Savy’s Chic Bridal Boutique opens Sterling store

Savy’s Chic Bridal Boutique in January opened a second location at 313 First Ave. in Sterling.

Manager Kelle Bliss said the boutique offers a personalized, intimate experience where brides can find the designer gown of their dreams. It also carries bridesmaids dresses and accessories, such as veils, trains and jewelry.

Savy’s is owned by Sterling native Savana Egan, who opened her Dixon location at 111 S. Hennepin Ave. in 2015. The boutique carries gowns from several top designers, including Stella York, Essence of Australia, Justin Alexander, Maggie Sottero, Eddy K. and Allure.

Bridal appointments last two hours and are available in one of four tiered packages that include add-ons, such as a bridal bar with mocktails, permanent jewelry and other exclusives that clients can choose from to elevate their experience.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 815-677-9579.

Sinnissippi Centers expands behavioral health services in Ogle County

Behavioral health care expanded in Ogle County as Sinnissippi Centers opened its new Byron office in March.

The new location, at 212 W. Blackhawk Drive in Byron, has a full array of services for children, adults and families that are offered at other outpatient offices. Some of those include substance use treatment, psychiatric services, intervention services and peer support services, Sinnissippi President and CEO Stacie Kemp said in an interview with Shaw Local.

Like Sinnissippi’s other outpatient offices, it offers intensive community-based services for individuals who often struggle getting to the office for services because of their mental illness, Kemp said.

Established in 1966, Sinnissippi provides crisis support, individual and family counseling, addiction treatment and more to individuals in Carroll, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson and Whiteside counties. It has office locations in Dixon, Freeport, Mt. Carroll, Oregon, Rochelle and Sterling.

Jo-Ann closes stores, including several across northern Illinois

Jo-Ann closed hundreds of craft and fabric stores, including several across northern Illinois. The closures were part of Jo-Ann’s ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy process.

Sterling’s store at 3201 E. Lincolnway was among the closures.

Flynnie’s Kitchen opens in downtown Dixon, owners return to their roots

After a two-year hiatus, Michael and Cynthia Flynn returned with the opening of their new restaurant, Flynnie’s Kitchen.

Located in the former Sow Belly’s restaurant site at 92 S. Peoria Ave., Cynthia said the new Dixon restaurant retains the “same warmth, quality and community spirit” that made their former establishment, Flynnie’s Diner, a Dixon staple.

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What more do you need to know about Kendall Cheshier’s bacon cheeseburger at Flynnie’s Kitchen on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025? (Alex T. Paschal)

The new venture brings back the classic diner fare that first inspired the business in 2011 when it began as a simple food wagon parked in the Dixon Super 8 Motel parking lot, including fresh burgers, sandwiches, all-beef hotdogs and sides. Cynthia said they get their meat from Oliver’s Corner Market in Dixon and try to locally source their ingredients whenever possible.

The new location offers carryout and can comfortably seat eight people for dining in. Although the new space is smaller than their previous diner, the Flynns said they are taking it as an opportunity to focus on what matters most to them, “quality food, personal connections and exceptional service.”

The 9th Hole mini golf course tees up in Sterling’s Northland Mall

A new mini golf course opened in April in Sterling’s Northland Mall at 2900 E. Lincolnway.

Owner Matthew Hicks, who also teaches building trades at the Whiteside Area Career Center and owns a construction business, built the 13-hole course, which he said will change periodically to keep things interesting.

The 9th Hole also features a large wooden pool table with colored and numbered soccer balls. The game is played like a standard game of pool except that players stand on the table and kick the balls instead of using a pool cue.

“I’ve been watching Facebook and what people are looking for in the area, and mini golf comes up quite often in the conversation,” Hicks said.

Dixon auto repair business says goodbye after over 55 years of keeping community rolling

Russ Shuck was a high school sophomore in 1968 when he took a job at a gas station at 319 W. Everett St. in Dixon.

