Woodridge Business Parks Growing in Popularity

A major business renewing its lease continues the trend of growth in the Village’s numerous industrial parks and business parks.

The Village of Woodridge is seeing a strong and growing business presence in its 10 business and industrial parks, a major source of tax revenue for the Village, with the latest boon coming from manufacturing company GKN Walterscheid consolidating its operations in the Village and renewing a 10-year leads in Wood Hill Crossing, the Chicago Tribune reports.  According to the paper, Woodridge village officials have noticed several of the Village’s other companies expanding their presence in the Village as well. The Village’s industrial-park vacancy rate is just 7 percent, compared to 9.6 in the Chicago area at large, the paper said. "We're very excited about the GKN's expansion and strengthening of our industrial base in the village,” …

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Jamba Juice, 7-Eleven, Nail Bar Offering Spring Specials: DuPage Biz Briefs

Through May, Jamba Juice and 7-Eleven have special deals for customers. Nail Bar in Elmhurst is offering specials during the spring and summer.

A two-day job fair will be held April 5 and 6 at Chuck’s Southern Comforts Café location in Darien. The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the restaurant, 8025 S. Cass Ave., Darien. The restaurant is looking to fill a number of positions. Find out what positions it is hiring for. At its last hiring fair, it had 115 job applicants attend. Through May 17, 7-Eleven is offering customers a special $2 breakfast deal. The “steal of a deal” includes a medium coffee and the choice of a sausage biscuit, two glazed donuts or two ripe bananas for $2. One option for customers is to try 7-Eleven's new skinny salted caramel mocha coffee that has 25 percent reduced fat and calories.  Customers at Jamba Juice in Illinois can enjoy a …

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Business Owners: Join Patch at Ballydoyle Pub for Free Social Media Training

RSVP to Patch's Main Street U, to be held 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 12 at Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant in Downers Grove.

House Hunt: Area Open Houses for June 2-3

Open houses in Darien and Woodridge for this weekend.

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Final Weekend to Enjoy Local Restaurants' Lenten Specials

From fish entrees to pepper and egg sandwiches, local businesses have plenty of meatless options now through Easter.

Now that the Lenten season is upon us, it's time to feast on some of the best meatless entrees in the area. From pepper and egg sandwiches to fish and chips, local businesses have plenty to offer. Here's a quick guide to Lenten specials in Darien, Lemont and Woodridge. Teddy's Red Hots, 737 Plainfield Road Pepper and egg sandwiches are $4.99 all day Wednesday and Friday. Buona Beef, 7417 S. Cass Ave.  Pepper and egg sandwiches all day Friday; 7" costs $4.75, 10" costs $6.25. Version with sausage also available; 7" costs $5.50, 10" costs $6.95. 3 Corners Grill and Tap, 12371 Derby Road  Lenten specials include gourmet grilled cheese, seared ahi tuna salad, pepper and egg sandwich, blackened Cajun shrimp po'boy, Baja shrimp tacos, and …

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Career Change Leads to Happiness, Local Chiro Practice for DGN Grad

29-year-old Kurt Brewer, who grew up in Woodridge, recently opened Synergy Rehabs on Ogden Avenue in Downers Grove.

When Kurt Brewer decided he wanted to change careers, he didn't have to look far to find a new direction. His grandfather was a doctor, his dad worked in health care and his brother was a chiropractor, making Brewer's switch from hospitality management to chiropractor an easy one. Now, after working with his brother in Chicago for a year, the 29-year-old Brewer has opened a practice in Downers Grove, subletting office space from long-time chiropractor Todd Bowers on Ogden Avenue in the same building as the Charter One Bank branch west of Main Street. “I wanted to find somewhere local where I could give back to the area I grew up in,” said Brewer, who grew up in Woodridge and attended North High. He now lives in Downers Grove. Brewer said …

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Kirkland's Home Decor Opens Wednesday

The grand opening for the store will take place April 16-20.

Kirkland's Home Decor, Gifts and More will open its doors in Woodridge Wednesday.  Kirkland's "a leading specialty retailer of home décor,"according to the company's website. The company operates 300 stores in 30 states.  Kirkland's sells furniture, mirrors, frames, clocks, lamps, outdoor furniture, rugs, pillows holiday merchandise. Other locations include Naperville, Geneva, Orland Park and Hoffman Estates.  The grand opening for the store will take place from April 16 to 20. Local designer Linda Minogue of Room Refreshments, will be giving free design consultations on April 21 and 22 as part of the grand opening week events.  The store will open in the Woodgrove Festival Shopping Center, 1001 75th St., in the former Gap location. 

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Relocating Navistar Employees Funnel More Than $50 Million into DuPage, Kane, Kendall Home Markets

While many transplants chose homes close to their new headquarters, others opted for properties with more open space, according to an area real estate agent.

This article was updated on Feb. 15. Since Navistar employees began working in Lisle, moving from their former headquarters Fort Wayne, Ind., they have bought up more than $50 million in real estate in DuPage and nearby counties. At a community event on Feb. 2, Navistar officials said their employees had purchased their new homes mostly through John Greene Realtor, Coldwell Banker, and @properties, with $50 million closed and another $4 million under contract. Approximately half of these transactions occurred through John Greene Realtor, according to Navistar vice president Don Sharp. Navistar began phasing employees into the area in mid-2011. More than 3,500 people now work at the company's new headquarters on Warrenville Road, officials …

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Editor's Corner

Introducing Patch Deals: Your Ticket to Local Savings

Our latest feature will help readers save up to 90 percent at some of the area's best businesses.

We're happy to unveil yet another great feature this week—Patch Daily Deals—that will help readers save money and shop local. Patch Daily Deals will help readers save up to 90 percent on products and services at some of the best businesses in the southwest suburbs. This includes not just your hometown, but also several of its neighboring communities. Today, for example, you can get $30 worth of Italian fare and seafood at Capri D'Amici in Woodridge for just $15—that's 50 percent off the regular price. Most deals will be available for a week. If your town's deal doesn't pique your interest, feel free to check out nearby Patches for more opportunities to save. We also invite you to share Patch Deals with friends. When they buy, you'll get a…

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Business Spotlight: Salon Aria

Learn about this trendy salon being voted the best in the western suburbs, what a free profile entails and how it all got started in Woodridge.

Last week, Woodridge Patch caught up Anthony Vittorini, co-owner of Seven Bridges' award-winning Salon Aria. He gave us a glimpse as to what goes into this self-described upscale and urban, yet comfortable salon. Patch: How did the salon get started? Vittorini: The salon came together with little effort, which made us feel that Salon Aria was meant to be. I left a salon in the area after working there for 12 years. Giovanni and I worked together for the last five years, and when I left, I said to him, "Let's stay in touch, because maybe one day we would have an opportunity to open our own salon." Shortly after I left, I came across the Seven Bridges Community, and we liked what they were doing, so we decided that this would be a great …

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