Frozen custard shop taking shape in Shiloh

What soon will be a Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers is taking shape in Shiloh.

The restaurant will open in what used to house a Johnny Rockets restaurant. Crews have made quick work of a full interior and exterior remodel that began in March.

Spokeswoman Andrea Pearce said the restaurant is on track to open June 24.

The Shiloh location is Freddy’s first in the metro-east. There are sites in Cottleville and St. Peters, Mo.

Belleville eyes new Panera location

It looks like a new Saint Louis Bread Co. is planned for Belleville Crossing.

According to city documents, Panera, LLC has requested Belleville aldermen approve a special use permit for outdoor seating for a site at 5801 Belleville Crossing. Zoning Board of Appeals members approved that request during their regular meeting Thursday.

Planning Commission members also will consider site plans during their regular meeting Wednesday.

Panera representatives and Belleville city officials haven’t responded to requests for comment on the company’s plans at Belleville Crossing.

Meanwhile, it’s unclear what effect a new restaurant will have on the Saint Louis Bread Co. location at 113 E. Main St. in downtown Belleville.

Horseshoe site will open in O’Fallon

The owners of the landmark Horseshoe Restaurant and Lounge in Collinsville plan to open a second Horseshoe in O’Fallon.

The second Horseshoe will be at 950 Talon Drive in O’Fallon in a building that most recently housed the Aspen Lounge and formerly housed Jersey’s.

Owners Bernie and Charlie Clardy reopened a reinvented Horseshoe Restaurant and Lounge at 410 St. Louis Road in Collinsville in 2014. The Clardys, a husband-and-wife duo, will operate the O’Fallon eatery with another couple as co-owners.

Opening is planned in the coming weeks.

Land bought for Belleville Dollar General

A St. Louis-area developer has closed on land that St. Clair County officials already have said can become a Dollar General store.

That’s according to Tim Johnston of NAI Desco, who represented Chesterfield, Mo.-based STL Equities in the purchase of 1207 Centreville Ave. in unincorporated Belleville.

Bob Elkan, who heads STL Equities, confirmed he closed on the mostly vacant land Tuesday. STL Equities also built the Dollar General store along Eiler Road near Belleville.

Meanwhile, Elkan said he’s in negotiations on an additional “two or three different properties” each in St. Clair and Madison counties with the intent to build more Dollar General locations. Stay tuned.

Bank of Edwardsville wins award

Efforts to teach kids about financial literacy have paid off for the Bank of Edwardsville: It was honored with the Financial Education Innovation Award during a financial education awards ceremony in New York City.

Nasdaq and EverFi handed out the award.

According to a statement, 2,800 students in high schools across the metro-east completed instruction in financial literacy using computer simulation games. Data collected from last school year shows students’ understanding of financial topics increased by an average of 35 percent thanks to the program.

High schools currently participating in the bank’s program include Belleville East and West, Collinsville, O’Fallon, Granite City, East St. Louis, Madison, Highland, Triad, Metro-East Lutheran, Althoff, Alton, Alton Marquette, Bethalto-Civic Memorial, East Alton-Wood River, Roxana and Edwardsville.

This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Frozen custard shop taking shape in Shiloh."