Sauk Valley
Business Journal Vol. 17, No. 2
Sauk Valley Media
Summer 2014
PUTTING THE ACCENT ON GIFTS
Cover story: Cheery shop owner making plans for retirement – Pages 10-11
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
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SUMMER 2014
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Welcome ... to the Summer 2014 issue of Sauk Valley Business Journal INDEX OF STORIES Green River Cyclery ....................................... 4 Stage Two Resale Shop.................................. 7 Sand Burr Run Golf Course .......................8-9 Accents gift store ....................................10-11 Sewer Equipment Company....................... 12 Fine Line Body Art Studio ........................... 14
New hotel will anchor Rock Falls riverfront development .......................... 17 Ten Pennies Internet Cafe .......................... 18 The Loft moves to K’s Korners...............20-21 New owners for Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning .............................22-23
The staff of the Sauk Valley Business Journal
On the cover
Margaret Zumdahl has built Accents into a fascinating gift shop during the past 15 years. Now, she’s planning to retire. – Michael Krabbenhoeft, Sauk Valley Business Journal
Publisher: Sam R Fisher Advertising Director: Jennifer Baratta
Advertising Sales: Jill Reyna Business Journal Editor: Jim Dunn
Want to stay informed? Email Kelly Null at knull@saukvalley.com to start receiving your FREE subscription to the Sauk Valley Business Journal.
Articles and advertisements are the property of Sauk Valley Media of Dixon and Sterling. No portion of the Sauk Valley Business Journal may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. Ad content is not the responsibility of Sauk Valley Media. Sauk Valley Media cannot and will not be held liable for the quality or performance of goods and services provided by advertisers listed in any portion of this publication.
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SUMMER 2014
BUSINESS PROFILE
Fenwick cycles back into business Familiar face opens new bike shop near KSB BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
DIXON – A local cycling enthusiast who closed his downtown sporting goods store 2 years ago has kept on his path, opening a bicycle shop near KSB Hospital. B.J. Fenwick, 66, of Sterling, closed Green River Adventure Sports at 148 S. Peoria Ave. in June 2012. He was scaling back, he said at the time, and planned to open a bike shop in Sterling. Those plans fell through, though, when the building he wanted required too many repairs. He missed tinkering, and missed his customers, though, so he kept looking. He found the perfect spot back in Dixon, at 205 E. First St. Technically, he opened Green River Cyclery in December, although it has been an ongoing process, he said. Now that the weather has heated up, so has his repair service. And speaking of service, Fenwick offers a sweet feature for those who can’t manage to fold their bikes up and stuff them into their cars: He
Photos by Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
ABOVE: Local bicyclist B.J. Fenwick, 66, of Sterling has opened Green River Cyclery at 205 E. First St. in Dixon, a sales and service shop. Folks may remember him not only as a member of the Rock River Valley Bicycle Club, but also as the former owner of Green River Adventure Sports, a sporting goods store in Dixon he owned and operated until June 2012, when he decided to ratchet back to bikes only. LEFT: Green River Cyclery is at 205 E. First Street in Dixon. will pick up and deliver bikes in and around Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon. He plans to sell a line or two of new bikes, as well, probably when fall rolls around. For now, he’s concentrating on repairs, and on overhauling and selling used bikes, as
his time permits. Fenwick, a member of the Rock River Valley Bicycle Club, is an avid cyclist. He pedals every chance he gets, putting 6,000 to 7,000 miles on his machine just getting back and forth to work each year. Green River Cyclery is open
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, although that’s likely to change to 8 to 3, now that the season for riding has arrived. Find the shop on Facebook or call 815-622-8180 for more information.
