Business owner honored, honors Buffalo Grove
A business owner who was recently honored by the Buffalo Grove village board returned the favor with a plaque of her own.
Marilyn Wagner was recognized Monday for running Best Salon & Spa in town for 25 years.
Wagner and her husband have lived in town for about 20 years.
Ironically enough, Wagner had concerns about the future viability of her salon when the village first learned she was celebrating her anniversary this year.
She came to a village board meeting to voice her opposition to the Buffalo Grove Park District-owned Vitality Spa's plan to expand its services to include body waxing.
Wagner said she was concerned because so much of her spa business is connected to waxing.
The board ultimately gave the go-ahead to the park district, but it also wanted to honor Wagner, who is also involved in many community organizations.
She's part of the BG Singers group, and she supports the American Cancer Society on an annual basis and has participated in the Walk for Breast Cancer. She also coordinated an event with 13 Buffalo Grove salons that raised $5,000 for Katrina victims in a day.
True to form, on Monday when the board gave Wagner the Golden Bison Award, she in turn had a plaque ready to celebrate the village's 50th anniversary. And she said she would donate a portion of her sales through August to the American Cancer Society.
"It's so nice to have some recognition," Wagner said. "Twenty-five years flew by in a minute."
Live music all summer long: The Long Grove Arts and Music Council is back for another series of summer concerts.
The concert series is held at 4 p.m. Sundays at Towner Green in downtown Long Grove. Refreshments and recordings from the featured artists are available for purchase at each show. Admission is free.
On June 29, Chicago Outskirts, a big band jazz ensemble, will perform. The Don Stiernberg Jazz Quartet will perform on July 6, and the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band will be on hand July 13.
The Balkan Cabaret will perform Eastern European music on July 20, and Carrie Newcomer and Small Potatoes will take the stage on July 27.
Pike Creek Bluegrass Band will perform on Aug. 3, the King Snakes Blues Band will perform on Aug. 10 and the April Verch Band will be up on Aug. 17.
The final concert will feature Hurricane Gumbo on Aug. 24.
For more information, visit www.lgamc.org, or call (847) 722-8989.
Also on the music front, Beans and Leaves Café has a series of open mic nights on the second Friday of each month from 6 to 9 p.m. year-round. And the cafe does a showcase series from 7 to 9 p.m. on the fourth Friday of each month from June to September.
Do you have any interesting Buffalo Grove, Long Grove or Wheeling story ideas? Pass them along to Nadia Malik at (847) 427-4489 or nmalikdailyherald.com.