Galesburg City Council on Tuesday night can approve two more grants from the Minority and/or Woman-owned Business Startup Assistance Program and Southside Occupancy Assistance Program. The first grants are for Brittany's Beautique which proposes to lease space at 1580 E Knox Street, Suite 3. Owner Brittany Tate's business will offer fashionable clothing and accessories both in-person and online and has requested grant funds to help build inventory and strengthen the business The KCAP Review Committee also recommends $3,200 in support from the Southside Occupancy Assistance Program for Brittany's Beautique, since her southside business is located in a unit that was vacant for 90+ days prior to her lease. The other grant is for All-Star Sports Academy which looks to re-open the Skate Palace roller rink. Owner Michael Spinks also proposes using a portion of the building for a sports coaching business. Council documents say the startup funds will allow Spinks to purchase nec
A former popular downtown bar will soon reopen with a new owner, a new name and an expanded food menu. Opie's Bar and Grill expects to open in late October or early November at 158 N. Broad St., former home of Fat Fish Pub. Opie's will offer traditional and unique grill items for lunch and dinner six days a week. It's Opie Carter's first venture into restaurant ownership, but won't be her first time in the food service business. Her parents ran the Watering Hole at Oak Run for many years, and she's also worked at several restaurants in Galesburg. Carter told WGIL, "I've been around the restaurant business my whole life, and I've always wanted to open my own bar and grill. It's time to get my dreams going." In addition to traditional grill items, Opie's Bar and Grill will feature speciality items like a beer battered tenderloin, chicken and waffles, and scorpion tails – which are shrimp with provolone and jalapeño, wrapped i