Opening up on April 9, 2022, the 3:7 Garden Shed is a gardening shop owned by Jeff and Chris Litwiller but you may also see their four daughters around the shed helping out. The 3:7 Garden Shed took the place of the Hopedale Garden Shop after the owner decided to sell the business to Jeff and Chris Litwiller. Before this, the business originated as Slager Lawn Service in the 1980s. The shed’s name comes from 1 Corinthians 3:7; “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow”.

WASHINGTON – The United States took significant and unprecedented action to respond to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine by imposing severe economic costs that will have both immediate and long-term effects on the Russian economy and financial system. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today imposed expansive economic measures, in partnership with allies and partners, that target the core infrastructure of the Russian financial system — including all of Russia’s largest financial institutions and the ability of state-owned and private entities to raise capital — and further bars Russia from the global financial system. The actions also target nearly 80 percent of all banking assets in Russia and will have a deep and long-lasting effect on the Russian economy and financial system.

The phrase “starving artist” has become a cliché because it’s often true. Indeed, it can take a long time before an independent artist starts earning enough from their music to make a living. Musicians often find themselves in the proverbial “catch-22” of having to take a regular job to fund their music but then not having enough time or energy left at the end of the day to pursue their musical endeavors. The good news is, there is a way! There are music funding “secrets” any artist can use to start earning passive income to fund their music projects.

The Hopedale Agri Center is an agriculture business located in Hopedale. They sell both equipment and custom feed for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. They also have recently added a gift shop, The Mill Gift Shop, filled with many items ranging from fun house decorations to boots and T-shirts located inside the Hopedale Agri Center. Right now, the shop is full of fall themed decor and shirts. The Hopedale Agri Center works well with The Mill Gift Shop, encouraging all their customers to check out the shop when they stop by. 

At the edge of Mackinaw sits an interesting piece of central Illinois history. Known as “The Tea Room” today, this old train station was once a stop on a trolley line that existed between Champaign and St. Louis. In 1978, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Despite this designation, The Depot sat empty for 40 years until an experienced business woman with a vision stepped in. Enter: Beth Wiegand.

The Hopedale Agri Center is an agriculture business located in Hopedale. They sell both equipment and custom feed for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. They also have recently added a gift shop, The Mill Gift Shop, filled with many items ranging from fun house decorations to boots and T-shirts located inside the Hopedale Agri Center. Right now, the shop is full of fall themed decor and shirts. The Hopedale Agri Center works well with The Mill Gift Shop, encouraging all their customers to check out the shop when they stop by. 

Cremeens U-Stor-It provides storage needs for three of our local towns. The business has locations for self-storage set up in Hopedale, Minier, and Delavan, IL. Cremeens U-Stor-It is a family owned and operated business that began in 1993. Myrna Cremeens and her husband built two storage buildings as a way to make a good retirement income. Those first two buildings were located in Hopedale and Minier, with one in each town. Myrna explained that they kept adding buildings to each location as they felt it was necessary and expanded to Delavan about 7 years ago.

Everything happens for a reason. This well-known phrase holds true in our business spotlight today. Jeff McGee experienced a no-show for the DJ he hired for his wedding. He improvised and took over the responsibilities of DJ and groom. After working as the DJ for a friend’s weekend, his business never looked back. JDs DJ Service started on November 23, 1991 and began with working weddings and parties. Since then, the business has shifted to working automotive events. The mobile DJ service caters to car shows and cruise nights. McGee’s DJ service is located out of Delavan, IL and has different options for the services that can be provided.

The Gift Box is a gift shop in Atlanta located just off Historic Route 66. The Gift Box offers locally made unique gifts and free gift wrapping. Currently, they have 21 local artisans located in Atlanta, Lincoln, Bloomington, and McLean. You can find many different items at The Gift Box including goat soap and bath products, stained glass, laser engraved items, blown glass, candles, wax, handmade jewelry, bird houses, signs, repurposed farm and garden tools, candy, popcorn, t-shirts, Watkins table runners, boo boo bags, aprons, rugs, and many more great gift items. The Gift Box is open Wednesday- Saturday from 10 AM- 4 PM and Sunday from 12:00 PM- 4:00 PM. They also offer local delivery and can schedule appointments for any possible wants a customer could have. Artists that work with The Gift Box are more than willing to customize their items to create something that you would be proud to give as a gift. 

White’s Farm Equipment is a business in Waynesville that sells new and used farm equipment and a variety of vintage tractor and machine parts. Looking more specifically at their products, they sell Westfield Augers, Big Dog Mowers, Bobcat Mowers, a variety of new and used equipment, Interstate Batteries, KillBro Grain Wagons, TroyBuilt, and Summers tillage and spray equipment.  They also can provide maintenance to automotive, lawn mowers, and farm equipment. Being one of the only local farm equipment providers for Waynesville and other small towns in the area, White’s Farm Equipment is known for having a great connection with it’s customers. Their commitment to a strong relationship with Waynesville and other small towns has been a key factor in the business’ success.

The Hopedale Garden Shop is a garden center located in Hopedale that supplies soil, potted plants, lawn decorations, and other garden necessities. It has been a staple for gardeners in Hopedale and the surrounding communities. To have such a convenient location and great service available within minutes to maintain a beautiful garden, is the main advantage of the Hopedale Garden Shop. Like any local business, it has been extremely important for the Hopedale Garden Shop to maintain a steady relationship with local gardeners, which they have done by providing quality products with every product they sell to their customers. 

Leann Boyd is a mom of two children with a passion for selling rare and unique items. Boyd began the business “Leann’s omething For You” to fufill her passion. Located in Armington, IL, she sells antiques, jewelry, home decor, books, music, and other unique items. She will also be selling flowers and plants throughout the warmer months. Boyd also has a passion for gardening, and will sell quality plants that have been taken care of well. She has been running this business for over a decade, so you can expect high quality items from the shop. Many of the reviews on the business’ eBay shop state that the items are packed very well, the shipping is quick, and that Boyd is easy to work with. Boyd’s average rating for the business within the last 12 months are: five stars for accurate description, shipping speed, and communication and four and a half stars for reasonable shipping cost. 

Minier Lanes is a bowling alley that provides family fun to locals by way of bowling. They host many bowling leagues and events throughout the year that are enjoyed by citizens in Minier and the surrounding area. Some of their events include the 9 Pin no Tap Team Tournament, 9 Pin Snake Bite Tournament, and open bowling on the weekends. They have leagues available for children and adults to compete and have fun. Minier Lanes has extremely positive feedback with 4.9 stars out of 5 from 46 Google reviews. It is also highly recommended by Olympia High School’s IHSA State bowler Trevor White. 

Retrospect Salon & Boutique has recently opened in Danvers and the co-owners, Ashley Hathaway and Wendy Dotson are very excited for their new business to get rolling. Ashley is from Elkhart, IL and has been in cosmetology for 10 years. Wendy is from Bloomington, IL and has been in cosmetology for 18 years. Their salon and boutique is a retro theme with a hair salon, tanning, and a boutique with clothing and accessories. 

Why watch reruns on the Food Network or Cooking Channel when you can tune in to Mackinaw's Own "Cooking with Carol". This addictive cooking class available on the Facebook platform stars local restaurateur, Carol Haynes. Carol and her husband, Patrick, are the owners of Mackinaw's popular restaurant Haynes on Main.