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BUSINESS PROFILE
A helpful enterprise for community Stage Two thrift store finds new home in Sterling BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
STERLING – It’s stage 3 for Stage Two Resale Shop. The nonprofit Rock Falls thrift store at 225 First Ave., which raised money for the now-defunct Sterling Christian School in Galt, was given to Self Help Enterprises in February 2013. Self Help provides employment training and residential support for adults with disabilities. The building Stage Two has been in was always cramped, and became even more so as donations of items rose in the wake of its new mission. Parking, too, has been an issue. The hope always has been to move to larger accommodations. The realization of that hope came with plans for the store to move across the river to a former Video Village store at 205 St. Mary’s St., just south of Kroger’s. That move will triple Stage Two’s space, said Carla Haubrich, Self Help’s executive director. The building, which once was a grocery store called
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Stage Two Resale Shop in Rock Falls, proceeds from which support Self Help Enterprises, announced plans to move into the former Video Village site at 205 St. Mary’s St. in Sterling. The move will just about triple the thrift store’s space, allowing it to sell more and larger items, provide retail training for Self Help clients, and expand its recycling program. People’s Market, also has a large parking lot. Its first day in the new spot was scheduled to be June 2. Hours are to remain the same: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Self Help took over the thrift store in part to have a revenue stream that didn’t flow from the state, Haubrich said at the time. Since then, the store has generated more than $10,000, she said, and more space means Stage Two will be able to take in more and larger items.
“I think a lot of times, people just didn’t donate because they knew we didn’t have the space,” Haubrich said. It also means the nonprofit will be able to expand its recycling program – which now focuses on electronics, paper, cardboard and aluminum – to include textiles, Haubrich said. Best of all, though, because of the additional space, and because it’s closer to Self Help headquarters at 2300 W. LeFevre, the store will become another place to train clients, who will be paid to help sort,
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process and price donations, she said. Longtime co-managers Agnes Povilaitis and Emily Habben, Stage Two’s only paid employees, also will make the move, as will its volunteers. Haubrich hopes its customers will, too. “Rock Falls has been very good to us. We’ve had a very good clientele; we just didn’t find a location there,” she said, adding that continued support from both communities is important to the shop’s success.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
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SUMMER 2014
BUSINESS PROFILE | THOMSON
Golf course, club making the turn Sand Burr Run previously known as Buck’s Barn BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
THOMSON – When Buck’s Barn went out of business, golfers near and far shed a tear for the popular resort, and the little village absorbed another economic body blow. Things are looking up, though. Not only is the opening of Thomson prison finally in sight, but the golf landmark has been bought by local boys Ryan Eissens and Zac Vandendooren. The Thomson natives plan to restore the course to its former glory, as well as fix up the hotel and add a bar.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Zack Swanson, general manager of Sand Burr Run Golf Course and Resort, formerly known as Buck’s Barn and, before that, Lynnwood Lynks, describes the layout of The Sand Trap, a new bar being built where the hotel pool used to be. They hope to have the hotel and bar side of Sand Burr Run Golf Course and Hotel open before summer, and to have
H
ome
the golf course, which they must demolish and rebuild “from scratch,” ready for play in August, said Zack Swanson,
the resort’s general manager. It will be a semi-private course, with some membership fees charged, but the public will be able to play golf there. Eissens, Vandendooren, and a silent partner paid $323,000 for the property, which does not include the restaurant on the parcel next door; that site still is for sale. It also didn’t include all 18 holes – they hope to negotiate with a Mount Carroll landowner who owns the 36-acre parcel on which five holes remain, Swanson said. The original 9-hole course, built in 1976, is theirs, though, and that’s what they’re opening with. There also is a driving range and a practice green. GOLF COURSE CONTINUED ON 9
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Owners grew up playing the course GOLF COURSE CONTINUED FROM 8
Swanson, 26, a Rockford native, is moving from Savanna to live onsite. They’ve already got a staff of a half-dozen, and likely will be hiring four or five more people, he said. Growing up in Thomson, Eissens and Vandendooren have a sentimental attachment to the former Lynwood Lynks, as the golf course was formerly known – they cut their golfing teeth there. The name Sand Burr, in fact, hearkens back to the Sand Burr Tournament, a tradition for Buck’s regulars, Swanson said. Now Eissens, 36, owns his
own contracting business, Eissens Construction, and Vandendooren, 26, works for Pioneer Seed in Erie. Vandendooren got his first job working at the restaurant at Buck’s Barn when he was only 13. He grew up in the neighborhood, and now owns a house there. Fixing the place up is a labor of love for him. “I just didn’t want to see it empty anymore,” he said, adding that he’s looking forward to once again hearing people “outside, having fun.” The partners aren’t looking to get rich, either, Vandendooren said. “If we can just get the place to pay the bills,” that will be enough, he said.
