Sauk Valley
Business Journal Vol. 18, No. 4
Sauk Valley Media
Winter 2015
• They Train Therapy Dogs To Be More Than Man’s Best Friend - Page 6 • Bonnell Industries Shows Its Caring Side After April Tornado - Page 12 • Palmyra Greenhouse Stays Green The Whole Year Long - Page 20
CLARK’S SHARPENING KNOWN FOR GIVING CUSTOMERS AN EDGE ~ Page 4
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Welcome ... to the Winter 2015 issue of Sauk Valley Business Journal INDEX OF STORIES Clark’s Sharpening Service ..........................4
Creative Designs .........................................14
Pat’s Sense-Able Dog Training Center........6
Long Shot Sports Bar and Grill ..................16
Little Sprouts Daycare and Preschool.........8
Custom Catering and BBQ.........................18
Kelly’s ..........................................................10
Palmyra Greenhouse ..................................20
Bonnell Industries ......................................12
Fat Boy’s Bar and Grill................................22
On the cover
Rick Clark of Clark’s Sharpening Service, Rock Falls, watches as a saw blade is sharpened. Story, Page 4. – Michael Krabbenhoeft, Sauk Valley Business Journal
The staff of Sauk Valley Business Journal Publisher: Sam R Fisher Advertising Director: Jennifer Baratta
Advertising Sales: Jill Reyna Business Journal Editor: Jim Dunn
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BUSINESS PROFILE
Business gives customers an edge For 45 years, Clark’s Sharpening has given old blades new life BY LONNIE C. MILLER Sauk Valley Business Journal
ROCK FALLS – Rick Clark learned his trade at his father’s knee, and he’s been sharpening his skills ever since. Richard Clark Sr. started Clark’s Sharpening 45 years ago; Rick Jr. began working with him several years ago and took over 3 years ago. They often talked about what would happen to the business when Richard Sr. no longer could manage it. Rick promised his dad that Clark’s would go on, and he took the business phone number as his cellphone number. It’s the same number he learned as a kindergartner. He’s a gregarious man who likes people and likes to chat with his customers – woodworkers, carpenters, tree workers, farmers, mechanics, quilters, and homemakers. “I love to meet people from all the trades. I’ve met lots of nice people,” he said. His wife, Geni, laughs as she explains his perpetual tardiness for meals. “He’ll come in an hour and a half late. We just set his plate aside and he heats it up in the microwave. He’s been out in the shop visiting!” Geni helps, too, picking up parts, or making deliveries, because Rick has another fulltime job: helping his son-inlaw at Stewart’s Heating Service in Dixon. Rick’s skills are many. He sharpens all kinds of tools – kitchen knives, scissors, axes, chain saw blades, newly created knives, woodworking tools, saw blades, chisels, ice augers, planer blades, lawn equipment, mower blades and more. He rents kitchen knives to several area restaurants, sharpening and delivering 72 knives a week. It’s a
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Rick Clark, of Clark’s Sharpening Service in Rock Falls, can sharpen almost anything with a blade. BELOW: Clark sharpens a chef’s knife, which he does for a variety of local restaurants.
service his dad started years ago when Walgreen’s had deli-counters in their pharmacies. He’ll sharpen any size chain saw for $5, and offers price incentives for repeat customers and churches or other organizations. Another service he provides: giving advice.
Rick teaches folks how to properly attach mower blades (an inaccurately balanced or attached mower blade can ruin the motor); tells them to keep chain saw blades from dipping into the dirt (“It’ll dull that blade in no time at all!”); and cautions them to keep their household knives on a magnetic rack, in
a wooden rack or with protective covers for the blades. (“Throwing them in a drawer is the worst thing you can do for them.”) He also sees restaurant workers using a chef’s knife as a cleaver, or using knives to pry apart or frozen foods, which can permanently bend tips, nick the blades or cause other damage. He also recommends using a good wooden cutting board, one that is built from blocks of wood, not glass or stainless steel, and buying good saw blades – they’re a bargain in the long run, because they can be sharpened for about $10, and usually eight to ten times before they need to be replaced. Clark’s Sharpening Service is at 1504 Seventh Ave., in Rock Falls. Call 815-625-6919 to make a service appointment.
