Mar. 27—Rally House, a Kansas-based sports merchandise retailer, plans to open a store at Champaign's Baytowne Square, at the corner of Prospect Avenue and Marketview Drive.

The company said it plans to open the Champaign store mid-year and is looking for employees.

Pine Tree, the Northbrook-based company leasing spaces in Baytowne Square, shows Rally House "coming soon" in the former Pier One space next to Staples.

More of Rally House's neighbors at Baytowne Square include such stores as Ulta, PetSmart and Dollar Tree and such restaurants as Red Lobster, Chili's Grill & Bar, Wendy's and Fazoli's.

Rally House carries apparel, hats, gifts and home decor items representing local NCAA and professional sports teams, "in addition to locally inspired apparel, gifts and food," according to the company's description of itself.

It has more than 140 stores in 14 states, including a handful of Rally House stores in Chicago.

An estimated opening date for the Champaign store wasn't available yet.

Opening date set

The new Wingstop restaurant in the former Schnucks Fuel Express at Main and Vine streets in Urbana will open for business Thursday. A grand opening celebration is planned for April 6. This location will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.

New tribute wall launched

Christie Clinic has a new "oncology tribute wall" in the atrium of its downtown clinic.

A project of the Christie Foundation, it's a spot to acknowledge donors helping support cancer care in the area.

Donors can buy tribute tiles in any of three sizes. The tiles can carry words of the donor's choice, for example, the name of a loved one undergoing cancer care, according to Dr. Steve Damore, a Christie Clinic radiation oncologist and member of the foundation board.

Each tile will remain on the wall for a decade, he said.

The Christie Foundation provides scholarships for students pursuing health careers, but donations can also help with cancer patient needs such as transportation to treatments, Damore said.

It's not unusual for a cancer patient to face a half-hour trip for treatment, he said, and when radiation treatments are done every day for nine weeks, transportation can be an enormous burden.

"The oncology tribute wall project is an opportunity to provide support for cancer care in our community," the foundation says on its website. "With our donors' help, the tribute wall will continue to grow with message of hope, healing and appreciation for patients, family and team members."

Help for hard-hit businesses

The application portal will open April 5 for state Back-to-Business grants intended to help the sectors hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, including restaurants, hotels and businesses or organizations in the creative arts sector.

The state is making $175 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding available for these latest grants.

Applications can be submitted through May 10.