PRSRT STD Bulk Rate U.S. Postage
PA I D Permit No. 440 Sterling, IL 61081 *****ECRWSSEDDM***** Postal Customer
P.O. Box 498 Sterling, IL 61081
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Deer Grove, Erie, Fenton, Lyndon, Morrison, Prophetstown, Tampico FALL/WINTER 2016
Eatery serves up food, lots of laughs
Gift items growing at coffee, flower shop
Salon owner values customers’ opinions s m a l l
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You can’t predict when you will need us. But we’re here when you do.
Accepting New Patients Dr. George Georgiev Family Practice Dermatology Physician
Dr. Amrit Anand Rheumatologist
Dr. Risha Raven Family Practice Physician
Dr. Nicky Eustace Family Practice Physician
Cindy Johnson APN
Dr. Priyanka Gauravi Endocrinologistw
Dr. Richard Sadler Vascular Surgeon
Dr. Muhammad Irshad Gastroenterology
Dr. David Lopez Psychiatry
Tracy Banks-Geiger Licensed Clinical Social Worker
815-772-5511 8 15 772 5511 o orr 8 815-772-5590 15 772 5590
Family Practice Clinic | Specialty Clinic
Hours: 8am - 8pm Open 361 days a year for your convenience!
Medicare and Medicaid welcome
SM-ST7327-0808
www.morrisonhospital.com Professional Care by Caring Professionals
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FEATURE • STORY Deer Grove, Erie, Fenton, Lyndon, Morrison, Prophetstown, Tampico
FALL/WINTER 2016
Publisher Sam R Fisher Advertising Director Jennifer Heintzelman Editor Jeff Rogers Magazine Editors Lucas Pauley Rusty Schrader Page Design Lucas Pauley Published by
Sauk Valley Media 3200 E. Lincolnway Sterling, IL 61081 815-625-3600 Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media. No portion of Small Town 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.
Sweet treats, crafts, sandwiches and more at new store
Boarding • Grooming • Daycare
21912 Lincoln Road • Sterling, IL 815-626-4364 • 800-470-7993 Sniff Us Out On Facebook
SM-ST5891-0808
Arrival & Departure Times 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. No Arrival or Departures on Sunday or Major Holidays
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ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
SAME SA AME D DAY AY A APPOINTMENTS PPOINTMENTS F FOR OR M MEDICAL ED DICAL & B BEHAVIORAL EHAVIORAL H HEALTH EALTH
SM-ST7543-0808
WHITESIDE COUNTY H E A LT H D E PA R T M E N T Community Health Clinic
Where Needs and Resources Come Together!
1300 W. 2nd St. Rock Falls, IL 815-626-2230 www.whitesidehealth.org
DENTAL CLINIC Provides preventative and restorative treatment for children. Emergency care for adults. FAMILY PLANNING Provides reproductive health, birth control and STD testing and treatment. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH Provides support services to persons experiencing problems related to emotional and mental illness. MEDICAL CLINIC Provides primary and preventative health care staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners, who are skilled with all ages.
MEDICARE/MEDICAID/SELF-PAY/INSURANCE WELCOMED
A history of caring. Senior Housing with Services Skilled Nursing Care Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies Inpatient and Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy To learn more about our community in Prophetstown, call (815) 537-5175.
All faiths or beliefs are welcome.
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Contents 11
7 WQUD 105.5 FM New radio station in Erie playing classic rock and country
11 Arnie’s Happy Spot Deer Grove eatery has been serving good food for low prices for decades
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7 19
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Tampico General Trading Co. Get a blast from the past while getting groceries or buying crafts in Tampico
19 Blooms-a-Latte Prophetstown shop sells gifts, coffee and flowers, with hopes to expand services
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Dennis Electric Three generations are behind the success at family business outside of Tampico
26 Elli’s Euro Salon Hair salon celebrating 20 years in business in Prophetstown
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Affordable & Reliable Comfort You can count on us for fast and reliable installation, maintenance and repair of your home’s heating, cooling systems all year round.