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Training therapy dogs and owners Oregon woman wants to help as many as she can BY JERMAINE PIGEE Sauk Valley Business Journal
OREGON – Dogs can be more than man’s best friend. As therapy dogs, they can relax hospital patients and help students read. They offer affection and comfort, often to those who need it most. Pat Mandernach, owner of Pat’s Sense-Able Dog Training Center in Oregon, wants to help as many canines become therapy dogs as she can. There is a need in the Sauk Valley for dogs – and owners – specially trained to work with different groups of people, including students and the
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Pat Mandernach (left) poses with her poodles Cowboy and Connor, and Rosslynn Shaw with her Cavalier King Charles spaniels Maggie and Alphie, all of which are therapy dogs. sick or disabled, Mandernach said. “I work with whoever is interested in doing therapy dog
training,” Mandernach said. When Mandernach was 12, her father took her and her Irish setter to an obedience
club on Chicago’s south side. After the visit, she gathered the neighborhood kids and their dogs together and taught her first training class. That was 60 years ago, and Mandernach has been training dogs ever since. “When I began learning how to train dogs, there were no classes for trainers to take,” she said. “I’m self-taught from doing it and succeeding. My passion is not to make money; it’s to get the job done so people are happy with their dog.” Mandernach teaches groups, but has private lessons with owners and their dogs at the beginning of each training session. “I teach people what to do, plus I give them a notebook full of information,” Mandernach said. THERAPY CONTINUED ON 7
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Therapy dogs bring smiles and relax people THERAPY
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“Each week, I tell them how to do it and what is expected. People train their own dog after that.” Mandernach is so desperate for trainers that she is willing to give lessons free of charge. “I tell you what the dog needs to learn and I give you a stack of papers to explain how to do therapy work,” she said. She does her training at her training center and at Sauk Valley Community College. Not just any dog can be a therapy dog, though. Breed doesn’t matter; it just has to be obedient. “They have to walk on a leash, sit down on command, come and stay,” Mandernach said. “They also need to be friendly with people. What’s important is if the dog has the personality and if the person
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Alphie and Maggie have been trained to be therapy dogs. According to Pat Mandernach, therapy dogs must be obedient, friendly, and have the right personality to interact with people at nursing homes, schools and the like. is willing to put the work in to train the dog.” She also suggests a dog pass a test with an organization that registers therapy dogs. “If an accident happens, the
dog is insured,” she said. Depending on the dog, Mandernach said, it can be fully trained in 4 to 6 weeks. “It depends on how much work is put into the training,”
she said. “A lot of the training is everyday work with the dog.” Rosslynn Shaw, Mandernach’s student, has been taking her therapy dogs to local nursing homes, schools, preschools and libraries for 11 years. She knows firsthand the benefits they provide. “A dog brings smiles and it can relax people,” Shaw said. “I remember one little boy who hated reading. He stayed with a dog for 45 minutes while he read a book. He read the book from cover to cover.” Kids trust dogs – they have no expectations. “When students read to their classmates, kids can laugh and snicker,” Shaw said. “Dogs don’t snicker.” Mandernach has two therapy dogs, poodles Cowboy, 14, and Conner, 3. She takes them often to KSB Hospital in Dixon, and it’s very satisfying, she said. “I leave KSB on a cloud when I see what it does for people.”
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Lanark day care has evening hours May consider adding weekend care, if needed BY JERMAINE PIGEE Sauk Valley Business Journal
LANARK – The new Little Sprouts Daycare and Preschool will be adding hours to accommodate Thomson federal prison employees who work the second shift. The center is extending its hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., to 4 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday, said Jodi York, who co-owns Little Sprouts with Stacy Lamoreux and Cari Simons. Weekend hours will be added, if needed. “If families need the extended time, we have a license to take care of the kids when the
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Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Cari Simons (left) and Jodi York have opened Little Sprouts Daycare and Preschool with Stacy Lamoreux (not pictured). The center, based in Lanark, is extending its hours. time comes,” York said. The prison, which is 24 miles from the day care, is expected to employ 1,100 people once fully operational. There
are about 200 employees now working there. Little Sprouts opened July 27 in the north end of the former Eastland Elementary School.
