Sauk Valley
Business Journal
Vol. 21, No. 2
Sauk Valley Media
Summer 2018
AMBOY FAMILY HAS FOUND ITS CALLING WITH GOLF CARTS ~ Page 4
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081
Permit No. 440 Sterling, IL 61081
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Welcome ... to the Spring 2018 issue of Sauk Valley Business Journal Index of Stories MSK Golf Cars..................................................4-5
DJ’s Arcade Bar............................................10-11
Revive Boutique.................................................. 7
Ashton Auto Repair.....................................12-13
Victorian Grace Antiques & Accents..............8-9
Wally’s Playce................................................... 15
The staff of Sauk Valley Business Journal
On the cover
From the wheels on up, MSK Golf Cars provides unique, topnotch service for customers. Story, Page 4. – Sauk Valley Business Journal
Publisher: Don T. Bricker General Manager/Advertising Director: Jennifer Heintzelman Advertising Sales: Luke Eisenberg Business Journal Editor: Lucas Pauley
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Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media of Dixon and Sterling-Rock Falls. No portion of Sauk Valley Business Journal may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. 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 publication.
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Summer 2018
Cruise control in Amboy Local custom golf cart business puts you in the driver’s seat BY JESSIE KERN For Sauk Valley Business Journal
AMBOY – What started as a hobby for Matt Koning, today has transformed into a constantly growing family business. Matt and Sue Koning, owners of MSK Golf Cars in Amboy, have gone from working out of their garage to building a shop and storage units. Now, the family is celebrating 20 years of business from their initial foray into golf cart sales. “Well, it started [when] I was told to get a hobby,” Matt said. “We’d been here a few years, I was working 3 days a week in Wisconsin and coming home, and my wife would be like, ‘You need to do something.’” Matt said that after the idea developed in 1998, the family started selling golf carts out
MSK Golf Cars Address: 971 Green Wing Road, Amboy Phone: 815-857-4211 Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily April through October; 9 a.m-5 p.m Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday November through March and other days by appointment Online: mskgolfcars.com and Facebook of their garage. In 2000, they bought 2 acres of land next door and built the shop. The business initially focused on sales, but now works with O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Jellystone Park, Mendota Hills Campground, and Pine Country RV and Camping Resort to provide rental fleets throughout the camping season.
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Walker Knight (from left), Lane Koning, Josh Hintz, and Sue and Matt Koning are shown outside MSK Golf Carts in Amboy.
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Summer 2018 During the winter months, the business provides storage and maintenance services. Determining how the customer intends to use their golf cart is an important first step, Matt said. A lot of campgrounds have restrictions and requirements on what the vehicles need in order to drive on their campgrounds. “When someone gets a [vehicle] from us, we want to make sure they can use it,” Matt said. Custom golf carts are typically special order, but Matt and his son, Lane, recently completed their new favorite, a custom Mustang golf cart. Lane built about 70 percent of the Mustang. He does a lot of the design work for customers. “We operate as a family,” Matt said. Custom golf carts take anywhere from 1 to 2 months to finish, depending on the complexity of the design. Matt said the majority of carts fall between $4,000 and $6,000 because the business focuses on quality over quantity.
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Customized golf carts sit inside the showroom at MSK Golf Carts in Amboy. Shellie Few, 47, of Elburn, recently bought a custom Jeep Wrangler golf cart from the Amboy business. She met the Konings 4 years ago through her husband, who has been working with them since MSK Golf Cars started. She said her husband, Michael, recently bought a custom golf cart built by Matt and Lane. “My husband’s had a fond-
ness for Lane since he was a baby and so he’s like, ‘He built that and I want to buy that car. If it’s just sitting there, it’s meant to be,’” Few said. Few said she believes in supporting local businesses and at MSK Golf Cars they’re honest, knowledgeable, friendly and have great customer service. “You just don’t get the product, you get the family, you get it all,” she said.
Page 5 Jim Glassman, 61 of Elmhurst, said he’s been coming to O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Jellystone Park since 2002 and initially went to MSK Golf Cars because his lawn mower wasn’t working. He said Josh Hintz spent 2 hours fixing the lawn mower, free of charge. Eventually Glassman decided to buy a golf cart and his recent upgrade was designed by Lane. “He has a ton on his plate all the time, but he’ll spend time talking to you for as long as you want or even longer to just make you feel like you’re part of his family or you’re a really great friend,” Glassman said. Glassman said Matt has hosted several customer appreciation barbecues over the years and once invited campers to sit out a bad storm in his basement. He said Matt cares about his customers and is an incredible people person. “Our motto lately, whenever we get a new customer is, ‘Welcome to the family,’” Matt said. “We try to make everyone feel like part of the family.”
