April 7, 2026, 4:11 a.m. CT
SPRINGFIELD – March was a busy month around Sangamon County when it comes to business and restaurant news.
From openings, closings and other major announcements, here’s a look at some of the top news you may have missed last month.
What businesses announced plans to or opened?
- A new health center for preventative wellness, Salt & Light Wellness, had a ribbon cutting with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce on March 23. The business is located behind The Crafted Stag at 3471 Freedom Drive, and offers services like salt room therapy, cryotherapy, red light therapy and lymph node treatment.
- Mick and Mary’s reopened with more than just a new coat of paint in Thayer. The restaurant, which is owned by brother and sister Josh Snodgrass and Ashley Cox, pays homage to family with new photos to go along with a new roof, new design and more. The restaurant reopened March 19 at 310 E. Ebony St.
- After owner of Pop-Up Chicken Aaron Francis backed out of building one of his popular chicken restaurants in the capital city following continued vandalism events, Francis told The State Journal-Register in 2025 his friend would buy the location and turn it into a new restaurant. That promise is coming to a fruition, with the former KFC on the east side turning into Bite and Brew. The building at 1850 W. Jefferson St. filed a permit for a liquor license to operate at the location, which was approved on the March 3 Springfield City Council meeting. A planned opening date has not been announced yet.
- According to city building permits, contractor Sri Karthik is looking to build a $1 million project right beside the White Oaks Mall for a new six-unit strip mall. The mall will be smaller than the massive buildouts of Sierra, TJ Maxx and Harvest Markets strip malls, but will cover roughly 10,800 square feet once completed, not including parking spaces.
- A new Italian joint has opened up on the Northeast side of town. Pasta Al Dente by Keila is a grab and go style store offering favorites like ravioli, tiramisu, spaghetti and pesto goodness at 731 N. Grand Ave. E. The owner, Keila Stapleton, may be a recognizable name for anyone who goes to the downtown Old Capitol Farmers Market.
- A new Plaza Tire buildout is coming to Meijer, according to city building permits. The proposed car shop would be located at 4200 Conestaga Drive and would span 6,522 square feet of workable space. The permit is valued at $2.3 million, and the general contractor is Boulder Construction.
