Most read metro-east restaurant, business stories in 2023, with updates

With 2024 upon us, I thought it might be fun to take a look back at 2023 and see which of my restaurant and business stories were read the most.

And I have to say that I couldn’t have written a lot of stories this year without you, good readers.

I get many emails and calls from you, sharing feedback, asking questions and letting me know about a new business in your neighborhood.

I really couldn’t do this job without you. And for that, I thank you.

Now, before I start getting emotional (I’m a total crier), here’s a recap of the 12 top stories, with a few updates.

Chick-fil-A in Fairview Heights temporarily closes

The popular – and always busy – Chick-fil-A at 6203 N. Illinois St. closed in August for some much-needed updates.

I have to say, y’all do love your Chick-fil-A, because this story totally exploded. What folks really wanted to know was when it would reopen.

The restaurant reopened in late August and is still as busy as ever.

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen closes

After operating in the former Casa Gallardo for 10 years, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen closed in late July.

At that time, a member of the Cheddar’s Guest Relations team wrote in an email to the BND that “after careful consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close” the Fairview Heights eatery.

Chatter on social media stated that employees told customers that Cheddar’s was closing because it was underperforming.

No other Cheddar’s locations were affected by this closing.

Since then, the building at 6600 N. Illinois St. remains vacant but is available for lease.

Darden Restaurants, Inc. currently holds the lease on the building.

Fairview Heights Land Use & Development Director Dallas Alley said that Darden is looking to sublease the building for the remainder of said lease.

There’s nothing official at this point, but Alley said hopefully they will have something in the next month or two.

Belleville’s first McDonald’s location closes

My nostalgic heart still hurts a little from the loss of the single-arched McDonald’s on Belleville’s West Main Street at the end of March.

While the building was not the original that opened in October 1961, the well-known single arch was there from the start.

A few days after we published the story about the closing, I went back to 4422 W. Main St. to find the arch being dismantled.

It was quite the sight, and I was lucky enough to get some photos.

The arch is long gone, but the vacant building remains.

Couple opens restaurant in Granite City

A short time after Tori and Brandon Raines opened their restaurant, Down Home Cookin, in Wood River in September 2022, they decided to relocate.

By March, they were getting ready to open their restaurant in Granite City at #3 American Village, which previously housed Ravanelli’s.

Once open, folks could enjoy home-cooked meals that included hearty breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

And homemade desserts, made by Brandon Raines’ mom, Darlene Griffin.

A few short months later, Tori Raines said too many of the menu offerings weren’t selling very well, and they were essentially wasting money on food no one was eating.

So the Rainses decided to make significant changes to their business.

Down Home Cookin’s last day was July 16.

The restaurant reopened a few weeks later as Steel Town Burgers and now focuses more on one of Down Home Cookin’s bestsellers: the burgers.

Raines said they sold around 800 burgers a week as Down Home Cookin.

And they still offer the decadent desserts made by Griffin.

Learn more about Steel Town Burgers by calling 618-823-5055 or checking out the Facebook page.

Dick’s Sporting Goods to open outlet store in Fairview Heights

If it feels like I wrote about Dick’s Sporting Goods a lot this year, that’s because I did.

Five stories from late June to early October, included planning updates to a store coming to Glen Carbon and the outlet that recently opened in Fairview Heights.

It was the initial news about the Fairview outlet that got a lot of attention from readers. (I credit the attention-grabbing headline for piquing readers’ interest.)

I quickly followed up with more details about the new outlet that would open in the former Gordmans site at 81 Ludwig Drive.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale opened at the beginning of November. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

For more info, visit dickssportinggoods.com.

Silver Creek reopens with new name, new concepts

The news of Silver Creek Saloon’s sudden closing in June was another highly-read story, written by my colleague Mike Koziatek.

I followed up a few months later when I learned the owners planned to revamp the popular watering hole with a new name and new features.

Readers were interested in the changes, which included a combination of multiple business concepts.

With more features, such as more flatscreen TVs for sporting events, a varied menu of foods as well as beverages – moonshine bar, beer wall, cocktails, etc. – and different seating areas, gaming, live music and other amenities, there’s likely to be something for everyone.

Silver Creek Sports & Social, located at 2520 Mascoutah Ave. in Belleville, opened Thursday, Nov. 9.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. daily. For more info, visit silvercreeksportsandsocial.com.

One Fairview Heights business opens, another closes, and a New Baden biz calls it a day

Two of my most-read stories this year were business roundup columns that included news on multiple businesses.

The first included the opening of Jersey Mike’s Subs at 6570 B N. Illinois St. in Fairview Heights on Wednesday, May 3.

That column also included the closing of two businesses: Versona, a fashion boutique located near Barnes & Noble in Fairview Heights, and Wooden Mouth, a bar and grill located on the St. Clair County side of New Baden.

Versona’s former shop space at 6520 N. Illinois St., Suite 104, in the Shoppes at St. Clair Square, is now the site of Willow & Grace Boutique.

