Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers coming to Shiloh

The St. Louis region’s third Freddy’s site — and first in the metro-east — will open sometime this summer, according to Lexie Pearce, spokeswoman for the Wichita, Kan.-based eatery. It will occupy what formerly was a Johnny Rockets at 3320 Green Mount Crossing Drive in Shiloh.

Extensive renovations at the site are ongoing.

Pearce said construction timelines vary, so she couldn’t predict specifically when the site would be finished and the restaurant would open. But she said it’s typical of Freddy’s locations to spring up in packs.

“We are always looking for sites where we can develop,” Pearce said. “When we put one in an area, it’s almost always not just one location.”

Stay tuned.

Cafe and lounge planned in Swansea

It’s called Lucky Rose, and owner Michael Zimmerman, of O’Fallon, said that while Swansea city officials still need to sign off on a liquor license, he sees no barriers to opening the cafe by mid-June.

The cafe will be located at 4016 N. Illinois St. #6. Zimmerman said he’ll primarily serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic smoothies but also plans to offer sandwiches and salads in hopes to attract a crowd interested in avoiding fast food for lunch or a snack. A breakfast sandwich menu is in the offing, too, he said.

The cafe will remain open for a 21-plus crowd after 9 p.m. and beer and wine will be offered. Zimmerman also plans to include a small video gaming parlor in the cafe.

Food’s ready at Khalilah’s Soul Kitchen

When Khalilah Liddell’s son died two years ago, she needed to find something to do to keep herself busy. Working as a Walmart manager wasn’t it.

But cooking was. Her new restaurant, Khalilah’s Soul Kitchen, opened Saturday at 4217 Old Missouri Ave. in Alorton.

“I’ve always had a passion for cooking,” said Liddell, who credits the grandmother who raised her and fed the family with setting her on the path she’s on now. “It’s in my blood.”

Soul food is on the menu, including items like baked or fried chicken, greens, macaroni and cheese and candied yams.

CarMax opens its doors

Opening day at the used car retailer and service center was Feb. 24.

The company said 10 associates were hired to staff the brand new 8,000-square-foot building at 1254 Central Park Drive in O’Fallon. The store’s lot stocks about 140 used cars. A spokeswoman didn’t have the exact figure for how much it cost to build the site, but she said the company invests between $10 million and $25 million to build new locations.

The O’Fallon location is CarMax’s only site in the metro-east and its third in the St. Louis region.

Fewer wind, solar jobs in Illinois...

That’s according to a report released jointly by Clean Energy Trust and Environmental Entrepreneurs. The report showed that 4,272 people are employed in solar power generation jobs in Illinois this year, down 3.5 percent from last year’s roll of 4,424. Jobs in wind power generation dropped off more steeply, down 11 percent this year to 3,549 employees compared to 3,980 in 2015.

According to Clean Energy Trust public affairs director Ian Adams, the dips in renewable energy jobs were the result of a complicated state statute driving the way money is used to invest in renewable energy that isn’t working the way it was designed.

On the bright side, Illinois nonetheless leads the Midwest in clean energy jobs, according to the report. Adams said job gains among businesses that build energy efficient buildings and appliances offset those lost in the renewable power generation sector.

...but more jobs overall

Speaking of jobs, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported that 18,100 people were added to non-farm payrolls in February.

Even so, Illinois’ unemployment rate ticked up to 6.4 percent for February, significantly higher than the national unemployment rate that stayed at 4.9 percent.

The current 6.4 percent unemployment rate here also outpaces the rate reported a year ago: 6.0 percent.

“Illinois remains one of only three states that have not recovered jobs lost from the recession,” IDES Director Jeff Mays said. “While Illinois grew in jobs it took us twice as long compared to the rest of the country. When determining the overall growth, it is also important to take into account the volatility of the monthly employment numbers.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 7:09 AM with the headline "Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers coming to Shiloh."