It offers day care and preschool for ages 6 weeks to 12 years in five former classrooms. It’s run by the three owners and about 10 employees, all certified day care professionals, said York, who is also the director. “Not only are we watching and caring for the kids, we are able to teach the kids and get them ready for school,” she said. It can take up to 83 children, and already has more than half that, from Chadwick, Lanark, Mount Carroll and other area towns, she said. Meals can be provided. “We have a cook on staff,” York said. “We can make a breakfast, morning snack, lunch and evening snack.” There is also a full playground and a sandbox.
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Irish bar + Mexican food = Kelly’s Establishment shifted its focus toward dining BY JERMAINE PIGEE Sauk Valley Business Journal
STERLING – The food just kept coming from the kitchen. From Mexican favorites such as fajitas and nachos to American classics such as buffalo chicken strips, Nancy Kelly-McDonnell, owner of Kelly’s in downtown Sterling, wanted me to know as much as possible about the food her restaurant offers. Now I see why people have been eating at Kelly’s for more than 30 years. The Irish bar serves American food and Mexican cuisine. “We have a large Mexican
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Kelly’s, 218 Locust St., has been a family-owned business in downtown Sterling since it was founded in 1952. In 1984, its focus shifted from being a drinking establishment to dining. population, and Mexican food has always been a favorite of the residents of Sterling,” said McDonnell, who owns the business with her sister-
in-law, Sally Kelly. “It’s one of my favorites, and that’s why I started cooking it.” Kelly’s has been a family-owned business since it
was founded in 1952. It started as a drinking establishment, which catered to local blue-collar workers. McDonnell and Kelly bought the building from McDonnell’s parents, Ed and Mary Kelly, in 1984. Once they took over the business, its focus shifted from a drinking establishment to dining. “We are a restaurant with a bar,” McDonnell said. “In the beginning, we didn’t even have booths in here. We have a bar, but we are thought of more for food.” Irish food is not totally lost. On St. Patrick’s Day, Kelly’s features a corned beef dinner. The restaurant goes through 1,000 pounds of corned beef, 500 pounds of cabbage, and 400 pounds of potatoes. KELLY’S CONTINUED ON 11
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Wide variety of mouth-watering selections KELLY’S
CONTINUED FROM 10
“It’s a zoo in here on St. Patrick’s Day,” McDonnell said. People might be able to get that dish only once a year, but Guinness beer is always available. “We always have Guinness on tap,” McDonnell said. “If you feel you need a little Irish, have a glass of Guinness.” I pass by Kelly’s almost every day, but this was the first time I visited the business. When I walk in, to the left is a long bar with plenty of drink selections. A couple of televisions hang over the bar. Down the middle are tables with black chairs, and to the far right are booths. Irish decorations hang on the walls. The inside of Kelly’s is much bigger than I thought it would be. I went about 1 p.m., so a good number of people were
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
The steak and chicken fajitas are served with flour and corn tortillas at Kelly’s in downtown Sterling. Other popular entrées are buffalo strips, which are fried and dipped in Kelly’s wing sauce, and guacanachos. in the restaurant, including some Sauk Valley Media employees. McDonnell let me try a variety of the top menu selections. She brought out Uncle Lou’s Dip, which is pork gravy
and beans with melted Monterrey jack cheese. The dip was served with homemade chips. She also brought out chicken and steak fajitas, which came with grilled onions and
peppers, along with corn and flour tortillas. Also on the menu are American favorites, such as buffalo strips, which are fried and dipped in Kelly’s wing sauce. They are served with french fries and a homemade blue cheese. But the one dish that I heard about and wanted to try was the guacanachos, which has refried beans, cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapeños. Instead of a bed of nachos, each chip had its own individual toppings. I’ve never had nachos made this way, but it’s something I’d get again: full of flavor but not too spicy. McDonnell said there is a reason that people have been coming to Kelly’s for more than 30 years. “People enjoy the food,” she said. “People feel comfortable, and they don’t have to worry about getting dressed up.”