At the time, he had no idea that it would mark the beginning of a decades-long legacy. Now, more than 55 years later, his time working on vehicles at that spot – now known as Russ’ Automotive Service – has come to a close.

Shuck closed the business in May and sold the building to Nate Rockwood of Amboy, who brought his automotive window tinting service, TintWood, to Dixon.

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Russ Shuck, who’s run Russ’ Automotive Service for over 55 years, hung up his wrench Friday, May 9, 2025. (Alex T. Paschal)

Shuck recalls getting his start in the business by working for the former owner, Bud Carr, for 20 years and managing the business for the last five of those years.

“One day, Bud went fishing and came back and said, ‘You guys are doing fine running it. You should just take over,’” Shuck recalled.

Shuck purchased the business from Carr in the summer of 1988. He operated it as a full-service gas station until 2006, when he closed the pumps and opened Russ’ Automotive Service & Towing.

As the years rolled on, advancements in automotive technology kept Shuck on his toes as he learned to keep up to date through personal research and fellow mechanics. He attributes the businesses’ success to transparency with his customers.

Rock Falls’ Steel Town Speed restores, elevates performance of classic cars, hot rods

Tyler Felder’s classic car and hot rod shop, Steel Town Speed in Rock Falls, specializes in custom restorations, performance upgrades and full ground-up builds.

STS does not do general vehicle repair or maintenance, such as oil changes or brake jobs. Instead, it focuses on unique builds, often taking on vehicles that stall out at other shops to help bring unfinished projects across the finish line.

Interested in tinkering with things since he was a boy, Felder went to school to broaden his mechanical skill set – but the string of maintenance jobs that followed never scratched that itch. He opened STS in February after deciding to take a chance on himself.

“I wasn’t happy or fulfilled,” Felder said. “I’m 34 and decided if I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna try now, before it’s too late. I don’t want to have the regret of ‘I could have done this’ or ‘that could have been me.’ Money and benefits aside, everything that we don’t have now doesn’t matter as much as living throughout the day doing something you love.”

Dixon teen opens Gleam Team

A Dixon teen is scrubbing his way to success, one window pane at a time.

Keegan Shirley owns Gleam Team, a commercial and residential window-washing business he runs with several of his friends and fellow Dixon High School athletes. The 17-year-old cross-country athlete started the company last summer.

“I’ve always wanted to start a business but I’ve lived overseas most of my life which made that harder,” Shirley said. “Every year, I would come back to the U.S. during the summer and I would mow lawns and set up a lemonade stand, but I could never have a sustained business.”

Shirley, whose parents are international teachers, has lived in China, Kazakhstan and Italy. When his family moved to Dixon two years ago during his sophomore year of high school, he knew it was the perfect opportunity to start a long-term business.

“A window-washing business had the most potential for an upside,” Shirley said. “It’s very skill-based, so, if you get good at it, you don’t need a lot of expensive equipment to get started.”

New business at Sterling’s Grandon Plaza sells handcrafted items designed for a practical purpose

In a quiet storefront tucked within the Shoppes At Grandon Plaza retail business incubator in Sterling, Erica Leigh Bentz is reimagining the life cycle of everyday goods.

“I love taking something old and discarded and making it into something new that people can use and love,” Bentz said.

What started as a simple desire to avoid disposable Christmas wrapping paper has become Leigh Alan Designs, an enterprise founded on reuse and resourcefulness.

The store, which officially opened May 21, offers an array of handmade and reclaimed items, including tote bags, bowl covers, jar openers and other practical household goods.

A longtime crafter, Bentz started Leigh Alan Designs almost unintentionally with her “bagability bags” – cloth gift bags she created for her children, nieces and nephews in place of single-use wrapping paper.

The idea gained momentum, expanding into lip balms tailored to a family of 14 nieces and nephews, many with allergies that made commercial products unusable. Bentz’s simple, three-ingredient formula she developed addressed that need. Like the bags before them, the lip balms quickly found a broader audience.