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
A fresh coat of paint and a bright banner heralds the opening of Sand Burr Run. Plans call for the hotel and bar side of Sand Burr Run, 5020 state Route 84, to be open before summer, and the golf course ready for play in August.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
SUMMER 2014
COVER STORY
Accent on retirement for cheery owner Northland gift store Accents put up for sale BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
STERLING – Another change might be coming to the Northland Mall lineup. Margaret Zumdahl, cheery owner of the packed and popular Accents gift store, is retiring early next year. That means her beloved shop, which she opened in 1999, is up for sale. If she can’t find a buyer, she’ll have to close the business – at a time when things are starting to pick up again. “I am totally going to miss it,” Zumdahl said. “It’s not even like work for me.”
She and her husband, longtime local attorney Mark Zumdahl, who will retire at the end of next year, plan to hit the road and spend time with their children and three granddaughters, ages 2 to 6, she said. One of the little ones is in North Carolina; the two others are a bit closer, in the Chicago area. Accents sells a little bit of everything: jewelry, purses, scarves, baby items, kitchen gadgets, home and garden décor, greeting cards, and seasonal items. Talk about sensory overload: Every nook and cranny is filled with color, sparkle and shine. It even smells good. Filling those shelves and watching them empty is a job Zumdahl has loved, she said, especially because of her clientele. ACCENTS CONTINUED ON 11
Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
Margaret Zumdahl, owner of Accents gift store in Northland Mall, is retiring early next year and, thus, selling her store.
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SUMMER 2014
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Customers come to shop from near and far ACCENTS
CONTINUED FROM 10
People buy gifts for happy occasions, which makes them happy shoppers, and “the people who shop with me are just super,” she said. “We have some really loyal community people that support us, from Sterling, Rock Falls, Dixon, even Clinton, Iowa” and the smaller communities in the area, she said. Best of all, business seems to be bouncing back from the recent recession. “I’m kind of feeling, since the first of the year, that the community is buzzing a little more,” she said. Zumdahl started Accents 15 years ago, up the road in Burton Plaza, and moved to the mall 5 years later. It’s been a good spot, she said, and it’s getting better. “I think it’s a good place to be right now,” said Zumdahl,
Photos by Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com
LEFT: The Accents gift store opened in 1999 and moved to Northland Mall 5 years later. Its owner, Margaret Zumdahl, is retiring early next year and plans to sell her business. RIGHT: From shimmering décor to baby items, Accents sells a variety of merchandise. who has a sales staff of five workers, plus herself. “There’s not much competition, at least for what I have, and they’re bringing in
that huge big sporting goods store,” which will attract a lot of shoppers, she said. That’s Dunham’s Sports, a national sporting goods chain
that will take up 35,000 square feet of mall space when it opens in late summer or early fall, kitty-corner across from Accents.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
SUMMER 2014
BUSINESS PROFILE
Relocation to Dixon is paying off Sewer equipment manufacturer adds more employees BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
DIXON – OK, like the little book says, everyone poops, but that’s not the only reason Sewer Equipment Company of America is doing so well: Some good business decisions and an improving economy also are spurring expansion at the Dixon manufacturer. The company makes sewer and drain-cleaning equipment, vacuum trucks and trailers, and “business is very good,� said John Wichmann, the company’s executive vice president of operations.