Heating Air Conditioning Free Estimates Licensed & Insured
SERVING THE SAUK VALLEY AREA SINCE 1949! VA
WORKMAN HEATING & COOLING
(815)772-2010 • 15825 Lincoln Rd., Morrison www.workmanheatingandcooling.com
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Wiersema Charter Service, Inc. 30-56 Passenger Coaches Gift Certificates Available!
Make Your Reservation Today!! S
2016 DAY TRIP Sept. 14 Sept. 17 Sept. 18 Sept. 22 Sept. 29 Oct. 7 Oct. 11 Oct. 23 Nov. 2
“Grease t NEW!! Gaither Concer NASCAR uise “Oktoberfest” Cr afts” Cr of l “Fall Festiva I, IL W , Fall Colors in IA , WI, IL Fall Colors in IA ncert NEW!! Daniel O’Donnell Co !! “Wicked” NEW
S Theatre Fireside Dinner ” as dge tm “Fireside Chris Starved Rock Lo Nov. 5 n” so ck Ja hools Sc an h Al Sandwic “Tribute to Nov. 9 untry” Craft Show Co e th in as IL m ist Gurnee, Nov. 12 “Chr e Outlet Mall ne ur G Chicago 19 . Nov n Shopping ow nt w Do Chicago Nov. 30 n Shopping ow nt w Do Chicago Dec. 2 dge n Shopping ow nt w Do Starved Rock Lo 3 Dec. g an Tw & l se “Tin ec. 7
eatre Old Creamery Th IA Cedar Rapids, ay - Joliet Chicagoland Speedw Celebration Belle rounds Sandwich Fairg n, IA ow Lunch in Ballt n, IA Lunch in Balltow Cities iWireless Quad nter Peoria Civic Ce
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15049 Lyndon Road, Morrison • 815-772-2232 • 800-829-2130 SM-ST7551-0808
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Aaron Dail, morning host and general manager of WQUD 105.5 FM Vintage Radio, gives a news update at the station in Erie.
Giving vintage a voice WQUD in Erie playing classic rock and county STORY BY MITCHELL BRINKMAN & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
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ho doesn’t love to hop in the car, turn on the radio and chill out to their favorite songs? Well if you listen to WQUD 105.5 FM, you might find that you recognize the voice of someone other than your favorite music artist. General manager Aaron Dail and his fellow disc jockeys are taking the airwaves by storm with their down-home personalities and a collection of vintage rock ‘n’ roll and country just months after the station’s opening. The station went live Jan. 7, reaching 444,000 potential listeners in a 35- to 40-mile broadcast radius that includes Sterling, Rock Falls, Dixon, Kewanee, and Clinton, Iowa.
Continued on page 9
Records hang on the wall of the radio station.
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www.maclinton.com
Multispecialty Main Campus 915 13th Ave. N., Clinton, IA (563)243-2511
Morrison Family Health Clinic 635 E. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL (815)772-7491
Fulton Family Health Clinic 1705 16th Ave., Fulton, IL (815)589-2121
Over 40 experienced physicians holding board certifications in over 25 specialties to provide care for your entire family’s health care needs.
2400 Lillian Way, Clinton, IA (563)243-1200 8am - 8pm Mon - Fri 9am - 4pm Sat & Sun
Agriculture is more than a business. It’s a way of life. From the food on our tables to the clothes on our backs, we depend on agriculture. We believe in it. We invest in it.
