sarah jane photography small business feature – Page 5

August 25, 2016November 10, 2017

Millie & Bo’s Pet Barkery | Small Business Feature

It’s time again for us to focus on another favorite local business in Decatur! This month we’re looking at someplace special for your fur babies, Millie & Bo’s Barkery. They have everything you need to spoil, treat and pamper your pooches (especially after a vet visit at Northgate Pet Clinic across the lot).

The Details: Charlene Fitzpatrick, Manager at Millie & Bo’s Pet Barkery | In Business: 14 years

Hours: T-F 9-5:30, Sat 9-3| Locations: 2890 N MLK Jr Drive, Decatur IL (located in Northgate Pet Plaza) | Phone: 217-872-1111

Tell us about your business…What do you do? Millie & Bo’s Barkery is an upscale dog bakery and boutique in Decatur, IL. We bake dog treats, sell unique dog toys, as well as greeting cards, and dog themed jewelry. We also have a large variety of dog-clothes in our store and we also offer unique gifts for that dog-lover in your life. We also sell dog food, including Fromm and Hill’s Science Diet.

What makes your business unique/special? Millie & Bo’s offers all-natural dog treats, most of which are made in-store. We also offer treats with frosting if you are looking for something a little extra-special for your pooch. We also offer unique products for your pooch, majority of which are made in the USA… and there’s a set of big hedgehog cages in case customers need some cuteness and a cheerful charge for a day.

In what way have you gone above and beyond in the past for a customer? We go above and beyond for customers by bringing in special order items that we don’t normally carry. We try to make sure we offer one-on-one service with all customers because we want everyone to love our store just as much as we do. We want to always make sure that our customers are happy when they leave our store.

What is the coolest thing you’ve ever had a client do for you? Someone brought us homemade cookies at Christmas last year.

What tool/equipment/or other vendor could you not imagine doing business without? Why? I would say Beachy’s in Arthur because they supply us with all of our cooking necessities.

What other local business do you just LOVE? Why? Millie & Bo’s employees are frequent visitors at Coffee Connection for all of our lunch needs! And they also hand out our cookies to all of their visitors with dogs.

WHY did you choose to do what you do? My dream job came true at Millie & Bo’s. I started working as a baker here and then I was able to move into a managerial position. I love working with dogs and always being able to please my customers. And best of all, I get to bring some of my dogs to work!

When did you know you wanted to go into this business? Our goal at Millie & Bo’s is to provide fun in your pet’s life. Angee Baker is our owner and she started this business and named it after her two dogs at the time, Millie & Bo. Ten percent of our profits will always be given to animal care agencies!

What are you passionate about outside of your business? We are passionate about sponsoring and supporting dog-related events throughout Decatur, IL.

Describe your PERFECT day… A gratifying day is when we are able to have a lot of customers bring their dogs in!

Introduce us to your STAFF…

Charlene Fitzpatrick, Manager– Charlene has 9 dogs: 7 miniature dachshunds and 2 standard poodles. Charlene was also born and raised in Burbank, California.

Alexa Jones, Sales Associate/Baker– Alexa has two miniature Australian Shepherds named Redd and Blue. She attends Eastern Illinois University when she is not baking dog treats.

Nikki Macke, Sales Associate/Baker– Nikki has a lab mix named Murphy who she loves to take on long walks and she also enjoys spending time with her sons Adam and Max!

Gillian Jones, Sales Associate/Baker– Gillian is Alexa’s little sister and she will be playing volleyball at Parkland this fall.

*** They even have special pieces to help you remember your beloved pets once they’ve passed…

See the latest news at:

http://www.millieandbosbarkery.com/

See our other past small business features to connect with more businesses in our area:

See more on our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @sjanephotog, Instagram @sjanephotograhy, and Snapchat @sjanephotog

July 28, 2016July 28, 2016

Giggles | Small Business Feature | Decatur IL Shops on Merchant Street |

I’m so so excited for today’s blog post! Today I’m kicking of a series of features of some of the Decatur area’s fantastic local businesses. Each month (on the last Thursday of the month) I’ll have a brand new business to share with you. Decatur if FULL of amazing small businesses from shops to restaurants and talented small business owners from designers to mechanics. As a small business owner myself I know it can be tough, time consuming and expensive to get your name out into your market so I’m going to use my abilities to introduce YOU to THEM!

I’m starting with Giggles on Merchant! This shop is an amazing pandora’s box of wonders for kids of all ages (0-99)! You’re going to see a LOT of images in this feature but I can guarantee you I didn’t capture everything they have to offer you so you will definitely have to go in to see more for yourself (and stop by their brand new location at The Children’s Museum)!

The Details: Chrissy Spurlock, Owner/Manager at Giggles of Decatur & Giggles at the Museum | In Business: 8 years

Hours: Downtown: M-F 10-5, Sat 10-4, Sun closed Museum: M-F 10-4, Sat 10-4:30, Sun 1-4:30 | Location: 124 Merchant Street & 55.S Country Club Road (inside Children’s Museum of Illinois) | Phone: 217-475-1099

Tell us about your business…What do you do? We are a whimsical gift and card store that specializes in personalization & on-site custom invitations. We are a one stop shop… grab a gift, get a personalized gift bag, card and you’re on the way to the party!!

**I totally bought that contact case and it makes my day a little better every morning and evening!

*** Stocked up on books for baby B while I was there too (I swear I’m going to go broke doing these features!).

What makes your business unique/special? We are known for our Piggy Banks which we personalize and we also we strive to find unique toys/items that are not found at major retailers.

We LOVE everything in our store but out of it all I think everyone should have a custom personalized PIGGY BANK!!

