Monday, Jul. 06, 2009

Italian restaurant opens in Fairview Heights

Little Italy will debut in Fairview Heights on Saturday. The new Italian restaurant will open at the former Carlos O'Kelly's building at 130 Ludwig Drive on Saturday and will feature a menu with "a taste of The Hill" with recipes from Little Italy in New York. ...

A Belleville-based Mexican restaurant has opened a second locale in Millstadt.

Mariachi's has opened at the former Farmer's Inn & Prairie Kitchen at 7157 Illinois 158. You can find the Belleville location at 400 S. Illinois St. Earlier this year, the restaurant sold its Fairview Heights location at 525 Lincoln Highway. You can call the new restaurant at 476-7770. ...

A second Mexican eatery has also come to Millstadt. Margarita's has reoccupied the former Louie's Italian Eatery at 548 E. Washington St. Their number is 476-3737. ...

A new video game store has set up shop at a West Belleville shopping center. Game Unleashed is now open at Fire House Crossing at 330 Frank Scott Parkway. Retail broker and property manager Rob Berneking, of St. Louis-based AH Realty, said the new business should compete with the metro-east's chain of Game Stop store. Berneking also said that the store makes the Belleville shopping center fully leased. ...

The Grill, as the name implies, serves grilled food and more in New Athens. The business has recently expanded and according to the owner draws diners from Belleville, O'Fallon and Freeburg. Julie "Jules" Melton and her partners established the business five years ago in the little town of Venedy after working 20 years in the corporate world. "We were tired of the downsizing," says Melton.

Prior to opening the first restaurant, Melton and her associates had been catering for more than 10 years, using her grandmother's "tried and true" recipes. The restaurant is located at 1215 Spotsylvania St., located across the street from the cemetery in New Athens. Call 475-8010 for more information. ...

In Collinsville, Jacques at the Bank at 102 W. Main St. has been renamed Grapes & Olives and includes an expanded menu. Call 346-2233 to find out more. ...

A Chinese restaurant in Maryville has reopened. Jade Gardens, located on Highway 159 at 2 Professional Park Drive and next to Subway and Southern Illinois Chiropractic, is back after a brief closure. You can call them at 288-3698. ...

Steibel License Service in Swansea has moved to a new office down the road. Owner Susan Stumpf has just reopened her licensing business at 2704 N. Illinois St., Suite 104, directly across the street from Schnuck's Plaza. She said she moved after water leaked through the roof at 2000 N. Illinois St. You can reach the new office at 444-1166. ...

Riley's Coffee & Fudge at 900 Lebanon Ave. in Belleville closed last week after 21 years in business. The coffee grinders and fudge and candy makers got their start in St. Clair Square and then moved to Belleville two years ago. ...

Eckert's has tree-ripened peaches in now at Eckert's Country Store located at Green Mount Road and Illinois 15 in Belleville. You can also find them across the river at the St. Louis Farmer's Market in Soulard, located at 11520 Gravois Road. For more information, call 233-0513 or 314-849-7903. ...

The Farmer's Market store at 1901 North Belt West in Belleville will host the Circle of Health Wellness Center from 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday to provide chair massages. Proceeds go to charity. You can find Circle of Health Wellness Center at 700A S. Illinois St. in Belleville or call 239-6821 or go online at www.circleofhealthwellnesscenter.com. ...

And finally, an Alton telecommunications outsourcing company has been recognized, again, for its service. Answer Midwest recently was awarded the Award of Excellence from the Association of Teleservices International for the eighth consecutive year. The business was founded in 1946 and has been owned by president Gary Tedrick's family since 1991. The company has clients throughout the country from coast to coast. To find out more, call 463-9093.