Ed Wolf Mike Farrell Reed Hutchcraft Over 80 years combined Ag/Commercial Lending experience! Sterling Rock Falls Morrison Dixon Mt. Morris Byron Clinton, Iowa SM-ST7533-0808
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815-626-0614
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www.sterlingfederal.com
Schedule
Weekday shows 7 to 10 a.m.: AD in the Morning 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Slick Willy’s All Request Midday Show 2 to 6 p.m.: Randy 6 to 10 p.m.: Uncle Tim Weekend shows Saturday: 10 a.m. to noon: Mort’s Sports Corner 8 to 11 p.m.: Old Hippies Show Sunday: 10 a.m. to noon: Bugs in Your Brunch (songs by The Beatles) Noon to 3 p.m.: In the Pits 5 to 9 p.m.: Mamma Chandler’s Blacklight Blues Show
WQUD 105.5 FM Vintage Radio Address: 910 Albany Road, Erie Phone: 309-659-7608 Email: wqudvintageradio@gmail.com Online: On Facebook Continued from page 7
WQUD also hosts ticket giveaways, guest interviews, and helps businesses produce commercials for radio broadcast free of charge. While the station is receiving an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from listeners, Dail, the host of “AD in the Morning,” is making the most of his chance to fulfill his lifelong dream. “Fate has given me a chance to live a life that I had always dreamed of but forgot about,” said Dail, “It’s just surreal.” Dail has been interested in radio since he left high school and has even interned at 97X WXLP. Along the way, he also wrote for both the Moline Dispatch, was an editor for the Erie Tribune on Facebook, and learned how to DJ weddings from his fellow WQUD DJ Bill Weeber. You might know him better as Slick Willy, the host of “Slick Willy’s All Request Midday Show.” Dail lived in Hawaii for 4 years before returning to Erie in 2011 where he lives with his wife and five kids and manages his own construction company. He came in contact with the station’s owner, Robert Walker, through a Facebook posting and that eventually lead to him being hired. While he thinks of himself as more of a “sarcastic news guy kind of host,” Dail and the other DJs at WQUD strive to bring a refreshing, down-home and personal style of broadcast that sets them apart from many stations. “People are excited to call a station with real people,” Weeber said. “We love the people and they challenge us and keep us fresh.” One such listener is Joe DeGeeter, who really started listening to the station and the morning show a little more than 3 months ago after
ABOVE: Bill “Slick Willy” Weeber talks with Dail before his shift at the radio station. Weeber is the weekday midday host. TOP: Aaron Dail speaks with guests in the small office of WQUD 105.5 FM Vintage Radio in Erie.
turning it on to try and drown out a rooster’s crowing. “I love the variety of the station and the DJs are so unique and more like normal people,” DeGeeter said. “Aaron has a good voice over the radio, is quick-witted, and very friendly.” With the station’s overwhelmingly successful first year, Dail is overjoyed with both the station’s popularity and fulfilling a lifelong goal. He plans to help the station grow in the years to come and said he truly appreciates how blessed he is to be given the chance to make his dream a reality. “As a kid, I always wanted to be on a morning show.” Dail said. “I’m really happy and it’s a lot of fun.” s
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Providing insurance coverage for local homes and farms since 1869. Mel Saad Agency 928 8th Avenue, Erie 309-659-2470 saad@mchsi.com
Cornerstone Insurance Agency
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Our Contact Information www.bradfordmutual.com 120 W. South Street Franklin Grove 815-456-2334
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“I have lived at Resthave for 3 months, and I have been very pleased, mostly with the people “who care for me”. The food is great and there are several activities that I enjoy taking part in. My son and his wife encouraged me to check out Resthave because I had fallen and needed help. My son took me there to visit and I liked it. Now that Resthave is my home, I love it here!”
I Love It Here!
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Hugh F. Miller Insurance Agency, Inc.
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408 Maple Ave., Morrison (815) 772-4021 www.resthavehome.com Resthave Home is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Recipe for happiness
Arnie’s Happy Spot in Deer Grove offers more than just mouth-watering chicken
ABOVE: Larry Whitebread whips up a rhubarb pie to offer his customers at Arnie’s Happy Spot in Deer Grove (shown below). Whitebread grows the rhubarb himself and makes the pies served at the restaurant.
STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
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rnie’s Happy Spot has been around for more than 80 years, building and maintaining a solid, loyal customer base through its fair prices, tasty chicken and stand-up comedy shows. “Nobody beats my prices – nobody,” said Larry Whitebread, owner of the Deer Grove restaurant. “If anybody comes in with a price lower than me – which hasn’t happened – I’ll beat the price.” Whitebread, 58, has owned Arnie’s Happy Spot since 1999. He said back in the 1930s it was just called “Happy Spot,” until its previous owner, Arnie Johnson, purchased the place in 1967. Whitebread said Johnson was responsible for expanding the building to create a kitchen, where the restaurant’s famous chicken is made. “Our main thing is chicken, fried chicken,” Whitebread said. “That’s what we’re known for; that’s what we cook the most of.” Whitebread also makes all of the pies at the restaurant. “Usually cream pies, but I grow rhubarb, strawberries,” he said, adding, “I have apple trees at home; so when the season comes in, I’ll make the pies.” Whitebread assures that everything he serves is made fresh. The restaurant cuts its own onion rings and makes its own batter. Continued on page 13
Arnie’s Happy Spot
Address: 1667 Hoover Road, Deer Grove Phone: 815-438-5282 Online: arnieshappyspot.com and on Facebook Hours: 5 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday; and 4 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday
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Up The Hill From Medical Associates
(815) 772-4031
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2016 ENTERTAINMENT
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In addition to being known for its delicious cuisine, Arnie’s has also become a popular spot to have a good laugh while watching a stand-up comedy act. “I had Kevin Farley [Chris Farley’s brother] here for my last one,” Whitebread said. “I had a great turnout and he was very good.” The restaurant has also hosted Preston Lacey, a performer from the “Jackass” franchise. “I’ve had some really good comedians,” he said. Even with the more well-known acts, the most Whitebread charges for a show is $8. “I’m not out making a lot of money. I just want people to come out and enjoy,” he said. “It’s only a couple hours, but that’s all you need.” Whitebread said the type of comedy varies from one comedian to another. He tries to make sure he gets a diverse group of comedians to come in throughout the year. “They can be pretty clean, and I get some that are pretty risqué,” he said. At the time of the interview, Whitebread was preparing for the restaurant to host comedian Mark Price, who played Skippy on the show “Family Ties,” on Aug. 13. He’s still in the works of scheduling the rest of the comedians this year, but in November he will be hosting an improv group from Chicago. Although some comedy acts can be a little over the top, for the most part, Whitebread says he tries to keep his business as family friendly as possible. “I’ve got a lot of clientele that came in when they were kids, and now they bring in their kids, and I’m getting their kids’ kids,” he said. “It’s a family restaurant, more than a bar.” There’s a photo collage of children and babies wearing Arnie’s Happy Spot T-shirts right when you walk in the door. Whitebread said anyone who brings in a baby or toddler can get a free T-shirt for their little one and he will take a photo of them in it to add to the collage. Arnie’s Happy Spot also has a banquet room where they have been hosting wedding receptions for the past 17 years. The room holds up to 400 people and guests can eat from a hot or cold buffet. He also does not charge a room rental fee. “They’ve just got to put a deposit down. As long as they have the reception, it just comes off of their food [bill],” he said. “We do all of the decorations, we do setup and cleanup. We provide the bartenders, the waitresses. It’s all included in the price.” He said it’s fairly common for out-of-town guests at the receptions to be shocked by how reasonable the drink prices are. “The out-of-towners come in and you say ‘OK, that’ll be $4 [for your drink]’ and they
TOP: Arnie’s Happy Spot in Deer Grove offers a full bar (shown here) and a banquet room for special events. ABOVE AND RIGHT: The half-chicken meal at the restaurant comes with four large, golden-brown pieces of chicken, french fries, and bread. Arnie’s is also known for its onion rings. The onions are cut in the restaurant and made in homemade batter. (Photos by Jermaine Pigee)
say, ‘Is that right?’” Whitebread said. “They’re all like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’” One of Whitebread’s favorite parts about owning Arnie’s is interacting with people – especially his regulars. “I can tell you who will come in tonight, what their drinks are going to be. ... I have people that come in every month, and I have others that are here every week,” he said. “If they’re not here I’ve got to call them and say, ‘What’s going on? Where are you at?’” he said with a laugh. s
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Hungry for some history?