Photo submitted
Sewer Equipment Company of America moved from Chadwick in late 2012 to the former Johnson Controls building at 1590 Dutch Road in Dixon. When the company moved to Dixon from Chadwick in late 2012, it started with 70 workers, and promised to hire 30 more. “We’re north of 100 today, and looking to add another 10� – six assembly workers, a couple of welders, and a cou-
ple of painters, Wichmann said in a recent interview. When the company moved into the former Johnson Controls building at 1590 Dutch Road, it was using only 60,000 of 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space, but it since has moved into 20,000 more
square feet and expects to be using the rest by the third quarter, he said. Wichmann attributes the company’s good fortune to a strengthening economy, and to a decision 5 to 8 years ago to expand into a couple of markets beyond municipalities, its traditional customer. The company, in business for more than 70 years, pursued opportunities in the industrial sector, of which the growing energy and utility businesses are components, and also into the plumbing sector, targeting businesses like Roto Rooter. In addition, thanks to the recovering economy, municipalities that cut back during lean times are seeing their tax base start to grow again, and so are investing more in their infrastructure, he said.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
SUMMER 2014
BUSINESS PROFILE
Tattoo artist back home in Sterling Fine Line Body Art Studio has now reopened BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
STERLING – Tattoo artist Shannon Scalise has reopened his Fine Line Body Art Studio at 705 W. Third St., in the former Sauk Valley Clinic building, which also is his home. Many will recognize Scalise, 43, who had a parlor downtown next to Grummert’s Hardware for about 8 years. He is back in the Sauk Valley after a few months’ absence. He’s done some remodeling on the home, where he lives with his wife, Heidi, who is
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Tattoo artist Shannon Scalise has reopened his Fine Line Body Art Studio in a historic home on West Third Street in Sterling, a brick two-story that once housed the Sauk Valley Clinic. also his receptionist, and with their son, Owen, 15. For the most part, Scalise is trying to use original materials and keep the historical brick two-story true
to its era, he said. Fine Line Body Art Studio offers tattoos and body piercing, and Scalise also makes custom fishing rods. He is open from noon to 8 p.m.
Monday through Saturday. You can check out his work on Facebook by searching for his name, or you can call 815213-7988 for an appointment or more information.
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Meet Our Staff At Heritage Woods! FRONT ROW: Denise Garcia (Director of Marketing), Sharon Taylor (Dietary Service Manager), Rebecca Hawkins (Receptionist), Brenda Legaspi (Business Office/Move-In Coordinator) BACK ROW: Ryan Schrader (Maintenance Director), Brittany Herwig (Administrator), Mia Weber (Resident Services Coordinator), Nikki Burkett (Director of Nursing), Mariann Hall (LPN)
Enjoy the worry-free lifestyle seniors deserve! Heritage Woods is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for older adults and their families. Not just any supportive living community, but one that provides exceptional care, support and dignity to all of our residents. Affordable for all incomes, call Denise Garcia for more information.
To arrange a visit contact Denise Garcia, Marketing Director 815-625-7045 marketing@hw-sterling-slf.com 2205 Oak Grove Ave., Sterling (3 Blocks N. of W. LeFevre) Managed by BMA Management, Ltd. www.bma-mgmt.com
PAGE 15
SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | ROCK FALLS
Hotel will anchor city’s riverfront Project could attract more development BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
ROCK FALLS – The city nailed down its riverfront development anchor project in May. It was announced May 6 at a City Council meeting that the city has entered into a redevelopment agreement for the construction of a $6.1 million Holiday Inn Express & Suites in the RB&W District at the east end of the riverfront. Construction is expected to begin this summer. The city expects the 68-unit hotel to generate an estimated $2.3 million over the next 10 years – $1 million in prop-
erty taxes that go into the TIF District, $700,000 in hotel/ motel taxes, and $600,000 in city utilities revenue. Rock Falls Mayor Bill Wescott said this is the type of project that was needed to jump-start the riverfront. “This project is the anchor project for our city’s riverfront, and it will bring other development into the RB&W District,� Wescott said. “Companies follow hotel business, and we’ve heard from some of those people already.� The hotel project also will speed up the completion of the public green space along the riverfront, Wescott said.
