Jack Strader's dream bistro and wine bar has come true in Collinsville.
Strader has brought life back to the former Collinsville State Bank building at 102 W. Main St. with his Jacques at the Bank. The business opened for coffee and pastries Thursday morning and will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for continental breakfast and lunch.
Strader bought the 83-year-old, 8,100-square-foot building, noted for its columned facade and 30-foot-high ceilings, and moved his state-funded private rehabilitation agency into the annex next door. Renovation was recently completed with the longtime bank's vault having been converted into a wine cellar; a baby grand piano was added to complete the revamped interior look. ...
Vanessa Prass and business partner Melissa Bishop have opened a new interior decorating franchise. Interiors by Decorating Den is a national and international franchise with more than 500 businesses offering residential and commercial full-service decorating. The two will bring fabric samples and supplies to clients' homes. For more information, you can reach Prass at 560-2211 or Bishop at 954-6949. ...
MINI of St. Louis has a new addition to the MINI line. The 2008 MINI Clubman recently arrived and is only available at the MINI of St. Louis location. It features an innovative five-door configuration with the conventional driver's and front passenger's door, an additional rear-hinged door on the right-hand side of the car and two split-rear doors in the back. Visit online at www.miniofstlouis.com for more information. ...
US Cellular will soon open at a space formerly occupied by Verizon in the building at the corner of 159 and Center Grove Road in Edwardsville. ...
Grubb & Ellis/Gundaker Commercial Group, Columbia, has reported The Waterloo Winery, on Market Street in Waterloo, has been sold to a new fresh seafood market and restaurant. Details to come. ...
Tan Co. has a new franchise in Belleville. Todd and Kariann Roach opened the tanning salon at 1642 Carlyle Ave. The couple gives discounts to military personnel and high school and college students. Call them at 235-9675 to find out more. The Tan Co. also has salons at 73 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights, 1206 Central Park Drive in O'Fallon, 4235 Illinois 159 in Edwardsville, 1050 Admiral Wienel Blvd. in Columbia and 875 Illinois 3 in Waterloo. ...Club Fitness has plans to move to Collinsville into the space previously occupied by Fashion Bug in the shopping center along Belt Line Road. Dollar General is interested in moving to the shopping plaza from the Orchards Shopping Center, also in Collinsville. ...
Viviano Heating and Air Conditioning has moved from 201 W. Main St. in Collinsville to 20 C Schieber Court in Maryville. The new phone number is 288-5934. ...
International tutoring program Kumon Math and Reading Centers has opened a new location at 300 Junction Drive, Suite 205A, in Glen Carbon. Another opened at 5440 N. Illinois St., Suite 103, in Fairview Heights last fall. The company has signed 84 franchise agreements -- a 13 percent increase from the previous year -- and currently has 1,280 centers in the nation with 120 more to come this year.
In all, Kumon has 26,000 centers in 45 countries with more than 4 million students. For information, go online at www.kumon.com. or call the Fairview Heights branch at 222-9140 or the new Glen Carbon branch at 659-0085. ...
Oatman House at 501 E. Main St. in Collinsville is bringing back children's tea parties and etiquette lessons. You can call 346-2326 to learn more. ...
And finally, Culver's restaurants are donating 10 percent of sales on March 5 to local American Red Cross chapters. The donation is in tandem with the Red Cross' annual "Day of Giving." Donations will also be collected throughout next week at the chain's 370 locations nationwide.
Contact reporter Will Buss at wbuss@bnd.com or 345-7822, ext. 24.