From crafts to ice cream, shop in Tampico has it all STORY BY SHELBY KUEPKER & PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KRABBENHOEFT FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
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here’s so much history in Tampico that it might be easy for some to forget to step back and appreciate it every now and then. Michael Scuteri, 53, of Moline is someone who noticed the charm of Tampico immediately and knew that he wanted to be a part of keeping its history alive. Main Street Tampico is lined with buildings that hold the history of 40th President Ronald Reagan. Scuteri purchased two of these buildings last year with the intention of “bringing more to Main Street and preserving Ronald Reagan’s history,” said his sister, Denise Brooks, 59. Scuteri wanted The Little General Store to become an exciting variety store with all kinds of treasures. He gave it a new name too: Tampico General Trading Co.
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While Michael Scuteri, owner of Tampico General Trading Co. (shown at top), was deployed to Afghanistan late last year, he asked his sister, Denise Brooks (shown above), and her husband, Randy, 59, to be the caretakers until he returned. (Bottom photo by Shelby Kuepker)
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Scuteri renovated the building, including putting on a new roof and remodeling the upstairs apartment to give Denise and Randy a place to live.
Tampico General Trading Company
Address: 109 S. Main St., Tampico Phone: 815-438-3239 Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday Online: On Facebook “He wants to do something good for the people of the town,” Denise said. Scuteri was unexpectedly deployed to Afghanistan late last year, and he asked his sister and her husband, Randy, 59, to be the caretakers until he returned. It’s a task Denise took on wholeheartedly, and it gave her a lot of pride to be asked to help her brother. While Scuteri’s day job is at the Rock Island Arsenal, his duty as lieutenant colonel in the Army called while he was still renovating the building. In the beginning, Denise and Randy, originally from Joliet, opened the store on Fridays and Saturdays. They just wanted to get to know the people of the community before they opened full time.
The store includes an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. It offers banana splits, root beer floats, sundaes, malts and cones.
Now that Scuteri is home from deployment, he can help Denise run the store. Now open Monday through Saturday, the business operates as a small grocery, deli and ice cream parlor. Baked goods, deli sandwiches,
and homemade potato salad, macaroni and Italian pasta salad are some of the items that can be purchased at the store.
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BOGOTT
Plumbing, Inc. 15273 Bishop Rd. Morrison, IL 61270 815-772-4024 bogott@bogott1.com IL & IA Licensed #058-143710 • 12287 IL & IA Certified RPZ Testing
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CGH Main Clinic 101 E. Miller Rd, Sterling (815) 625-4790 Dixon 1321 N. Galena Ave, Dixon (815) 284-1600 Downtown 15 W. 3rd St, Sterling (815) 625-0226 Locust Street 1809 N. Locust St, Sterling (815) 622-1210 Lynn Blvd 3010 E. Lynn Blvd, Sterling (815) 625-6750
Milledgeville 601 E. Old Mill St, Milledgeville (815) 225-5040
Prophetstown 212 E. Railroad St, Prophetstown (815) 537-5050
Morrison 105 S. Heaton St, Morrison (815) 772-8100
Rock Falls 100 W. 1st St, Rock Falls (815) 632-5366
Mt. Carroll 106 E. Market St, Mt. Carroll (815) 244-3678 Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 10 W. 3rd St, Sterling (815) 632-5300 Polo 711 S. Division St, Polo (815) 946-3661
Tampico 123 S. Main St, Tampico (815) 438-2538 Walnut 131 Jackson St, Walnut (815) 379-2161 Ready Care 15 W. 3rd St, Sterling (Lower Level) (815) 564-1999
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ABOVE: The shop offers places for customers to stop and enjoy a quick sandwich or some ice cream from the parlor. ABOVE RIGHT: Not feeling like a big meal? Well, there are all sorts of suckers and other sweet treats.
BELOW RIGHT: Customers can also buy baked goods and order items from Folsom’s Bakery in Rock Falls. Continued from page 15
On Wednesday nights, from 4 to 7 p.m., the store offers an Italian Night, serving a “huge plate” of pasta, garlic bread and salad. On Fridays, you can stop in and grab some walking tacos, burritos or nachos for Mexican Night. You can also find Tampico resident Dave Anderson making and selling chainmaille jewelry in the front of the store. The south wall of the store showcases pieces from local crafters. Denise is always on the lookout for crafters who are interested in selling their items in the shop. Across the street, in his other newly purchased
building, Scuteri wants to open an antique and craft store. Speaking of antiques, the old-fashioned ice cream parlor in the back has tons of ice cream dishes from the 1930s. It offers banana splits, root beer floats, sundaes, malts and cones. Denise hopes the space can host children’s birthday parties in the future. Patrons can order from Wyanet Meat Locker on Wednesdays and pick up their products on Thursdays afternoon. The shop can also order items for customers from Folsom’s Bakery in Rock Falls. Scuteri renovated the building, including putting on a new roof and remodeling the upstairs apartment for Denise and Randy.