In what way have you gone above/beyond in the past for a customer? We try and give each person the best customer service possible! That is why people keep coming back to us.. we help them create a one of a kind personalized item for that special occasion and if needed we do it on the spot (Same day service)!!

What’s the coolest thing a customer has ever done for you? We love are customers so much. We had one customer bring us cupcakes, another a banana cream pie! We have a long time customer that sends us flowers on our birthdays!

What tool/equipment/or other vendor could you not imagine doing business without? Why? It would have to be Del’s! We work together on a variety of things! Especially packaging items. We personalize the bucket/tote/pail and then Del’s fill it with their yummy goodies!

Why did you chose to do what you do? I grew up coming to this store and have always wanted to be a part of it… and I love our customers!! They are the best… love hearing people laugh everyday!

Introduce us to your STAFF…

Gay , She is our on-site Artist and has been with the store from the very beginning when it was “Just a Couple of Cards” .. 20 plus years!!

Judy, She is our onsite merchandiser. She can somehow make everything fit in our store! She also owned her own store “The Apple Peddler” for 19 years!!

Andi, She is our computer savvy go-to with a great sense of humor that always keeps us Giggling! She loves her 2 frenchies!! Woof-Woof

There is definitely LOTS more to see at Giggles, some of which you’ll find behind these doors… but you’ll have to go in to see them (no peeking here).

See the latest news from Giggles at: http://www.gigglesonmerchant.com/ | http://www.childrensmuseumofil.com/visit/museum-store/

View our other past small business features to connect with more businesses in our area:

See more from Sarah Jane Photography on our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @sjanephotog, Instagram @sjanephotograhy, and Snapchat @sjanephotog

April 3, 2014

| Decatur IL Small Business | SoundCheck Music Center|

sarah jane photography small business feature, soundcheck music, music store, music supply, decatur il, central Illinois,

It’s time to feature yet another amazing small business right here in Decatur, IL: Sound Check Music! I was introduced to Sound Check a couple months ago when an assignment for Thrive Entertainment Guide called for me to get my hands on some music equipment. I posed the question to my facebook friends/fans to find out who they recommended and Sound Check and their staff received raving recommendations and I can see why. Everyone I encountered at Sound Check was helpful, polite, professional and inviting. I felt right at home and was very well taken care of and was honestly blown away by the selection they offer.

The Details: Bill Cunningham, Owners at SoundCheck Music Center | In Business: 25 Years

Hours: Monday – Friday 10:00-6:00, Saturday 10:00-5:00, Closed Sunday | Location: 1481 W King St, Decatur, IL 62552 | Phone: (217) 422-4455

Tell us about your business… What do you do? We offer Decatur area musicians a wide variety of services including sales, service, rentals & lessons. Our Showroom has a large selection of items including: Guitars (Electric & Classical), Drums, Amps, Keyboards, Digital Pianos, Band Instruments, Pro Audio & Video Recording Equipment, Software, Lighting, Sheet Music, & much more. Private lessons are our specialty with comfortable waiting areas for parents!

What makes your business unique/special? We are family owned and care about each and every customer that comes through our doors.

That care is absolutely felt when you walk through the doors at SoundCheck. Every time I walked in I was greeted with a smile, welcomed and helped promptly. They provided GREAT customer service even when I wasn’t purchasing a thing!

What item/service on your menu or in your shop do you just LOVE and think everyone needs? Keyboards! We are the largest keyboard dealer for miles and we are a one-stop shop for musicians. We teach, sell and care for the musicians of Central Illinois.

In what way have you gone above/beyond in the past for a customer? As a store we have tried our best to always put our customers first. This means making home visits for sales to making sure that a customer is happy with the service from SoundCheck. I remember times some of our associates have come in after hours for customers so that they are able to buy a cable for a gig.

What tool/equipment/or other vendor could you not imagine doing business without? Why? We have a great relationship with some of the leading manufacturers in the industry but one of our favorites is Craig from the Music People. He assists us day in and day out with a large list of different companies. He is a great friend and a great mentor for us and we would not know where we would be without Craig.

What other local business do you just LOVE? Why? The Brass Horn in Downtown Decatur, we try to have the same mind set on customer service.

Introduce us to your STAFF…

Bill Cunningham, Owner

Adam Cunningham, Bass Instructor/Sales Associate

Alex Kidd, Sales Associate

John Patrick, Sales Associate

Tyler Bethard, Sales Associate

Graig Statsitcky, Drum Instructor

Terry Ledbetter, Guitar Instructor/ Sales Associate

Gay McCoy, Voice/Piano Instructor

Kristi Crawford, Violin Instructor

Alex Manfredo, Commercial Voice

What are you passionate about outside of your business?

SoundCheck would not be successful if it was not for our extreme Christian beliefs. We are a Christian store and many of our employees are passionate about a church in the central Illinois area.

Describe your PERFECT day…

My perfect day starts when a new musician comes in our store and decides to begin a new instrument. This means taking lessons from one of our highly trained instructor and picking out the instrument of their dreams. I love these days because it is a day where we have discovered a new customer and most importantly we found a new musician. At SoundCheck we are developing our customers to be successful musicians. This could range from playing on the big stage to learning to have fun and be a musician!

SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS: If you’d like to have your business featured on the SJP blog please visit the following link to download the information/questionnaire form which you can email back to mail@sjanephotography.com. We are now booking for 2014 features and showcase one business each month. Your feature includes FREE 20 minute location shoot by Sarah Jane Photography, blog and facebook feature and web images to use on your online spaces (facebook/website/etc). Our business features are now also being published monthly at www.redecatur.com!

Download the information here:https://www.dropbox.com/s/urr7zdkh64szon7/MarketingBusinessFeatures.doc