A few years ago, when Glen Ellyn resident Ryan Schiff was shopping for shampoo for his boys, who at the time were in sports and going off to camp, he was surprised at the lack of products for kids who were no longer babies and who weren’t adults either. Along with the lack of choices, many of the products had ingredients that concerned Schiff. “My oldest was going to camp and we were arguing over shampoo," he said. "There was nothing between Johnson’s Baby Shampoo and things with dinosaurs and Axe. One thing led to another and I had this idea kicking around in my head.” The idea was for …

When she was a little girl Antonietta Ciaccia Cervantes liked to take her mother’s frilly lace curtains and wear them on her head, just like a wedding veil. She had no idea her play time would one day lead her to a career creating and designing wedding veils and selling wedding gowns. The owner of Veiled By ChaCha is still playing dress up—helping soon-to-be brides find dresses, veils and accessories to make their weddings a dream come true. Cervantes, whose maiden name Ciaccia was the inspiration for her business name, comes from a family of creative designers. Her mother was a designer and …

Diners looking to get a quick bite to eat will soon have a new option in downtown Glen Ellyn. The Stand will be opening sometime this spring and it is anticipated the restaurant, which is under construction now, could be open sometime in March. The location, at 542 Crescent Blvd.—the former site of Express Press—is under construction and getting some major renovations, said Lisa Demos, who owns the business and will be managing the restaurant’s operations. “Before I was married, I managed an Olive Garden so I have that to go back on,” she said. “We came about [the idea], I decided it was time…

The final preparations were underway and if all goes well Blackberry Market will be opening its doors to customers Thursday.  Owners Anna and Bob Davidson were putting the finishing touches on the business and waiting to get final approval from officials. They anticipated opening the restaurant to customers today. Anna Davidson has experience in catering and will incorporate that element into her new business, which is located at 405 N. Main St. Blackberry Market will offer a casual dining environment, with a focus on fresh, homemade food, along with a market space and a catering business, …

When Wes Barrow first started working in the jewelry business 22 years ago, he had no idea it would become his career—let alone that one day he would own his own store. Barrow, the owner of Larc Jewelers, is celebrating the business’ 40th Anniversary this year and kicking off the celebration with a weekend filled with promotions at his downtown Glen Ellyn store.  While Larc is celebrating its 40th anniversary and is the oldest jewelry store in Glen Ellyn, Barrow has been the owner since 2001. Barrow began working at Larc when he was 22, he said. The Glen Ellyn store was opened by its former …

Now is the time that Sandy Moore looks forward to. The holiday shopping season is here and things get a little bit crazy but in a good way. For six years, Moore’s business AliKat has been offering shoppers in Glen Ellyn distinctive items not found in department stores or shops downtown. As the store celebrated its sixth anniversary this year, it also celebrated its expansion, taking over some additional space that allowed Moore to bring in new products, expand product lines and provide dressing rooms for customers. The boutique now feels more organized and customer friendly, she said. “I …

While Anna Davidson was working for a catering firm in Geneva several years ago, the seeds were planted. One day, she wanted to have her own restaurant/catering business. On and off for years, she had been thinking about opening her own restaurant, but either the right space wasn’t available or the timing didn’t seem right. Then, after quitting her job over the summer and taking time to re-evaluate things, she began to consider opening a restaurant in the former Bells & Whistles location in downtown Glen Ellyn. A restaurant consulting firm she had hired to evaluate her catering business …

Jill Foucré was born into a family of good cooks, including her grandfather Marcel. With a deep love of cooking and entertaining, she knew her second career should revolve around food. A former business executive, Foucré wasn’t leaving anything to chance when she opened her business, Marcel’s Culinary Experience. She took all the steps necessary to make sure she had a strong business plan and well-trained employees. “I needed to know I had a business that would be viable,” she said. A year later, her business is thriving and still growing, Foucré said. The business just celebrated its first …

Lynn and John Day were ready to embark on their “encore careers” and were looking for a new business to start. The Glen Ellyn couple wanted to use the skills they acquired over the years in business and party planning. When an opportunity aligned with their skill sets and their love of art and nightlife, they found the perfect match in Bottle & Bottega. Bottle & Bottega offers hands on art sessions that allow adults to paint outside the lines and have a fun evening of food, drinks and painting. Some events are held in “pop-up” locations, like bars, while private or corporate events can be …

Well before Rich Ducar opened his bicycle shop in downtown Glen Ellyn, he was an avid bicyclist. He’s owned his store, The Bike Shop, since 2003 and his love of bikes — the technical side and the riding side — is still as strong as ever, though as a small business owner, he must wait for the off-season to enjoy his own bike riding. “It started off as more of a destination store for triathletes and road racers,” Ducar said of the business. “But, now it’s more of a full-service store because those people have families and kids.” From bicycles for children and the casual rider to the high-end …

Cassie Nevitt takes a holistic approach to her clients’ health. Through her business Vibrant Body, Inc., Nevitt offers classes and coaching that allows the women who seek her services, to improve their lives, health and wellness. Nevitt, 28, started her own Pilates business while living with her husband in Colorado. When she moved back to Illinois, she began offering classes through her Glen Ellyn-based business. She teaches Romana’s Pilates, offers the Rossiter System, a form of pain relief and holds classes in the “Art of Feminine Presence,” which helps women act powerfully while …

When Elizabeth Janus began considering opening a restaurant she had absolutely no experience in the food industry, but she knew there was a need for something different in downtown Glen Ellyn. “The reason we were so successful, from the start we knew the local customer and knew what they wanted,” Janus said. With her restaurant Honey Café she must have hit the mark because despite opening a restaurant during a severe recession, Janus’ restaurant will celebrate its five-year anniversary in November. The restaurant offers an elevated form of comfort food, she said. When possible she buys local …

Reminiscing about the days when as a tot he spent time in his father’s shoe repair shop, Paul’s Shoe Service, Doug Herwaldt remembers it wasn’t unusual for his dad to send him up the street to pick up lunch or run small errands. Times were different then. It’s not hard to imagine the downtown Glen Ellyn of old, where as a four-year-old Herwaldt ran errands. Herwaldt grew up at the shoe repair shop and started working there in the seventh grade.  As if out of the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, Herwaldt faced a twist of fate when during his senior year in high school his father died of a heart …