Dunk’s Bar & Grill expands Dixon’s dining options

Dunk’s Bar & Grill is now open at 510 Chicago Ave. in Dixon.

Owners Brick Boss and Tonya Smith – who also own several other local businesses such as Boss Roofing-Siding Experts, the 3 Twelve restaurant in Sterling, Aubree’s Fun World arcade and three Abby’s Wine locations – opened their newest restaurant July 14. The business’s name is a tribute to their daughter’s nickname.

“People kept telling us they didn’t have a lot of food options on this end of Dixon,” Smith said. “The timing and the opportunity worked out really well.”

Boss said they bought the former Corner Spot building in April after being approached by the previous owner and have spent the last few months performing renovations.

“I wasn’t interested at first. But then I thought about it and felt we had a good concept with 3 Twelve in Sterling,” Boss said. “I thought, ‘Man, what if we brought that same concept to Dixon.’ And then to be able to have a nice, larger bar to go along with it for more of a sports bar feel.”

The couple bought the 3 Twelve restaurant in Sterling two years ago. Smith said that Boss enjoys cooking at home, and the new venture in Dixon provided an opportunity for them to build a restaurant from scratch.

“I enjoy coming up with the recipes and helping out in the kitchen, but it’s not something I’d want to do every day,” Boss said with a laugh. “I need to get back to the roofing side of things.”

Elevate Studio in Sterling offers a twist on fitness

A new studio in Sterling is turning fitness upside down, sometimes literally, with a unique twist on breaking a sweat.

Elevate Studio offers a variety of specialty fitness classes, including pole fitness, cardio drumming, kettlebell and more. Owner Amber Hoffman opened the studio at 325 First Ave. on May 10.

Hoffman’s journey into pole fitness began years ago when she was hired by a promotion company and eventually landed in Las Vegas, where she trained with several renowned instructors.

“It was the same group of girls that rated the pole fitness certifications and full fitness structure classes,” Hoffman said. “They’re the ones that pushed it as an actual physical fitness course and then to the Olympics.”

Originally from Arizona, Hoffman owned and operated Sensation Studios for over a decade, offering pole fitness and other specialty classes. After relocating to Sterling to be closer to family, she decided to bring her passion for unique, empowering fitness experiences to the community.

Hobbyist levels up to owner, opens Azure Dragon Games in Fulton

After years of playing supporting roles in other game shops, Toby Wright has stepped into the role of main character, opening Azure Dragon Games in Fulton, leveling up from employee to owner.

Azure Dragon Games offers a mix of trading card games, board games, tabletop role-playing games and more. A gaming enthusiast since he was “knee high to a grasshopper,” Wright said he had been holding the idea of turning his hobby and passion into a business close to his heart for years.

“A couple of years ago, we decided we were kind of done with the 9-to-5s, done with making other people rich,” Wright said. “We figured we’ve been running stores, we’ve been running businesses. We’ve got the know-how and the passion, so why not give it a shot?”

The shop’s big three trading card games are Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! But Wright said they also stock lesser-known titles such as Flesh and Blood, the new Gundam card game, and Weiss Schwarz. Hobby gamers also will find Warhammer and Dungeons & Dragons products, along with a growing collection of board games such as Splendor, Catan, Monopoly and Risk.

Azure Dragon Games hosts weekly tournaments and game nights, with a schedule that shifts based on community interest. Magic tournaments currently run on Sunday nights, Gundam play on Wednesdays, and Dungeons & Dragons on Thursdays. Wright said players should check the store’s Facebook page for updates.

Merlo Macs Tatt Shack in Dixon aims to mentor artists, expand with mobile tattoo bus

After years of tattooing in other people’s parlors, Jacob Mekeel has finally found a shop of his own.

Mekeel opened Merlo Macs Tatt Shack on Sept. 11 at 404 N. Lincoln Ave. in Dixon. The shop marks a new chapter for Mekeel, who has been tattooing professionally since 2019. He said opening his own place was always the goal, both to showcase his own style and to create a welcoming space for other artists to grow.

