The Starbucks inside the Bourbonnais Kroger (633 Armour Rd.) has closed. I made the discovery a few days ago, but I understand it happened about two weeks ago.
Edible Arrangements opened this morning at 553 Main St. NW in Bourbonnais. It’s in the same plaza as Jewel.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information or to place an order, call (815) 935-9439 or go online to www.ediblearrangements.com.
Chocolate-dipped strawberries are back at Sweet Street (592 William Latham Drive, Suite 1) in Bourbonnais.
The jumbo strawberries are only available on Fridays, though sometimes they still have some left on Saturday mornings.
They cost $1.49 each. Gift boxes are available for purchase.
Sweet Street sells the treats every spring and early summer, but they’ve arrived early this year. They should be available through July.
Sweet Street also sells flavored gourmet popcorn, candy, fudge and gifts. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.
For more information, call (815) 932-4010.
Dinner by Design (1230 N. Convent St.) in Bourbonnais will close at the end of the month.
The announcement was made Friday via email. Saturday, Feb. 28, will be their last day.
The business offered a new menu of main dishes monthly. Customers could prepare their selections in the Dinner by Design kitchen, where ingredients were already prepared and assembled, or select pre-made entrees, sides and desserts from the freezer case. The business opened in July 2008.
The hot lunch program has been discontinued, and the hot dinner program ends Friday (Feb. 12). But the freezer case is still stocked, and there’s still time to place your entree order or schedule kitchen time. Call (815) 802-2003, go online to www.dinnerbydesignkitchen.com, or visit the store.
Best wishes to owners Vicky Mansberger and Laurel Gowler.
Liquor Zone will open Thursday (Jan. 21) at 963 N. Convent in Bourbonnais.
Hours will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They will be open on Sundays, but those hours aren’t finalized yet.
The new store is next to Culver’s, near the intersection of Bethel Drive and North Convent. It’s owned by Peter and Lucky Vachhani, who also own Liquor World in Kankakee.
The phone number is (815) 936-1444.
Edible Arrangements will be open in Bourbonnais by March 1, 2010. The new store is at 553 Main St. NW, which is in the same plaza as Jewel.
Owner Noreen Hansbrough, who owns the Edible Arrangements franchise in Homewood, Ill, said this morning that construction had started and she is hoping to open as soon as the week after Valentine’s Day if all goes well.
Until the new location opens, you can place your order with the Homewood store and they will deliver to our area.
The phone number to the Bourbonnais store is (815) 935-9439.
The new Liquor Zone (963 N. Convent St.) in Bourbonnais won’t be open for Christmas or New Year’s, but it should open early next month.
I spoke with Peter Vachhani, one of the owners, on Tuesday. He said they hope to be ready to open within the first or second weeks of January.
Peter and Lucky Vachhani also own Liquor World in Kankakee.
Read my post from Oct. 12 for more details.
The new Aldi’s at 2705 S. Schuyler Ave. in Kankakee will open Monday, Nov. 16.
There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m., followed by a public open house from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.
I’ll post more details, including their hours, when I can get them.
The owners of Liquor World in Kankakee will be opening a second location in the next month or two.
Liquor Zone will be at 963 N. Convent St. in Bourbonnais. It will occupy space at the east end of the north-facing building, which is also home to Studio Fitness Elite. The new retail complex sits just south of Culver’s.
Peter and Lucky Vachhani, who opened Liquor World 11 years ago, hope to have Liquor Zone open for the holiday season. The new location will be approximately 600 square feet larger than the Meadowview store, which is staying open.
According to Peter, Liquor Zone will have the largest wine selection in the area. He hopes to offer wine tastings if they are able to secure the necessary permits. As at Liquor World, special orders will be welcome.
A reader named Ken emailed me recently to tell me about the Watseka Theatre. Here’s what he said:
“It is newly restored and a terrific nostalgic experience. On Friday nights, they serve a high-end menu (prime rib, steaks, etc.) and have live entertainment. On Saturday nights, they offer dinner and a movie for $10.”
When Ken went on a recent Saturday with his wife and another couple, the dinner “was a pork loin sandwich (very tasty), potato salad, and homemade dessert, and … (the) movie was a 1937 Cary Grant comedy.”
I didn’t realize the theater offered dining, so I did a little research, and here’s what I learned:
The dining area inside the theater is called The Club Café, and it celebrated its grand opening on May 22.
On Fridays, there’s happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m., with dinner served from 5:30 p.m. until midnight or until the last guests have left, whichever comes first. There’s also live music every Friday, ranging in style from jazz to pop to folk.
The menu changes from week to week, and you’re encouraged to “just show up and see what we have in store for you to please your taste buds,” according to the theater’s Web site. Sample entrees include lamb chops, rock cornish game hen with apricot brown sugar sauce, Tuscan chicken with white wine cream sauce, or stuffed pork chops. Most of the meats are grilled, and the vegetables are organic.
Debra Liddell, of Watseka, does all the cooking and baking with her husband, Charles Gomez. It’s “cooking from our heart,” she said.
Debra has a few staples on the menu, including a lasagna that she makes out of homemade crepes. She also makes all the desserts from scratch, including a triple chocolate molten lava cake.
On Saturday evenings, when the theater isn’t booked for a special event, there’s “food and a flick” for $10. These dinners are much more casual, and the movie is an old one that’s not copyrighted.
If you are planning a visit to the Watseka Theatre and The Club Café, you are encouraged to confirm the schedule. Their number is (815) 993-6585, their email is info@watsekatheatre.com, and they’re on the Web at watsekatheatre.com
