Articles filed under Small Business

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  New owner takes over Downers Grove salonMay 14, 2012 12:00 AM
  Tara Engstrom took over as owner of Salon Sophia in Downers Grove about three months ago. We talk to the small business owner about the new shop and her interest in the industry.
  

   

• How to make your business matter to customersMay 14, 2012 12:00 AM
  Small business columnist Jim Kendall looks at how to make your business matter to customers. He gives an array of tips to local business owners.
  

   

• Work advice: Personal space, the final frontierMay 13, 2012 12:00 AM
  Karla L. Miller writes an advice column on navigating the modern workplace. Each week she will answer one or two questions from readers. This week, a reader wants to know what to do about a touchy co-worker.
  

   
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  Low staffing creates a balancing act for small business May 13, 2012 12:00 AM
  The U.S. economy is growing, but at a sluggish pace. Companies are cautious because they dont know what business will be like in the months ahead. Europes lingering debt crisis and uncertainty about the outcome of the November elections is adding to the anxiety. Its a recipe that makes many employers reluctant to bring on new staff.
  

   
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  Mount Prospect writer's new novel getting positive reviewsMay 13, 2012 12:00 AM
  Improvisation is a concept usually associated with the performing arts, like sketch comedy or music. But what if that approach was applied to a novel? Mount Prospect resident Rick Kaempfer decided to find out. He and Brendan Sullivan, a longtime friend and former colleague, spent more than two years brainstorming and improvising the chapters of a novel.
  

   
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  Rolling Meadows residents trying to save post office May 11, 2012 12:00 AM
  They've called, written and signed petitions but there's no indication the U.S. Postal Service will heed residents' and officials' calls to reconsider closing the Rolling Meadows Post Office on May 26. "We have not gotten any indication they are looking at changing their mind," Mayor Tom Rooney said. "But that doesn't change the fact that we're going to try and do what we can."
  

   

• Luxury pet resort proposed in Buffalo GroveMay 10, 2012 12:00 AM
  Barclay Boulevard in Buffalo Grove might better be called Barklay Boulevard if a proposal for a luxury pet resort is approved. Partner Renee Sclafani called it a unique twist on a familiar concept.
  

   
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  Nominees are needed for chamber honors May 10, 2012 12:00 AM
  Nominations are now open for the 2012 Heart of Buffalo Grove Awards, recognizing members of the community who care. Sponsored by the Buffalo Grove Area Chamber of Commerce, the awards are in their second year.
  

   
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  Capaccio Bros. Furniture to close by end of summer May 9, 2012 12:00 AM
  The owner of Capaccio Bros. Furniture in Lake Zurich said the business would close by the end of this summer after nearly 28 years in the village. Co-owner Nick Capaccio said the decision to shut down came as many of the store's American furniture suppliers have folded in the past several years, under pressure from competitive manufacturers in China and Vietnam. "It's time to move on," he said.
  

   
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  New plan proposed for old Pure Oil building in Geneva May 9, 2012 12:00 AM
  Looks like the old Pure Oil gas station in Geneva could become a bank drive-up after all. The owner has applied to the city for permission to convert the former service bays into bank lanes, something he initially thought couldn't be done.
  

   
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  Same name, new restaurant: Napolitano’s in South Elgin May 7, 2012 12:00 AM
  It may have the same name, but the new Napolitano's along Randall Road in South Elgin is its own, new, unique restaurant. Owner Noubar Hawe took over the building at 455 Reddington Drive, which was vacant, and kept the name on the awning. The business reopened two weeks ago, near the intersection of Randall and McDonald roads, and already there are regulars excited to see a family-friendly Italian restaurant in their neighborhood.
  

   
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  Geneva shop co-owner hits the right notes May 7, 2012 12:00 AM
  Kukec's People column features the owner of a Geneva chocolate shop who sings.
  

   
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  Wheeling life insurance firm thrives after 26 years May 7, 2012 12:00 AM
  The founder of a Wheeling life insurance company graduated from law school nearly three decades ago, but couldn't imagine practicing law. So he sold life insurance and never looked back.
  

   

• Small businesses returning to jobs marketplaceMay 7, 2012 12:00 AM
  Its been a while since many small businesses hired a new employee. Small Business Columnist Jim Kendall looks at the process and offers tips on the best way to hire.
  

   

• Interim CEO named for Elgin Symphony Orchestra May 7, 2012 12:00 AM
  The Elgin Symphony Orchestra is entering its next phase of leadership with the early exit of current CEO Dale Lonis. David Bearden, a long-time supporter of the orchestra, was named interim CEO Monday. That's only the beginning of the changes.
  

   
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  Rolling Meadows’ downtown on the brink May 6, 2012 12:00 AM
  Eight years after the Dominick's on Kirchoff Road closed and after several promising plans fell to the wayside, the long-awaited revitalization of the vacant shopping center may get new life this month -- or suffer another in a long line of setbacks.
  

   

• Study shows fewer loans to small business May 6, 2012 12:00 AM
  Lending to small business is slowing, a sign that companies are losing confidence in the economy. A study released this week by PayNet, a research firm that tracks loans to small business, shows that lending fell 3 percent in March.
  

   

• Best states for small business taxesMay 6, 2012 12:00 AM
  State tax bills can add up pretty fast for small business owners. Well, that is, unless your business is located in South Dakota, Texas or Nevada. At least that’s the assessment of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, a group that lobbies on behalf of small companies on tax and other issues. The group has released a study that ranks U.S. states and the District of Columbia, according to how they tax people and companies.
  

   

• Group offers finance classes for business owners May 6, 2012 12:00 AM
  Many people who start small businesses know about their service or product, but little about the financial side of running a company. Two government agencies, the Small Business Administration and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., have put together a curriculum to help entrepreneurs learn the basics.
  

   
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  Why small business owners are hesitant to hire May 6, 2012 12:00 AM
  Ken Levien has no plans to hire more people for his real estate project management company in New York. He says his business has only about 85 percent of the amount of work it can handle because the building industry is still hurting from the recession. Things are looking down in the construction business in New York City, he says.