Firehouse Subs has opened in Fairview Heights. The sub sandwich has its first metro-east location at 5909 N. Illinois St. in the Lincoln Place II shopping center. Its menu includes an assortment of hot and cold sub sandwiches. The a chain of more than 525 restaurants in 32 states and Puerto Rico, including one across the river in Chesterfield, Mo. and another that is planned to open soon across the river in O'Fallon, Mo. You can call and place your order at the new metro-east locale by calling 234-3400. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Dairy Queen in Belleville is under new ownership. Owners Dave Lipe and Brian Toennies have bought the restaurant at 1776 Lebanon Ave. and closed the doors last Wednesday with plans to renovate it and reopen later this fall. Lipe and Toennies, who also own the Dairy Quenn at 302 E. Highway 50 in O'Fallon, have plans to create a Dairy Queen Grill & Chill at the Belleville site and include an Orange Julius, fruit smoothie chain, in house. Their plans also call for remodeling their Belleville property by next summer.

A kettle popcorn stand has opened for business outside the Flying J truckstop in Alorton. G Pops Kettle Corn has popped up at 140 Racehorse Drive in Alorton, off New Missouri Avenue. You can learn more about it by going online at gpopskettlecorn.com.

Randy's House of Bar-B-Que has closed its restaurant in Maryville. The barbecue eatery at 2713 N. Center St. closed last month, but the Randy's House of Bar-B-Que at 2649 Northtown Way in Highland remains open. You can call the Highland locale at 654-1800.

The Menards under construction at 1179 Central Park Drive in O'Fallon is expected to open by spring. This is the first metro-east locale for the Eau Claire, Wis.-based chain of hardware and home improvement stores. Menards has 271 stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Stores include full-service lumberyards, garden centers, landscape blocks, lighting, tools, hardware supplies, doors, windows, flooring, plumbing supplies, cabinets, appliances, Christmas decorations, patio furniture and home decor.

A new nail salon has just opened its doors in O'Fallon. Beautiful You Natural Nail Salon is located at 112 W. State St. and is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call 799-6119 to find out more.

And finally, AAA has appointed Meckfessel Tire Co. as an approved auto repair service following an inspection of the practices, competence and customer service at its locations at 415 W. Main St. in Belleville and 1 Center St. in Smithton. This designation business identifies Meckfessel Tire Co. as a quality automotive repair service for AAA members. You can call the Belleville shop at 233-0014 or the Smithton shop at 234-0014.

Contact reporter Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 239-2526.