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A fashion revival in Dixon Sterling woman is dressed for success at woman’s clothing shop BY GAVIN T. JENSEN Sauk Valley Business Journal
DIXON – A Sterling woman has revived her passion for fashion, and she’s doing it at her own women’s clothing store. Jaime Shierry, 30, opened Revive Boutique in November. The store sells clothing from tops to bottoms, as well as footwear and accessories. A self-proclaimed lover of fashion, Shierry has worked in the retail business for the past 10 years, honing her craft and sharing her love for fashion. “I love shopping, clothing and dressing people,� she said, “ It makes me feel good to help others feel and look good.� Shierry has made her life about fashion, and after leaving the retail world, it wasn’t long before she jumped back in, this time as a business owner. “I just couldn’t get away from
Revive Boutique Address: 116 E. First St. Contact: 815-590-1493, info@revive-815.com Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday Online: revive815.com and Revive Boutique and Revive: First Dibs on Facebook Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Before opening Revive Boutique, self-proclaimed lover of fashion Jamie Shierry worked in the retail business for 10 years, honing her craft and sharing her love for fashion. the fashion world,� she said. Early last year, Shierry decided to open up a shop, and location was important. “I think this is a great location for a business,� she said.“I want to help grow the
thriving, east side of Dixon.� In addition to her retail storefront, Shierry’s also embraced social media and online shopping. Customers can check out new arrivals and order merchandise on her Facebook
page and the store’s website, and she’s created a First Dibs Facebook group, where members get first whack at checking out and ordering new arrivals. Shierry said a key part of the business was the inspiration for it all – herself. “This store is me, from the product, to service and the storefront, I’m reviving myself through my business.�
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Summer 2018
Home to something special Couple turns 19th century Prophetstown home into 21st century antique shop BY PHILLIP HARTMAN Sauk Valley Business Journal
One house just wasn’t big enough for all of Ann and Les Wilson’s collectibles. So they bought another house. “It was Les’ idea, and I told him he was crazy,” Ann, 66, joked in the front room of Victorian Grace Antiques & Accents, the couple’s antique store that they run out of a 19th century house next door to their own home, itself an antique. The business calls an 1898 Victorian house its home, while the Wilsons live next door in a house built in 1895. They bought the house that would become Victorian Grace and opened for business in May 2014. The store retains much of the refined look of when the house was built.
Victorian Grace Antiques & Accents Address: 15 E. Third St., Prophetstown Phone: 815-537-2450 or 815-499-5788 Email: vicgrace@mchsi.com Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment Les, 62, is originally from Amboy and retired after a career as a liquor wholesaler. Ann, originally from Milledgeville, retired as an English teacher from Montmorency School in Rock Falls. They’ve lived in Prophetstown for more than 35 years and have done a lot of collecting in their time, so an antique store was a natural fit.
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Summer 2018 Customers can find statues and steins, guitars and glassware, pottery and primitives, dolls and dishes, tea boxes and tobacciana – as long as it’s from a time gone by, you can buy it. The store’s displays often blend in with the house itself, creating a sense of being transported back to the Victorian era, in rooms with hardwood floors, oak woodwork, and cream-colored wallpaper with flowing grapevines. The Wilsons are looking to add more farmhouse primitives to their selection, as well as a carriage house at the back of the home to display bigger pieces of merchandise. The Wilsons also take part in citywide events, including Prophetstown’s Vintage Shop and Hop. The biggest event the store takes part in is its annual Victorian Grace Spring Fling, which was held May 19 this year. The event features live music and demonstrations, free kids activities, old-time photos, unique vendors, and specials at local boutiques and shops. The shop also has a perk that
Page 9
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Customers can find statues and steins, guitars and glassware, pottery and primitives, dolls and dishes, tea boxes and tobacciana – as long as it’s from a time gone by, you can buy it. most other antique shops can’t boast of: in-house entertainment. Les sings and plays guitar for dozens of nursing homes throughout the area, and if you’re lucky enough, you
might even stop by when he’s picking a tune for customers. There’s a lot to see around every corner, down every hall, behind every door, and on every wall. A lot of antiques
have found a home in the Wilsons’ rambling old house, but the couple is more than happy to see their pieces of the past find a new home with their customers.
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Summer 2018
Bright lights, small village Mount Morris arcade bar brings something different to Sauk Valley BY ANDREA MILLS Sauk Valley Business Journal
DJ’s Arcade Bar
MOUNT MORRIS – Dave and Maggie Johnson, owners of DJ’s Arcade Bar, have turned a gone-sour 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. “We’ve had tremendous support from the community
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. 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.
Peter Balser/pbalser@saukvalley.com
Dave Johnson, co-owner of DJ’s Bar and Arcade in Mount Morris, is shown behind the bar. Dave owns the bar with his wife, Maggie. “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 build-
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ing 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.
Summer 2018
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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. The staff consists of four employees and the Johnsons. “It’s a new concept to this area,” he said. “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. 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 their 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 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.”