Their apartment shares a wall with Ronald Reagan’s birthplace next door, and Denise said “it’s really cool” and has a very “historical feel.” The two have discussed displaying Ronald Reagan memorabilia and showing old Ronald Reagan movies in the back of the shop. They really hope they have found a way to bring the community together to appreciate the fascinating history of Tampico. Denise is very proud to be running the shop her brother created and is excited for the future of Main Street in Tampico. “It is amazing that he took [the building] from almost falling down to what it is today,” she said. s
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915 2nd St., Fulton, IL 815-589-3100 Beau Marinangeli Assistant Mgr./Sales
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Mark Marinangeli Outside Sales
Flowers, gifts and your caffeine fix
Blooms-A-Latte manager Miranda Klockenga holds a fresh bouquet of flowers. The business offers an array of floral arrangements.
Prophetstown shop saves customers a few trips STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
T
here’s nothing quite like the smell of coffee in the morning. If you mix that scent with fresh flowers, it’s a pretty safe bet you’re walking into Blooms-a-Latte, Prophetstown’s one and only flower and coffee shop. “We’re the only florist in town, so it’s helped business big time with the flowers, and of course, the coffee,” said manager Miranda Klockenga, 28. “You can go to the restaurant down the street and get regular coffee but, ... this is more of specialty coffee.”
Meredith Johnson of Prophetstown is the owner of the coffee, gift and full-service flower shop, which opened in November 2014. The business gets all of its coffee from Door County Coffee and Tea in Wisconsin, a family -owned artisan coffee roasting business. The shop offers lattes, mochas, chais, frappes and iced coffees. Klockenga said some of the most popular flavors are caramel, vanilla and Irish cream. In addition to gourmet coffee, the business offers an array of floral arrangements for all
occasions, including everyday arrangements, sympathy pieces, and flowers for homecoming and prom. “We haven’t really dipped our fingers too much into weddings,” Klockenga said. “That’s something down the road that might happen.” The shop offers various gift items and home decor. Klockenga said their gift selection is comparable to Golden Key in Sterling, but on a slightly smaller scale. Continued on page 21
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We invite you to stop by and enjoy a multi-level shopping experience 307 First Ave., Sterling Mon.-Fri. 9 - 6p.m., Sat. 9 - 5p.m., Sun. 10 - 4p.m. s m a l l
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Community Faces
MORRISON
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104 S. Genesee
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THE OLD HOTEL antiques & collectibles 130 E. Main St., Morrison Mon-Sat 10-3
130 E. Main St., Morrison Mon-Sat 10-3
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“Our gift items are growing,” she said. “Christmas and fall are big seasons for us. The store is kind of bare right now, but eventually, I’ll switch over and it’ll be all fall [items].” Klockenga said what sets Blooms-a-Latte apart from other businesses is the variety of services it offers. The atmosphere in Blooms-a-Latte is warm and friendly, according to Klockenga. She said there are a bunch of regulars who visit the shop daily. “Every morning, I have a group of ladies that come in here. It could be anywhere from two to 15 of them depending on what everybody’s got going on,” she said. “Every 3 months, they get together and bring a birthday cake and have a birthday celebration for the 3-month birthdays. They’re a great group.” Klockenga said she truly enjoys managing Blooms-a-Latte, and her favorite part is interacting with local community members. “I enjoy the people. ... It’s great to get to know the community.” s
Blooms-a-Latte
Address: 319 Washington St., Prophetstown Phone: 815-537-2000 Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday Online: On Facebook ABOVE RIGHT: The business gets all of its coffee from Door County Coffee and Tea in Wisconsin, a family-owned artisan coffee roasting business. It offers lattes, mochas, chais, frappes and iced coffees. BELOW RIGHT: The shop offers gifts for many occasions, such as the pieces shown here and handpicked jewelry.
