Four years ago, Diane Beckett's sister opened a home decor and gift shop in Shorewood and named it after a deceased friend. Now the two sisters are getting ready to open a second shop in Champaign under the same name: Maggie's Place.

The shop will open in early October at Round Barn Center, 503 S. Mattis Ave., Beckett said.

Maggie's Place will sell new accessories and home decor items and used/antique nonupholstered furniture in good condition.

It will also sell nostalgia penny candies and offer interior designers for customers who want that service.

Beckett said many items will be one of a kind, and the merchandise will vary according to what she and her sister, Nancy Powers, find on their buying trips.

Beckett, of Homer, is also a staff clerk for the University of Illinois College of Education and makes and sells handcrafted items, including personalized children's books.

Her sister will be a partner in the Champaign store and will continue to operate the store in Shorewood.

The two sisters plan to donate a portion of their profits to women's shelters in the area, Beckett said.

Opening soon

J. Jill has set Sept. 29 as its grand opening date at Market Place Mall, Champaign.

A women's apparel, accessories and shoe retailer catering to affluent, active women ages 35 to 55, J. Jill has stores in 30 states and a catalog operation.

Its new store is opening in Market Place Mall's new wing of upscale stores with an exterior courtyard.

Furniture store building available

Atlanta-based Rhodes Inc. has turned over the marketing and disposal of 16 store and warehouse buildings, including the store in Champaign, to DJM Asset Management of Melville, N.Y.

Rhodes filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, and its Champaign store at 912 W. Anthony Drive is liquidating its inventory.

The DJM Web site shows the 71,400-square-foot Champaign store available for lease, with the current lease running through 2010.

DJM is marketing Rhodes properties in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Georgia, all of which operate as Rhodes Furniture or John M. Smyth's Homemakers Furniture.

Archery shop opens in Monticello

Blue Ridge Backwoods, an archery specialty shop, has opened at 1410 N. Market St., Monticello.

Owner Scott Wiegel said his 3,000-square-foot shop carries specialty archery gear and has three indoor ranges, an outdoor range and an interactive archery simulation game for adults. It also offers repairs, has a pro shop and builds custom equipment, Wiegel said.

Wiegel, a longtime bow hunter, said he wanted to open a larger archery store than the one Monticello already had, Evans' Archery. So he bought Evans, hired its employees and rolled it into a larger store of his own.

Store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, see the Web site at www.blueridgebackwoods.com.

Therapist changes business name

Gary Baldner, a kinesiotherapist, has changed the name of his business – formerly Optimal Performance Therapy – to Fitness Synergy, and moved his office to 2401 S. Neil St., C.

Baldner rents space from chiropractor Brian Crawford, who bought Central State Chiropractic & Rehabilitation at 2401 S. Neil St. earlier this year and is now practicing under that name and at that address.

Baldner treats athletes and others with pain or injuries and also offers personal training and sports conditioning services.

He can be reached at 352-5526.

Closing note

Pre-Loved Furniture, 1717 S. Philo Road, U, will close Oct. 1 and is selling out its inventory of used furniture, according to the owner, Marilyn Milner.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Are you opening a new business or changing something at your existing business? Debra Pressey can be reached by phone at 351-5229, or 800-252-3346; by e-mail at dpressey@news-gazette.com; or by regular mail at The News-Gazette, c/o It's Your Business column, P.O. Box 677, Champaign, IL 61824-0677.