Batavia coffeehouse hosting Friday the 13th fling
While it's normally considered an unlucky day, a few locals are coming together to add a little luck of the Irish to Friday the 13th, while also trying to help local businesses and the community.
From 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Four Beans Coffeehouse along Randall Road in Batavia will host a "Luck 'O the Irish Spring Fling."
The event will feature a green tea tasting by Four Beans in keeping with the theme.
While sipping on your tea and listening to some Irish tunes, you'll also get to check out several home-based businesses, and enter to win door prizes.
Organizers are also asking everyone who comes to the event to bring a nonperishable food item to donate to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry.
Laurie Stephans, one of the event organizers, said she came up with the idea for the event after hearing about a campaign on Facebook to save the family- and locally-owned Four Beans.
Stephans and other home-based business consultants have been trying to host open houses recently to also publicize their own businesses.
They decided to host this open house at Four Beans. It will feature consultants from Entertaining at Home, May Kay, Lia Sophia and more.
"We also wanted to make it a philanthropic event, helping others too, so we're doing a sharing of the green, and having the benefit for the food pantry at the same time," Stephans said. "It benefits all involved.
"Basically it's a way for people to help the food pantry, be aware of Four Beans and our businesses, and to meet people. I think it will be a lot of fun."
Anyone is welcome to attend the event, which is at 1928 W. Wilson, Batavia.
Already, Stephans said, she has had more than 50 say they will come via the Facebook invitation page.
Free Candle: Starting today, when you bring receipts totaling more than $50 from Geneva Commons stores to Smith and Hawken, you'll get a free flameless candle. The folks at Geneva Commons are limiting the candles to one per customer, even if you go on a big shopping spree. They are available while supplies last.
It's Your Birthday!: If you'd like to advertise your birthday, or one of your loved ones' birthdays, you should let Hi Sweetie in Algonquin Commons know. The store will put up a sign in its window and offer you a special treat on your special day.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at randallbiz@comcast.net or at (847) 894-5036.