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Company plows road to success Bonnell Industries shows caring side after April tornado BY LONNIE MILLER Sauk Valley Business Journal
DIXON – Bonnell Industries is a family business with values to match. Founded 55 years ago, the company has become one of northern Illinois’ leading truck equipment distributors, and also is a major supplier of snowplows and spreaders for cities nationwide. Bonnell also services what it sells. Joe Bonnell, now the third generation to run the company, and his wife, Cindy, also are caring, community-minded business owners. In April, when a tornado
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Joe Bonnell is the third generation to run Bonnell Industries. He and his wife, Cindy, were involved in the response to the Ashton tornado in April – an example of their leadership. tore through Ashton, the couple wanted to help, and they
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invited their employees to join them – on the clock.
Joe and Cindy drove to Ashton the night of the storm with a pickup loaded with personal donations. The next day, they offered their staff a chance to help, too, and 42 workers went to the storm site. It was too soon, as it happens – officials weren’t accepting volunteer help at that time. On the way back to Dixon, though, the Bonnell crew saw a farm that had sustained heavy damage. Its elderly owner was more than happy to accept their help. “When a crisis hits, the whole world stops; suddenly there are more important things than your daily routine and showing up for work,” Joe said. Going above and beyond is a philosphy that carries over to his company. BONNELL CONTINUED ON 13
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Innovaton, excellence drive its growth BONNELL
CONTINUED FROM 12
“We are committed to manufacturing, distributing, installing and servicing the best and most innovative solutions for our customers in the truck and road equipment industry, constantly striving to improve industry standards and to exceed the customer’s expectations,” he said. He believes that is the secret to Bonnell’s growth, and he depends on veteran staff members to pass that mission on to each new employee. Kyle Dixon, 45, has worked in the shipping and receiving department for 8 years, and summed up what he believes is a key part of the company’s success: “Joe and plant manager Tom Massey are good guys to work for. They are great at building teams that are skilled and work well together.”
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
One of Bonnell Industries’ specialties is its industrial snow removal equipment. The company is a major supplier of snowplows and spreaders throughout the U.S. It all began when Jesse Bonnell, then a driver with a road construction contractor, saw a need for portable welding services dedicated to repairing the axles on heavy-duty trucks. In October 1960, he opened
J.L. Bonnell’s Welding Service in his shop at his Dixon home. In 1972, he moved his growing business to its current location on more than 4 acres at 1385 Franklin Grove Road, where he had an 8,700-square-
foot shop, a 1,400-square-foot office, and later, a warehouse. In 1980, he added snowplows to his line, and 2 years later doubled his shop space. Bonnell retired in 1984, and sold the business to his son, Bob. The company became a full-time truck equipment distributor in 1985. The original office building was demolished in 1997, making way for new offices and a 2,000-square-foot display showroom. A 4,600-squarefoot warehouse was added for product storage and shipping. Today, Bonnell Industries is one of the leading truck equipment distributors in northern Illinois, making and selling snow and ice control equipment, truck equipment, road maintenance equipment, power equipment and municipal contractor equipment and supplies. And Joe Bonnell, Bob’s son, is now in the driver’s seat.
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Embroidery and quilt shop moves Creative Designs settles into new downtown home BY VINDE WELLS Sauk Valley Business Journal
OREGON – A longtime Oregon businesswoman has made a move. Carol Bellows opened Creative Designs in 2001; she added custom long-arm quilting to the embroidery shop in 2008. She was at 1310 W. Pines Road for several years, but when a downtown storefront opened up, she decided to make a move, opening Sept. 8 at 306 W. Washington St. Conveniently enough for some customers, she’s right next door to the former Stitches In
Vinde Wells/vwells@shawmedia.com
Carol Bellows, owner of Creative Designs, sets the quilting machine at her new shop at 306 W. Washington St. in Oregon. Bellows moved the store there from Pines Road in September. Time, now FiberAddicts. “I love it up here,” Bellows said. “I have more space and more visibility. The main thing is the visibility.”