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“This allows us to do the green space project with TIF money,� Wescott said. “This is a huge thing – we don’t have to go to the taxpayers to finish this.� TIF funds from all development projects on the riverfront will be used to pay for the green space. It will include an entertainment venue, restrooms, a splash pad, and the bike path when completed. The hotel is expected to create 20 permanent jobs, while the construction phase will put about 75 people to work. The development team is incorporated as Rock Falls Hotel Group LLC. It is made up of five developers from the Madison, Wisconsin, area and one from Dyersville, Iowa. Partners are Al Gibbs Construction of Dyersville, Landgraf Construction, Neil Densmore of Great Lakes Manage-
ment, Kevin Page and John Kothe, all of Madison. Sandy Henrekin, former Rock Falls Community Development Corporation executive director, introduced the two developers present at the council meeting. “We have had some close calls and development disappointments, but this will bring a great deal of revenue, and I think it will be a tremendous catalyst for other projects,� Henrekin said. Henrekin said a hotel was identified as a strong anchor option in the riverfront development master plans drawn up in 2009 and 2012. “We sent out requests for proposals last summer, and it moved rapidly,� Henrekin said. “The first proposal was a boutique hotel that wasn’t a good fit, but the second proposal was.�
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SUMMER 2014
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Here’s Ten Pennies for your thoughts New Internet cafe in Oregon works hard to cater to local customers BY CHRIS JOHNSON cxjohnson@shawnews.com Shaw News Service
OREGON – The city’s newest business offers a relaxing and bright atmosphere to enjoy a cup of coffee and a pastry while browsing the Internet. Ten Pennies Internet Cafe, 210 S. Fourth St., offers a selection of coffee, espressos, hot chocolate, and mixed drinks. You must be at least 21 to be a Ten Pennies customer. The business was granted a liquor license and will serve cocktails. The business also has a sec-
Chris Johnson/cxjohnson@shawnews.com
Manager Lynn Swanson (center) trains the staff at Ten Pennies Internet Cafe in Oregon. The new shop serves coffee, espressos, hot chocolate and mixed drinks. The business has a liquor license and serves cocktails. ond area with five video gaming machines. “The set-up for this cafe is the best of both worlds,� coowner Gary Wright said. “One
side is bright and good for socializing or using the Internet, and the other is darker to allow for the gaming.� He said numerous electrical
outlets were added at every table to allow for phones and Internet devices to be charged. “We have Wi-Fi Internet and some hard-wired spots available for our customers,� coowner David Flynn said. A grand opening ceremony was planned after the initial soft opening, during which the owners worked hard on training the staff and getting ready, according to Wright. Owners plan to customize the coffee and other drinks based on local preferences. “We hope the community likes our business,� Flynn said. “It takes time to determine what the community wants and likes. We are experimenting with a coffee blend and roast that will be a signature item on the menu.� “We want to be part of this community,� Wright said.
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
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SUMMER 2014
BUSINESS ON THE MOVE
Removed, repositioned, repurposed After May road trip, The Loft is part of K’s Korners BY KATHLEEN A. SCHULTZ kschultz@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5535
STERLING – The sun was a fuzzy yellow stain in the gray, overcast sky, and a cool breeze was blowing. A clearly irritated killdeer ran across a stretch of green grass, recently dotted with dandelions, screeching at the annoying cluster of workers tromping around his little patch of prairie. On a particular morning in May, there was quite a production going on across the road from Crop Production Services at the old Double G ranch. BARN CONTINUED ON 21
Philip Marruffo/pmarruffo@saukvalley.com
Andy and Marion Younger embrace before the move of their barn to its new spot at K’s Korners.