I don’t have too much information about this shop right now, but I sent a message to the owner and am awaiting a response.

There is a Facebook page for the business, as well as a website where you can shop at shopwillowgrace.com.

Hours listed on the social media page are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

As for the former Wooden Mouth, the location was briefly the site of The Naughty List – A Christmas Pop Up Bar.

News of the pop-up venue first appeared on the former Wooden Mouth Facebook page on Aug. 31.

The Facebook page, since renamed for The Naughty List, shared images of the space, details about the venue and other information in the months leading up to the opening in mid-November.

The space was decked out in full Christmas décor and offered festive cocktails and fun.

The Naughty List was to remain open through Jan. 1 and plans to be back as a pop-up venue for the 2024 holiday season.

Fairview Heights is finally getting a Starbucks

The headline on this recent story — A popular coffee chain will soon replace the old Steak ‘n Shake in Fairview Heights — really grabbed the attention of many readers.

I think it’s because folks really want to know what is to become of the restaurant that closed five years ago more than they want to know what coffee place will replace it.

Then again, Starbucks is pretty darn popular (just ask my nieces).

Either way, the development is good for the city.

This new Starbucks location at 10860 Lincoln Trail will include features of the company’s latest store concept, which includes a full dining area for customers and other perks.

I’m currently trying to get more specifics about the new Starbucks for you, so stay tuned.

Metro-east business openings and closings

The second business news round-up among the year’s most-read stories included restaurant openings, the closing of a couple of well-known businesses and the announcement of a new business.

First was the announcement of an opening date for Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers at Belleville Crossing in Belleville.

The highly anticipated burger joint was originally set to open in February.

It didn’t.

A spokesperson for the restaurant wrote in an email, “Barring any unforeseen delays, our Belleville location is currently on track to open Tuesday, March 7.”

It did.

The other restaurant opening was that of a Chick-fil-A in the Orchard Town Center development in Glen Carbon.

Chick-fil-A was the first business to open in the development project that also includes Olive Garden, Panda Express, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Club Car Wash, Plaza Tire (now open) and Meijer, the anchor of the center.

Also included in this column was news of the permanent closure of Agostino’s Italian Restaurant & Bar in Fairview Heights.

An announcement was made in February via the restaurant’s social media along with plans to eventually reopen in a new location.

There is currently no new information regarding a new location for the restaurant.

The other closing was Curt Smith’s Outdoors in downtown Belleville.

While I wrote about the closing of the longtime business in September 2022, the information in this column was an update.

The original plan was to close by the end of 2022, but the store stayed open a little longer to sell more of its inventory.

Curt Smith’s Outdoors officially closed on Feb. 11.

An online auction for remaining items was held March 14.

Finally, the column concluded with the announcement that Texas-based Christian Brothers Automotive intends to open a location in the O’Fallon area.

Construction for the auto repair and maintenance provider is currently underway at 1310 Thouvenot Lane.

Golden Corral in Shiloh closes for remodel

I know that many people were interested in the temporary closure of the Golden Corral in Shiloh, and not just because a lot of folks read the story online.

From the closing at the start of summer up to the reopening in the fall, I received many calls and emails from readers asking when the popular restaurant would reopen.

I tried all summer to glean more information. And when the time came for the place to finally reopen, I was out of the office.

Figures. I often miss the good stuff when I’m away.

Word of the reopening finally came at the end of November, and the restaurant reopened Dec. 1.

Shiloh welcomes a new cookie shop

It seems like 2023 was the year of the cookie in the metro-east with the addition of Hot Box Cookies (O’Fallon), Alibi Cookies (Edwardsville) and Crumbl Cookies (Shiloh).

Crumble Cookies was the first of these to open and greeted its first customers in May.

The shop is owned by twin sisters Adrienne and Jacqueline Parrish, who helped their dad open one of the first Crumble Cookies locations

I made a quick stop at the store – which smells delicious, by the way – and spoke briefly with Jacqueline Parrish, who said the business is going well.

And I can say it does seem to be going well. It was the middle of a weekday, and people were coming and going.

I figure it’s cookies all day, every day, so how can that be a bad thing?

Crumbl Cookies is located at 3760 Green Mount Crossing Drive in Shiloh and is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 8 a.m. to midnight Friday-Saturday.

Learn more about Crumble Cookies at crumblcookies.com.

New Balance closes Fairview Heights store

Following the June closing of a Skechers outlet in Fairview Heights, New Balance, located nearby, closed in November.

The store at 6540 N. Illinois St., Suite 104, remains vacant at this time.

* * *

As mentioned above, there were a lot of business closings this year, as well as some new construction for businesses coming soon.

If you see anything new happening in your community – activity in empty buildings, new construction, that sort of thing – I want to hear about it.

Send an email asking, “Hey, what’s this?” with location details to newsroom@bnd.com, and I’ll see what I can find out.