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The embroidery end of the business includes monogramming and personalizing clothes and other items, including embroidering com-
pany logos on coats and such, work that increases at Christmastime. It ties in nicely with the quilting business. Bellows can create customized labels for quilts brought in by customers. It was her love of quilting that led her to install a longarm computerized quilting machine. It offers a vast array of designs and options for stitching the front, back, and batting. From hearts to horses, Bellows can produce hundreds of quilt-finishing designs in all sizes. The length of the stitches can be varied, too, and Bellows can create stitching patterns on the machine that can be recorded and used again. One of the best parts of her business is meeting her “awesome” customers and seeing their creations, she said. “They do amazing work.”
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Long Shot tavern keeps it simple They do what it takes to make their customers happy BY JERMAINE PIGEE Sauk Valley Business Journal
ROCK FALLS – Matt Prescott, owner of Long Shot Sports Bar and Grill, has one rule for his 21 employees. “Every one of my employees are told to do whatever it takes to make the customer happy,” Prescott said. “If you screw up, make it right with them. Always find a way to say yes.” This simple, yet effective rule is what keeps customers flocking to Long Shot. Prescott, owner of Candlelight Inn restaurants in Sterling, Rock Falls and Clinton, Iowa, and his business
Jermaine Pigee/jpigee@saukvalley.com
The classic burger with cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion and pickles at Long Shot Sports Bar and Grill in Rock Falls. partner, Tim Kendrick, have owned Long Shot for almost 3 years. Bob Atilano of Rock Falls
previously owned the bar for about 6 years. Prescott said the restaurant specializes in three main
things: burgers, flatbreads and appetizers. “We try to keep it simple,” Prescott said. “Too many places try to do everything and they don’t do anything well and it doesn’t work out.” Although Long Shot is more of a bar than a restaurant, Prescott said the business serves quality food. “People come in and they want a high-quality product, and we are able to give them a high-quality product,” he said. “This is a bar with good food.” When I walk into Long Shot, the first thing I notice is how big the establishment is. To my left is a large bar. Tables and chairs are spread throughout the place. Televisions are hung all around the building. LONG SHOT CONTINUED ON 17
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Loaded fries among the most popular entrées LONG SHOT
CONTINUED FROM 16
There is a second bar and a stage area for live music in the back of Long Shot. There also are dart boards hanging on the wall. The flat breads are among the more popular items on the menu. They include the cheesy BLT with cream cheese, bacon and mozzarella cheese, and the taco flat bread, which includes taco meat, lettuce, tomatoes, taco cheese, sour cream and salsa. I’m a fan of buffalo chicken, so I ordered the buffalo chicken flat bread with cream cheese, buffalo chicken and mozzarella cheese. The flatbread reminded me of a really thin and crispy pizza. It was full of flavor, and it reminded me of a real chicken wing. Another thing I tried was
Jermaine Pigee/jpigee@saukvalley.com
An order of Long Shot’s loaded fries is adorned with cheese sauce, bacon, sour cream and chives. These waffle fries are crispy and tasty and not messy to eat; no fork was necessary during a reporter’s recent visit. the popular loaded fries, messy. A fork is needed with which are waffle fries with some other cheese fries I’ve cheese sauce, bacon, sour had at other restaurants. I cream and chives. I love the was able to eat these fries idea of waffle fries. They are without a fork. crispy, and they were not Long Shot is undergoing
some renovations, including a patio available with televisions and a fire pit. Prescott also wants to do some landscaping, update the roof, install new air conditioning units, and update the tables and chairs. The bathrooms have already been updated. Once the renovations are complete, which Prescott hopes is in about a year, there will be another big change. “We will change the name at some point, but we are not ready,” he said. “Everything has to be the way I want it. Then, I can put a new name on the front door.” What will the new name be? “I don’t know what the name will be,” Prescott said. “It could be Jermaine’s. Who knows what it could be?” The name Jermaine’s sounds like a good name choice to me.
