Villa Grove has a new place to shop for antiques, collectibles and other items.

Kristine and Larry Trudeau have opened a minimall on Main Street called K & L Twice Around the Block Antiques & Other Things. The business opened toward the end of July and celebrated its grand opening Friday and Saturday.

"We've been having a blast," Kristine Trudeau said about getting the store ready. The one-story building, which dates to 1905, held a pharmacy for many decades. The space most recently was home to Petals and Plants.

Both the Trudeaus have day jobs (Larry at The Vineyard Church and Kristine at the Villa Grove seniors center), and both had been contemplating opening a resale-type business for the last two years.

The minimall has space for vendors to rent, plus the Trudeaus sell items. They have handmade greeting cards, books, antiques, smaller gently used furniture, Avon beauty products and china.

"One of my hopes is I'll be an outlet for people to match their patterns, even the antique patterns," she said of her china collections.

A selection of candles will be coming soon.

K & L Twice Around the Block, at 4 N. Main St., is open from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. It can be reached at 493-5103. The business also has a Facebook page. Additional vendors are still being accepted.

Framing in Rantoul

Jill's Creative Expressions in Rantoul has recently added custom framing to its services.

Tom Plackett, who has 38 years of custom framing experience, will work on frames at the store.

Beginning Monday, the shop at 101 E. Sangamon Ave. will offer discounts of 40 to 70 percent on certain items like Illini gifts, jewelry and more. The sale will run through Aug. 27.

The shop, open since 1991, has been in downtown Rantoul since 1995. It sells signs, banners, trophies, plaques and other awards. It's open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to noon Saturday and can be reached at 892-5555.

Restaurant updates

– The Campustown Merry-Ann's Diner will open soon.

Owner Anthony Pomonis said he's hoping the new 24-hour restaurant will debut sometime the week of Aug. 15 to 22. The restaurant will be on the ground floor of the Gregory Place building at 1103 W. Oregon St., U.

This will be the third Merry-Ann's in Champaign-Urbana. The others are at One Main Plaza in downtown Champaign and at 1510 S. Neil St., C.

The Campustown location will be styled after a 1950s-type diner and will offer quick-bite options for University of Illinois students and employees heading to work or class.

– La Bamba closed its Campustown restaurant last month.

Ramiro Aguas, who owns the La Bamba chain with his brother Antonio Aguas, said they decided to lease the space at 606 S. Sixth St., C, to another business. He declined to say what that business is or when it would open there.

"It was a good proposal to rent the building that we couldn't pass it up," he said.

La Bamba had been in that spot about 15 years and before that another six or seven years on Green Street, he said.

Aguas said they are considering opening the restaurant in another location, but no deal has been finalized.

In the meantime, the La Bamba at 1905 Glenn Park Drive in west Champaign is still open.

Christine des Garennes can be reached by phone at 351-5388 or 800-252-3346; by e-mail; or by regular mail at The News-Gazette, c/o It's Your Business column, P.O. Box 677, Champaign, IL 61824-0677.