“I just want to leave the [tattoo] industry a little bit better than I found it,” Mekeel said.

That vision extends beyond the shop’s walls.

For more than a year, Mekeel has been working on converting an old bus into a mobile tattoo parlor. Painted with a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” theme by Vintage Mechanical Works and outfitted with custom decals from JJM Printing in Sterling, the bus is part advertisement, part future expansion.

Inside the shop, Mekeel has built a team with a mix of experience and fresh talent. For Mekeel, tattooing is about more than just the artwork. He said conversations with clients are often the most meaningful part of the job.

OSF HealthCare opens first clinic in Sterling

Dixon’s OSF HealthCare Saint Katharine Medical Center is expanding with the opening of a new clinic in Sterling.

The new clinic – OSF Saint Katharine Center for Health at 1840 First Ave. in Sterling – is for primary care, with an onsite lab, general surgery and specialty foot and ankle care. It opened Oct. 13.

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Deacon Armando Regalado blesses the outside of the newest OSF Saint Katharine clinic in Sterling on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Alex T. Paschal)

“This beautiful facility offers patients convenience and greater flexibility when it comes to choosing their care,” OSF Medical Group Vice President of Operations Dawna Menke said.

“One of our priorities is to increase access to care for patients throughout Whiteside County,” Menke said.

OSF, headquartered in Peoria, operates 17 hospitals throughout Illinois and Michigan and has about 24,000 employees, known as “mission partners,” across more than 150 locations. It took over operations at the former KSB Hospital in Dixon on Jan. 1.

Sterling’s former Candlelight Inn building reopens as Aurelio’s Cake Factory Bistro & Cafe

Aurelio’s Cake Factory Bistro & Cafe hosted its grand opening Thursday, Oct. 9, at its new location in the former Candlelight Inn building.

Aurelio’s new location at 2907 Locust St. in Sterling provides additional dine-in seating and new menu items, including sandwiches, soups, bagels, custom cream cheeses and new specialty coffee drinks.

Owner Aurelio Gallardo eventually plans to include a drive-thru option and rent out the upstairs banquet space for private events.

“Right now I’m focused on the lower level,” Gallardo said. “The community has been so good to us. I’m happy, nervous and excited all at the same time.”

Aurelio’s also features a build-your-own cake bar, where customers can have custom 8-inch, single-layer cakes built on the spot, or enjoy edible fresh fruit arrangements alongside its classic baked goods, including cookies, cupcakes, muffins, cakes and more.

Inside, the restaurant has been completely reimagined with new floors, fresh paint, and vintage-inspired décor. Photos of icons such as Elvis, Selena and Rita Hayworth adorn the walls, giving the space an old-Hollywood vibe.

Gallardo runs the shop with his wife, Araceli, and their sons, Alex, Xavier and Emiliano.

Dixon’s Dog Trot Pottery brings handcrafted ceramics to West First Street

For Vicki Sauter of Dixon, what started as a part-time hobby has taken on a life of its own.

Sauter owns Dog Trot Pottery at 308 W. First St. in Dixon. The shop offers unique, handcrafted pottery made by Sauter, including bowls, plates and dishes.

“My preference is to make things that people are going to use, not just dust,” Sauter said. “I have a tendency to make things that I would buy if I saw them in a pottery shop.”

Dog Trot Pottery grew out of a casual conversation – one Sauter never expected would turn into a full-time business.

It all started during a visit to a pottery shop in Moline, where Sauter, a former college pottery student, struck up a conversation with the owner.

When local classes were hard to find, Sauter traveled to Rockford to take lessons at a women’s center.

“I took two classes on the wheel, but that wasn’t going to happen. That’s not where my talent lies,” Sauter said. “Then I took two hand-building classes, and I liked it so much I decided to start doing some work at home.”