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Summer 2018
Community car care in Ashton Residents enjoy having new repair shop that’s within walking distance BY LUCINDA HALL Sauk Valley Business Journal
Ashton Auto Repair
Mike Hambley, owner of Ashton Auto Repair, knows more than just a little about repairing automobiles. It’s in his DNA. “I was pretty much born with a wrench in my hand,” Hambley said. Much of what he knows was learned at the knee of his father who owned a repair shop when Hambley, 49, was just a child. In many respects, he was a natural at mastering the details of being a mechanic, while taking classes over the years to keep up with the changing facets of the business. It wasn’t until September 2017, that he decided after more than 25 years as a mechanic in Amboy to try his hand at owning his own business. The building, at 507 Cartwright Ave., in Ashton, had
Address: 507 Cartwright Ave. Phone: 815-453-2770 Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; Saturdays by appointment Online: Facebook set empty for several years. When it was put up for auction, he and his wife, Lana, decided to give it a try. “We wanted to be careful,” he said. “See how the first year went and take little bitty steps.” The results have been more than gratifying. “The community has been fantastic,” he said. “We started the business with hopes to be in it for the long haul. The community has been awesome and the city has welcomed us with open arms.”
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Mike Hambley, owner of Ashton Automotive Repair, recently purchased a tow truck to help expand his business.
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Summer 2018 The business offers everything from oil changes to engine and transmission repair, as well as air conditioning work, tires and towing. Much of his success has been based on the simple theory of providing quality work at reasonable prices, and that formula appears to be working. And, he’s doing it locally – a real convenience in a community of around 1,000 people. “I have many people happy they can drop their car off, walk to work and come back after work and pick up their car – done and ready to go,” he said. “I do the work right the first time and try to keep my prices reasonable.” What’s more, he works with the village to provide maintenance for the fire trucks, ambulance, school buses and plow trucks to ensure all the vehicles are in top shape and pass all safety inspections. “It makes me feel good that the community is safer and
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Hambley has the equipment to mount and balance tires of all sizes in the shop. their vehicles are working well,” he said. For now, it is still a family operation. Hambley does all the repair work. His daughter, April Miller, helps with the administrative side of the ™
business as well as insurance claims as needed. He continues to purchase new equipment as the business grows, including a tow truck. “I bought the truck to help
Page 13 customers out,” he said. “Now, I have the added convenience of being able to tow vehicles in for repairs and save customers extra costs.” He is eager to please. That includes working weekend hours if a customer has an immediate need. Recently, there was just such an occasion. A customer purchased a RV the day before a holiday weekend and was hoping to take a trip in it, but needed new tires. Hambley was quick to help and his customer was motoring away the next day as planned. Another time, an older lady called needing her car washed. “We don’t wash cars,” Hambley said with a laugh. Still, he obliged. After dropping off her car, he took her back home, washed the car inside and out, then dropped it off to her. It’s that type of service that seems to be working well for Hambley and Ashton Auto Repair. “I mean, if someone needs it done and I have the time, I’ll do it.”
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A perfect place for Wally Familiar face behind the wheel finds new home behind bar in Milledgeville BY GAVIN T. JENSEN Sauk Valley Business Journal
MILLEDGEVILLE – When customers walk in to Wally’s Playce, they’re likely to find a friendly face behind the bar, popping a cap off a brew and chewing the fat with folks. His name’s Walt (Wally) Mennenga, and he’s not only the bartender behind the bar, he’s the Wally behind Wally’s Playce, which opened May 14. And as far as the owners are concerned, he’s also one of the bar’s best assets. The 76-year-old Milledgeville resident recently retired from Chadwick Oil & AG Services, where he was a familiar face to farmers, having delivered fuel to farms for years before taking on the post-retirement gig as bartender – a fitting position for the amiable fella. Owners Ken Duncan, 52, and Marcy Lawrence, 57, knew they could put Wally’s reputation to good use when they decided to open a bar. “Wally is one of those guys that when you meet him, you instantly like him; and he’s chatty, which will make him a perfect bartender,” Duncan said. That friendly familiarity helped him land a spot behind the bar – and in front of it, too, on the business’s sign. “We wanted to name the bar in honor of him and his retirement,” Duncan said.
Wally’s Playce Address: 6 S. Washington St., Milledgeville Phone: 815-631-0558 Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; Noon to 10 p.m. Sunday Online: Find Wally’s Playce on Facebook The bar at 6 S. Washington St. serves up 20 different bottled beers, liquor, and several wines. It also has three TV’s, six video gambling machines, and a record player. “We thought the record player was fun, to let people bring in their own records and play them,” Duncan said. Other than popcorn to munch on, the bar doesn’t serve food – but Duncan has that covered. Wally’s Playce partnered with Spittin’ BBQ & Kickin’ Ash, a traveling BBQ business out of Aurora, to use the empty lot next door to park a barbecue truck. Customers can grab some grub and bring it over to the bar. “It’s a win-win situation. They were looking for a place to put their truck and we want to offer food for our customers,” Duncan said. The truck serves food at Wally’s Playce from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
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Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
When Ken Duncan (left) and Marcy Lawrence decided to open a bar, they had the perfect bartender in mind: Walt Mennenga. “Wally is one of those guys that when you meet him, you instantly like him; and he’s chatty, which will make him a perfect bartender,” Duncan said.
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Sauk Valley Business Journal
Page 16
Summer 2018
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