Elgin freight company keeps on truckin'

Five years ago Bob Kuehn started Nationwide Freight Systems on his own, in his basement.

He hit the phones, and started working to build his business from ground up.

He'd worked in several other fields, such as restaurant management and retail. But he decided to venture out on his own, and start a trucking company.

Today, Nationwide has more than 5,000 square feet of office space, and a 40,000-square-foot warehouse just off Randall Road in Elgin.

The company will celebrate its fifth anniversary on April 28.

The business operates more than 30 trucks, that service the retail industry, provide transportation service to paper companies and merchants throughout the United States, and shipping to Canada and Mexico.

But it also services transportation needs for local companies throughout the suburbs, including some right along the same Randall Road corridor.

Kuehn says the company's mission is to provide high quality transportation services at competitive prices.

"By relying on hard work, honesty, integrity, creativity and a commitment to excellent customer service, we ensure our customers are valued at all times," Kuehn said. "Our mission statement may sound simple, but in order to uphold those principles it takes a force of good intentioned people who all have one thing in common and that is putting their best foot forward everyday."

Try one or try them all: Gibby's Wine Den along Randall Road in Geneva is hosting a spring wine tasting series.

You can attend one or all three of the series events. Each will give you a chance to taste at least 24 wines, and interact with at least one of the distributors.

The first will be at Gibby's, 1772 S. Randall, from 5 to 8 p.m. April 24. The second will follow on May 8, and the third on May 15.

Gibby's Vintage members can attend for free, and all others are $10. Reservations are not required.

For information call (630) 208-6424.

Try it on: Stop at Coldwater Creek along Randall Road, try anything on, and the store will donate $1 per customer to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. There is no purchase necessary.

If you do buy something that day, though, the store will donate 10 percent of your total purchase price.

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 (847) 894-5036.