Her home setup grew when the center’s kiln broke down, prompting her to buy one for her garage. By summer, she was selling her pieces at the Twin City Farmers Market in Sterling, and the community response was overwhelmingly positive.

When the West First Street storefront unexpectedly became available, Sauter made a spur-of-the-moment decision to call and check it out.

Sterling woman grows her dream, creates Ink and Ivy Tattoo and Piercing

Rayne Pyron’s new business, Ink and Ivy Tattoo and Piercing, blends her love for art and entrepreneurship in a bright, plant-filled space at 1813 Locust St. in Sterling.

“I’ve always known I wanted to have my own business,” Pyron said. “For a while, I thought it might be a restaurant, but then I thought about becoming an art teacher. I had always wanted to tattoo, but I didn’t know how to go about it.”

After two years of apprenticing and a year as a full-time artist, the opportunity to open her own shop came along – and Pyron took it.

The name “Ink & Ivy” came from Pyron’s mother, inspired by Rayne’s love of plants.

“It just stuck,” Pyron said. “It brings together my two favorite things.”

Dixon restaurant Lena’s Social Club now permanently closed after low sales, costly renovations: owner

Lena’s Social Club in Dixon has permanently closed after its owners were unable to turn a profit.

Owners Heather and Greg Huffman began renovations at the former Mama Cimino’s at 104 Peoria Ave. in September 2024 with big plans of a lively sports bar, kid-friendly game room and upstairs banquet hall. Ultimately, since opening in March, it was operating at a loss, and they have decided to sell it, Heather told Shaw Local.

“We were not bringing in enough sales to cover our expenses. We just couldn’t keep the doors open any longer,” Heather said. “We probably bit off a little bit more than we could chew.”

The couple originally planned to open in November 2024, but the extensive renovations were taking longer than expected. The historic, almost 20,000-square-foot building was gutted inside and out. They built a bar, a new dining room and bathrooms, and updated the electrical and plumbing systems, Heather said.

It first opened in January for takeout only, temporarily closed in mid-February due to the cost of renovations, then reopened in March and eventually offered dine-in service during select hours. It permanently closed in November.

“We really do appreciate the people who supported us while we were open, and our contractors who helped us to get open, but mostly we really appreciate the staff that stuck by us,” Heather said.

Dixon’s Bill and Dick’s Barber Shop will close in March after 60 years

Bill and Dick’s Barber Shop in Dixon will close for good in March after 60 years of operation.

Bill Heeg and Dick Dir opened the shop at 105 S. Hennepin Ave. in the heart of Dixon’s downtown in 1965. After Heeg died in 1994, Dir became the sole owner and, now planning to retire, hopes to sell the building to someone who will continue cutting hair in the space, Dir told Shaw Local.

“The people of Dixon” is what Dir said he loved the most about his job.

“These customers are not necessarily customers,” he said. “They’ve become friends.”

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Dick Dir works on a client’s hair Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, at Bill and Dick’s Barbershop in Dixon. Dir is calling it a career in March. (Alex T. Paschal)

Some of those customers have been coming to the shop since it opened in 1965 and cycling through as many as four generations of families who sat in Dir’s chair. One of them has been a customer since Dir started as a barber 64 years ago, Dir said.

Dir attended barber school in his hometown of Buda, a village in Bureau County, and moved to Dixon as a newlywed in 1961. That year, he started his first job at the since-closed S&H Barber at 117 W. First St., where he met Heeg, Dir said.

Dir worked there until it closed in 1963 to make way for the current storefront, Venier Jewelers Inc. After that, he joined his wife in Sterling, where she worked as a beautician. In 1965, he and Heeg chose to become business partners.

“I’ve always been grateful to Bill [Heeg] for wanting to be partners,” Dir said. “He’s the reason why I’ve been here all this time.”

The two bought the building, opened the shop, charged $1.75 for a cut and had a number of employees over the years, Dir said.

After his retirement in March, Dir said he plans on doing some traveling to visit his grandchildren, but he will stay here to “enjoy the fruits of Dixon.”