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They put their barbecue on wheels Custom Catering and BBQ serves variety of dishes BY JERMAINE PIGEE Sauk Valley Business Journal
LANARK – Custom Catering and BBQ is not your typical sit-down restaurant. In fact, co-owners Scott Heeren and Chas Welch can drive off with the kitchen any time they want. But just because the kitchen is on wheels doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer a wide array of mouth-watering barbecue dishes, such as a pulled pork loaded baked potato, or pulled pork nachos. Custom Catering and BBQ has been serving up lunch since last summer. BARBECUE CONTINUED ON 19
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Scott Heeren (left) and Chas Welch, co-owners of Custom Catering and BBQ, stand in front of their food trailer in Lanark.
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Seasonal eatery will reopen in the spring BARBECUE
CONTINUED FROM 18
“People are always on the lookout for where we will be vending lunches in order to get our food,” said Heeren, 45. Some of the signature items are slow-smoked Angus beef brisket, homemade salt-andpepper sausages, smoked prime rib sandwiches, and Italian pulled chicken. The Gouda smoked macaroni and cheese with homemade bacon has become popular lately, too, Heeren said. The kitchen-on-wheels doesn’t set up on the weekends, although it does do area car shows and festivals. It’s also a seasonal eatery: Heeren typically stays open at least through Halloween. “We can also go a couple weeks into November,” he said. “It depends on the weather.”
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/ mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
LEFT: Chas Welch, co-owner of Custom Catering and BBQ, serves a batch of pulled pork fries to Adam Ludwig during his lunch break. ABOVE: Condiments are at the ready for customers of Custom Catering and BBQ. He’ll reopen in late March or early April. In the meantime, his catering service is available regionwide.
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“We have a commercial kitchen we cater out of once we put the trailer in [for the season],” Heeren said.
“That way, we are available year-round. We can cater events from 10 people to 1,000.”
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
PAGE 20
WINTER 2015
BUSINESS PROFILE
Greenhouse stays green year-round Palmyra a busy place during winter, holidays BY AVALYNDA CASEY Sauk Valley Business Journal
DIXON – Five minutes out of town, a quaint greenhouse gears up for a busy winter. While most greenhouses close up and liquidate end-ofseason, the Palmyra Greenhouse continues propagating, pruning, and planting. James Fifelski and Gary Scott moved from Minneapolis 10 years ago to open the greenhouse, where painted cows dot the front lawn. Fifelski operates as owner/ builder, while Scott, with a degree in horticulture, oversees plant care. Fifelski worked for several large growing facilities before opening the greenhouse. “Working for ourselves is much more rewarding,” he said. Planters, pots, and unique gift and home décor items occupy the retail area. Bursts of quality yellows, pinks, and greens show the advantage of climate-controlled areas, even into winter. Plugs of ferns get a head start for the spring. It smells like air after a rain. Two gothic-styled “hoops”
the
Taste 2015 - 2016
AvaLynda Casey/Special to Sauk Valley Business Journal
James Fifelski, owner of Palmyra Greenhouse, holds one of the many plants that are available at the greenhouse, which keeps active year-round propagating, pruning and planting greenery. Fifelski said he believes the trend toward container gardening will continue. – large, light-filled spaces on either side used for growing – nurture varieties of lilies,
epithelium, and succulents. The polycarbonate roof to disperse sunlight was made
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at Flex-O-Glass in Dixon. The building sacrifices energy efficiency to gift the proper light conditions for the plants. Fifelski explained what makes Palmyra different. “A small greenhouse offers diversity which the big box stores cannot deliver. The public has learned to buy their plants from an 18-wheeler. Someone else decides which ones, how many, what colors, and when. Caregivers waste plants, under- or over-watering. “Sauk Valley deserves better than that.” Fifelski and Scott choose a diverse variety of plants, for customers who want something different, and 90 percent are seeded on site. The apple-blossom rose bud from the 1800s recall Grandma’s kitchen garden. A large banana or birds-of-paradise grows next to baby’s tears. Night-blooming succulents and dessert rose possess personality and variety not available anywhere else. Fifelski predicts the trend in container gardening will continue. Apartment and condo living, and minimum gardening time give grounds for mini-gardens in beautiful clay jugs, and succulents in desktop terrariums. In December, the greenhouse makes the shift to seeding for spring. PALMYRA CONTINUED ON 21
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
WINTER 2015
PAGE 21
Photos by AvaLynda Casey/Special to Sauk Valley Business Journal
LEFT: Succulent plants find their home in a desk terrarium at Palmyra Greenhouse. ABOVE: Palmyra Greenhouse is a year-round greenhouse whose owner believes that the right plant can bring elegance and beauty to the décor of customers’ homes.
