and cheese, and the ever-growing-in-popularity poutine are all made

with market-fresh ingredients that come in twice per week.

“It’s a little progressive for some people,” said owner Matt Pendergrass, 37, of Byron. “Overall, the response has been good, though.”

The menu and kitchen experience have some muscle behind them, too; while Pendergrass is no stranger to knowing what works in the pub and grub industry, he’s also had the help of celebrity chef Brian Duffy, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known perhaps most of all for the Spike TV show “Bar Rescue.”

Duffy is a restaraunt and hospitality consultant, and he helped Pendergrass with the menu and whole scratch kitchen idea.

Run by his kitchen manager and chef of nearly a decade, Alfonso Salto of Rockford, this scratch kitchen means business.

Continued on page 35

AERO Ale House offers unique dishes, with beers that are always changing Buffalo chicken spring rolls are just one of the unique items you can get at the gastropub.

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Shown are the “Cowboy Burger” with sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and pepper bacon with a side of cole slaw; and “Munchie Mac,” featuring bacon, chicken, and Parmesan cheese.

Continued from page 33

Fresh is just one of the flavors you’re getting with the food. The other, naturally, is beer. As the term gastropub implies, your food is getting a drink of its own, as the kitchen works the specialty brews into the dishes.

“A lot of our food is infused with the beers that go on draft,” Pendergrass said.

The poutine has a Matilda Ale gravy, for instance, and the nachos have a beer cheese on top.

“We’ve taken the classics, done our twist, and made something that is both delicious and approachable to people,” Pendergrass said.

Don’t worry, either, because the fresh flavors don’t equal far-out prices. Your average meal is going to run around $10 to $12.

With daily specials, select items are half off 4 days of the week: appetizers on Monday, tacos on Tuesday, mac and cheese on Thursday, and poutine on Friday.

There’s also often a special burger, sandwich, or other dish not normally on the menu with the specials.

The brews rotate nearly as fast as the specials, too. Pendergrass says their selection of 14 beers on tap rotates every few days, but

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“She’s the beer connoisseur,” Pendergrass said. “She knows far more about it, and there’s a method to her madness. She likes to keep a good mix of porters, stouts, lagers, IPAs – anything.”

The taps contain anything from Dogfish Head’s Seaquench Ale, a sour with 4.9 percent alcohol by volume, to Dark Horse’s Plead The Fifth, an 11 percent ABV pitch-black stout not for the faint of heart.

If you want to try more craft beers, but don’t really know what to try, don’t worry.

The extensive beer menu breaks the selections down into categories like “crisp and bright,” “hoppy,” “fruity and spicy,” and more.

If you’re just not into the craft beers at all, classic such as Budweiser, Goose Island, and Guinness are available, too.

Pendergrass isn’t a stranger to the business.

Ten years ago, he got into the bar business with his father, Joe, running Sports Page on Broadway in Rockford, now known as Dusty Boots Saloon & Eatery.

Pendergrass went on his own 5 years later to buy The Cave, 111 W. Second St., Byron, and has also owned Railway in Pecatonica and Baseball Tap in Cherry Valley, which he sold Jan. 8.

In 2015, he opened AERO in Loves Park, and at the tail end of August 2017, AERO came to Byron.

The location has been a boon, he said.

“Being able to be seen from the stoplight at [state Routes 72 and 2] is a big deal,” Pendergrass said. “That kind of visibility exposes us; we’re often the first restaurant people see.”

He also has a couple more establishments planned for the future: The Hunt Club, coming to Oregon in June, and Roll On Tap in Rockford, which he takes over in May. “This industry is up and down,” Pendergrass said. “I won’t pretend I’m drowning in money, but it’s been good.”

The bar owner will likely follow his formula for success at his future locations, but one thing is for certain, AERO has set the bar high. s

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