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WHITESIDE COUNTY SENIOR CENTER 1207 West Ninth Street, Sterling • 815.622.9230 • 888.622.9230 9230 30 www.whitesidecsc.org • Monday-Friday 8am - 4pm
The power of family Three generations behind success at Dennis Electric of Tampico STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
ABOVE: John Widolff (from left), Dennis Morath, Dan Widolff and Toby Johnson are four of the family members who have worked to build and grow Dennis Electric of Tampico.
I
t isn’t every day that a business has three generations of family members working for it, but at Dennis Electric, a full-service electrical contracting business, that is exactly the case. Dennis Morath, 77, founder and previous owner of Dennis Electric, said he can’t believe how far his business has come over the past 23 years. He said he owes a lot of that to his son-in-law and current owner of the business, John Widolff, 53.
LEFT: John’s son, Drew, works at a residential job in Rock Falls.
Continued on page 25
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“[John] has grown the company into something that I hadn’t even imagined, and here it is years later. I’ve got grandchildren working in here. ... The business has flourished,” Morath said. John’s sons, Drew, 27, and Dan, 31, and son-in-law, Toby Johnson, 33, all work for the business. Despite this, John still gives Dennis much of the credit for the success of the business. “Because of you, your great-grand kids get to eat dinner tonight,” John said to Dennis. Dennis said the concept of his own electric business first came about after the contractor he was working for sold out to a union. “I didn’t want to have to go the union route and get re-trained to their approval, because I’d been doing it for 25 years by then,” Dennis said. He tried polishing up his resume and applying for other electrician jobs around the area but kept getting turned down for being over qualified. Businesses told him he would cost them too much money. “I had set the arbitrary date of the first of June,” Dennis said. “If I didn’t have employment, I was going to hang out my shingle, so I hung out the shingle.” The rest is history. Toby, who is the business manager at Dennis Electric, said he thinks being part of a family business is a big positive. “I think it’s better for communication, because we are all so familiar with each other,” Toby said. “And if I have anything I need to say, I can say it without fear of offending anyone. We all care about the same thing and that’s making this business a success.” Dennis Electric covers a variety of electrical services including residential, agricultural and commercial. They are also Kohler Generator authorized dealers.
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Dan and his father, John, gather equipment at their shop outside of Tampico.
John and Dennis share a laugh as they talk about the business they built at Dennis Electric.
According to John, what really sets Dennis Electric their family-owned company apart from other electrical companies is their Address: 7833 Tampireliability and personable staff. co Road, Rock Falls “What differentiates us from the rest Phone: 815-438-4402 is we’re courteous and polite. ... We Online: denniselecreturn phone calls, and we do what we tric.net and on Facesay we’re going to do,” John said. book Dan, an electrician at Dennis ElecEmail: denniselectric. tric, said the employees truly care office@gmail.com about their customers and try to be as Hours: 7:30 a.m. to straightforward with them as possible. 4:30 p.m. Monday “We’re fair and honest, and we’ll tell through Friday people like it is,” Dan said. “If we see something that’s unsafe, we’ll talk to them about it instead of just doing it and then giving them a bill. We’ll bring stuff to their attention that should be addressed, and they appreciate the fact that we’re pointing it out and not just charging them for it.” Dennis added that being a part of a small town like Tampico helped the name of their business spread fast through word of mouth. “We’ve had such a loyal following of customers,” he said. “These people are great. They treated us well and they think of us whenever they have a problem and we appreciate that.” John said although they are an electrical business, that doesn’t always mean they strictly do electrical work when they visit a customer. “We’ve hung pictures before, we always say we don’t install appliances but we have, we just do what our customers need done,” John said. “We just tell people we won’t do anything that’s illegal, immoral, unethical, or a code violation, but other than that, we’ll try to take care of you.” s
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Style with a smile Elli’s Euro Salon in Prophetstown a Midwest salon with a European touch
I
STORY BY KACIE KLINGE & PHOTOS BY PHILIP MARRUFFO FOR SMALL TOWN LIVING
t can take years for people to decide what they want to do when they grow up, but not for Elisabeth Woolums, owner of Elli’s Euro Hair Salon. Elisabeth knew she was destined to become a cosmetologist by the time she was finished with nursery school. Elisabeth, 53, now has decades of experience in the cosmetology business. She began at 15 as an intern at a hair salon in her hometown, Wertheim, located in Baden-Wüettemberg, Germany. She said she knew she wanted to become a hair stylist by the time she was 5. “My mom always took me [to her hair salon] with her,” she said. “I remember to this day that I liked that place. Mom worked hard, ... and they were super friendly to her. It was a friendly place and I thought ‘I want to work here when I grow up.’”