205 West 5th Street, Dixon Phone: 815-288-5508 E-mail: info@nthc.org Web Site: www.nthc.org Tuesday-Saturday | 9am-4pm Closed Sunday & Monday Free Admission | Donations Accepted NTHC is formerly Dixon Historic Center
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SAUK VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL
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SUMMER 2014
BUSINESS PROFILE
Stewart’s alums buy training ground Dixon HVAC businesses have joined forces BY PAM EGGEMEIER peggemeier@saukvalley.com 800-798-4085, ext. 5570
DIXON – Brandon Reuter, 27, and Dustin Drew, 29, both of Dixon, are young businessmen, but their careers already have come full circle. The childhood friends worked together at Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning before deciding to break out on their own. They started Accurate Heating & Cooling Inc. on June 19. Less than a year later, they are buying Stewart’s from their former bosses. STEWART’S CONTINUED ON 23
Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@saukvalley.com
Brandon Reuter (left) and Dustin Drew purchased Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning in Dixon from Phill and Jon Stewart (far right). Jon is set to retire, while Phill plans to stay on and work part time as a consultant. Reuter and Drew merged their business, Accurate Heating & Cooling, with Stewart’s and kept the Stewart’s name.
CARS815.com
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New owners plan to expand coverage area STEWART’S
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Phill and Jon Stewart were looking to retire, and believed that the time was right to sell the business that their father, Harry Stewart, started in 1962. “We had some young people that we trusted that were interested in taking over the business,” Phill Stewart said. “Dustin and Brandon are hard workers, they’re intelligent, and they care about other people.” The new owners will keep the Stewart’s name and merge their business into the Stewart’s building at 225 N. Lincoln Ave. in Dixon. The ownership change was scheduled for April 1. The acquisition of Stewart’s will more than double the size of their business, Drew said. “Our customer base [was] about one-third of Stewart’s, plus we plan to expand our
coverage area,” Drew said. Stewart’s had stayed within a 5- to 10-mile service radius. It now will expand its reach to 15 to 20 miles to target business in the Sterling, Rock Falls and Amboy areas. They also plan to offer commercial HVAC units, something Stewart’s hadn’t ventured into. Reuter and Drew will keep the four employees at Stewart’s, and if increasing their service area goes according to plan, they hope to add more workers. Drew is licensed in refrigeration and is a product of the Sauk Valley Community College HVAC certification program, but his interest in the business started at an early age. “My dad was an electrician, and we had rental properties,” Drew said. “I was changing furnaces regularly in high school, and I really liked it.” After high school, Reuter moved to New Mexico. He
‘‘
Dustin and Brandon are hard workers, they’re intelligent, and they care about other people.
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Phill Stewart, former co-owner of Stewart’s Heating & Air Conditioning
spent 3 years there, where he worked in the salt mines (literally), operating and fixing equipment underground. Eventually, family, friends, and a desire to work above ground called him back home. He and Drew had stayed in touch while he was gone, and his friend became his teacher. “I always liked to fix things, and Dustin had been teaching HVAC at Sauk,” Reuter said. “I learned the business from him.” Drew says he is a hands-on person and couldn’t imag-
ine sitting behind a desk all day. He is a big supporter of the Sauk technical programs and sees continued growth in their future. “Office jobs are taking a hit in this economy, and people are realizing they can create more opportunities with the tech programs,” Drew said. “I’ve seen a big difference at Sauk; they are really ramping up those programs.” Drew worked with Stewart’s for 5 years, and was impressed with how the family business was run. “They are very honest, good guys,” Drew said, “They had other offers for the business, but they wanted to make sure their customers were taken care of.” Phill Stewart will be putting his retirement on hold for a bit. “We’re going to keep Phill on for a year as a consultant during the transition,” Reuter said.
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