New restaurant planned for Fairview Heights & an update on Belleville business project
This column has been updated. It previously incorrectly referred to the Mattress and Futon Outlet as the ``former” outlet. The store remains open.
Some of you have asked what is being built at the intersection of West Main Street and North Belt West in Belleville. The answer is A&A Beauty & Fashion, according to an April 5 post on the City of Belleville, IL Economic Development and Planning Division Facebook page.
The post includes a before image of the structure that’s been demolished, a current image of the site under construction and a rendering of the proposed structure.
The Belleville City Council originally approved the site plans at 4524-4530 W. Main St. at the Sept. 8 council meeting. On the agenda was the Planning Commission’s unanimous recommendation for approval, which included a stipulation that the “concerns of the city engineer be addressed and subject to approval prior to the issuance of building permits.”
During a recent conversation with former Mayor Mark Eckert, I learned that the work at the site remains on hold due to concerns involving the design plans. I’m still working on learning more about the project. Anyone with information may contact me with details.
This week I received a copy of a LinkedIn post written by Terry Johnson, a commercial real estate broker with Barber Murphy Group, that led with, “Heard it on the street. PaPPo’s Pizza is coming to Fairview Heights in the former Houlihan’s/TBD property.” I looked for additional information, starting with some recent meeting notes and agendas available on the City of Fairview Heights website.
Here’s what I learned:
The March 16 agenda packet for the city’s Business Alliance Commission included a March 11 memorandum from Director of Economic Development Paul Ellis, who reported three projects that should be opening within the next couple of months.
The first on the list was a new pizza place at 15 Ludwig Drive, former location of Houlihan’s and the short-lived TBD Bar + Social. A drive to the address revealed a banner on the storefront announcing that PaPPo’s Pizzeria & Pub is coming soon.
Another address on the list, 10890 Lincoln Trail, is the new location for C.A. Jones, Inc. Design Center. The Design Center works with potential home buyers, allowing them to choose and customize the features they’re looking for in a home.
The Design Center recently relocated from a temporary office in a model home in Waterloo and is now open. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment only on Saturday and Sunday. For more information call the main office at 618-281-7927, visit online at cajonesinc.com or find the company on Facebook.
The third item is for a new breakfast restaurant that has signed a letter of intent for part of the former Pier 1 Imports, located at 6101 N. Illinois St. According to Ellis, there are no new details at this time.
A lease has not been signed, but if that happens, Ellis said it will be up to the business to make the announcement about its opening.
Ellis’ report also shows that he’s been working with property owners to “increase the amount of retail space available” through the division of existing parcels, the consolidation of smaller lots, and the construction of new retail spaces. These long-term projects include:
▪ 4101 N. Illinois St. – This will soon be the location for a new First National Bank of Waterloo, which I reported earlier this month. Plans are to open the new branch by this summer.
First Mid Bank & Trust will continue to operate from this location until close of business Friday, May 14, according to a post on the bank’s Facebook page. It will reopen Monday, May 17, at 4600 N. Illinois St. as a result of an agreement with Providence Bank, which will become First Mid Bank & Trust. The agreement was announced in a joint statement dated Sept. 28, 2020.
▪ Ellis’ report includes “construction of a new retail box in the parking lot adjacent to Kohl’s.” Ellis said that parking space requirements have changed, making the space in the Lincoln Place Shopping Center between Kohl’s and Old Navy available for potential development.
I will provide updates on these developments as information becomes available.
Other items of local interest:
▪ The Labor & Industry Museum, at 123 N. Church St. in Belleville, will reopen for visits starting Saturday, May 8, according to a recent notice from the museum’s Board of Directors. Museum visits will follow rules and regulations set by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Face masks and social distancing will be required, and hand sanitizer will be available for visitors. Six visitors at a time will be allowed in the museum. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday. Museum Day, a city-wide event, is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 5. For information, call 618-222-9430 or visit laborandindustrymuseum.org.
▪ Cotton’s Ace Hardware held a grand opening and ribbon cutting Friday, April 23, at 501 Beltline Road in Collinsville. A video from the event can be viewed online on the Collinsville Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. Hours at the new hardware store are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 618-855-8269 or visit acehardware.com.
▪ Schnuck Markets, Inc. recently announced that Schnucks Bakery Departments now offer custom cake ordering via the Schnucks Rewards app and the company’s website.
“Our goal is to provide our customers best-in-fresh solutions whether shopping in person at our stores or on their phones and computers,” Schnucks Vice President of Bakery Chris Kline stated in an April 19 release. “The Schnucks custom cake order ahead option is a convenient tool that lets customers design their cake exactly how they want it in preparation for their special event. Tell us what you want and we’ll make it!”
Available options include specialty-themed cakes, custom photo cakes, simple cakes and build-your-own cakes. Custom cake ordering is available at 95 of the 111 store locations. For more information, visit schnucks.com.
▪ The Biergarten at the Budweiser Brewery Experience, 1127 Pestalozzi St. in St. Louis, reopens Monday, May 3. The Biergarten will celebrate with a complimentary beer for guests from May 3 through May 27, according to an April 23 press release.
“As we look to the next chapter in our nation’s recovery, we are excited to welcome the public back to the Biergarten, and proud to offer guests their first beer ‘on the house’ as a token of our appreciation for coming out and socializing safely,” Manager Glenn Cox stated in the release. “We have made some changes to ensure guest safety, while providing the same hospitality that has made a visit to the Biergarten an enjoyable experience.”
Guests ages 21 and older will have ID and temperature checks. Biergarten guests will experience contactless service with menus available by scanning a tabletop QR code. Beer and food orders can be placed by phone. The bar will also be open for traditional service.
Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, visit budweisertours.com.
This story was originally published May 2, 2021 at 6:00 AM with the headline "New restaurant planned for Fairview Heights & an update on Belleville business project."