ABOVE: Elli’s Euro Salon owner Elisabeth Woolums (left) and hairdresser Elizabeth Swatos share a laugh outside of the downtown Prophetstown salon. LEFT: Elli’s Euro Salon offers a friendly and affordable place to get you hair styled.
Continued on page 27 1007 4th St. Fulton, IL (815) 589-3000
15273 Bishop Rd. Morrison, IL (815) 772-7874
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Continued from page 26
Elisabeth moved from Germany when she was 30 after her husband, Jay Woolums, 55, whom she met and married in Germany, decided he wanted to return to his hometown of Prophetstown. “There was nobody here to work for. Our kids were growing up at the time and my husband said, ‘Open your own shop,’” she said. This year marks 20 years in business for Elli’s Euro Salon, where Elisabeth has managed to build an impressive clientele through the years. In addition to this, Elisabeth and Jay also own Elli’s Bistro located directly next door to Elli’s Euro Salon. Elli’s Bistro specializes in German food and beer – a nod to Elisabeth’s home country. Elisabeth said it’s a lot of work, but she loves running both of her businesses. “I’m a busy kind of person,” she said. “I always need to do something.” Despite owning two businesses, which can become a financial burden to some, Elisabeth said she always tries to charge her customers a fair price for her services. “I’m in a small town, so I always try to be realistic with what the income is around here,” she said. “And since I grew up being a working class girl, often times I find myself running behind everybody in price, really.” Elisabeth said in addition to charging fair prices, she wants to make sure her customers know it’s OK to voice their opinions on exactly what they want and whether or not they like their hair after she is finished styling it. Don’t worry, she said it won’t hurt her feelings. “We’re in the Midwest. It’s easy going; it’s relaxed,” she said. “In Germany, if I pay for something, I will let you know what I like. Here, it’s not as straightforward.” I get a little success every day when [clients] like their hair. If I make them happy, I’m happy; it’s a great thing.” Elisabeth has two other stylists currently working with her in her salon, Elizabeth Swatos, 32, who has been working there since October 2015,
ABOVE: Elisabeth laughs as she talks about her passion of styling hair at the salon, which is celebrating 20 years in business this year. BELOW: Among many other services, the salon offers a tanning bed.
Elli’s Euro Salon
Address: 348 Washington St., Prophetstown Phone: 815-537-9019 Hours: By appointment only and Ashleigh McEvoy, 25, who has worked there for 5 years. Having the two younger girls around helps keep things fresh in her salon, she said. “If you keep younger people around it keeps the salon young and the clientele mixed. That’s how I was taught,” Elisabeth said. The salon offers hair cuts, colors, styles and waxing. There are also tanning beds. Elisabeth said she would like to expand more by offering makeup artistry. She’s proud of what her salon has become over the past 20 years. “The hair salon is great,” she said. “All around, it’s been fun.” s
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HERITAGE PRINTING Quality Comes First Business Cards Letterheads Business Forms Envelopes Full Color Printing Magazines Newsletters Posters up to 23"x29" 219 Washington Street | Prophetstown, IL 815-537-2372 | heritage@essex1.com
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THE CRO OKED RO OF DOWNRIGHT DELICIOUS!
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109 E. Carroll St. Lanark IL 815-493-6838