Annuals make a lot of sense vs. perennials PALMYRA
CONTINUED FROM 20
Annuals are the best deal for the money, Fifelski said. “Perennials here in Zone 5
are so limited. They take extra work – mulching, pruning, and storing – and for what? A couple weeks of color? But annuals bloom most of the summer, they are unique from your neighbors, leaving
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easy fall cleanup.” He offers these tips for the home-gardener: Don’t use “cheater pots,” which hold water in the bottom. Water your plants when they need it.
Ten ounces of good soil is better for your plant than 10 ounces of spoiled water. A plant’s life doesn’t have to end with the season, and the right plant brings beauty and elegance to your home’s décor.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
PAGE 22
WINTER 2015
BUSINESS PROFILE
Fat Boy’s serving up fat burgers Pork tenderloin, grilled cheese, fish also on menu BY JERMAINE PIGEE Sauk Valley Business Journal
MORRISON – Toby Lindeman, owner of Fat Boy’s Bar and Grill, had a simple reason for naming the business in downtown Morrison. “’Cause I’m fat,” Lindeman said with a laugh. Since 2002, Fat Boy’s Bar and Grill has been serving up mouthwatering burgers. When I walk into the building, the first thing I notice are the bright video gambling machines near the entrance. A small number of tables is spread throughout the middle of the restaurant, and to my left, several black stools line a large bar. Televisions are spread throughout the restaurant, and a string of Christmas lights hangs over the bar. The restaurant’s menu is a simple one. You can play it safe by getting a regular halfpound hamburger, cheeseburger or bacon cheeseburger. You can also get adventuresome and try the Fat Boy Burger, which includes two half-pound patties, two slices of cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions.
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Fat Boy’s Bar and Grill in downtown Morrison has been serving up mouthwatering burgers since 2002. BELOW: The half-pound bacon cheeseburger from Fat Boy’s is popular with patrons.
I decided to get a regular bacon cheeseburger, which is not the type of burger you get at a fast-food restaurant.
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the Fat Boy Burger. The toppings and seasonings were not overpowering, so the taste of the hamburger was not lost. It’s not just me who likes the burgers. Fat Boy’s goes through between 30 and 40 pounds of ground beef each day. There are also plenty of sandwiches available, such as a pork tenderloin, fish, and grilled cheese. All of the items on the menu are sold individually. Appetizers include hot wings, mini tacos, jalapeño poppers, and onion rings. “We have a mature crowd that comes in here,” Lindeman said. “Not the young crowd that drinks until 2 a.m. Some families come and bring their kids to eat.” Lindeman said he gets customers from miles around. The establishment relies heavily on word of mouth to promote its business. “The longer we are open, the farther away they come,” he said. “When we first opened, people came from in town because no one knew about us. Now, we get people from the Quad Cities, Dixon, Clinton, everywhere.” This is a good place to visit if you are in the mood for a thick, juicy burger. The establishment may be small, but it leaves a big impression.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
WINTER 2015
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Rehab/Skilled Care | Outpatient Therapy Senior Housing with Services | Affordable Housing To learn more about our community in Prophetstown, call (815) 537-5175.
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