These five businesses closed in Springfield this year, here's a look back
Springfield has experienced its share of business closures in 2023, with local favorites and national brands waving goodbye, whether permanently or temporarily.
Here's a look at five Springfield locales that closed in 2023:
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Bed Bath & Beyond
Closed: Before April 2023
Details: Bed Bath & Beyond first arrived at Southwest Plaza III in 2003, alongside Sports Authority, Gordmans and Old Navy. Out of that group, only Old Navy remains.
Like many brick-and-mortar stores, BBB suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic, with sales having stagnated even before then and the company struggling to adjust to a market that was shifting to online purchases.
The Springfield location was one of 150 stores that were planned to close as part of an ill-fated attempt to avoid bankruptcy. The store closed prior to the April announcement that they would be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, with the other brick-and-mortar locations in Illinois and nationwide closing as a result.
The brand continues as an online merchant, having been purchased by Overstock, Inc. in June.
Bob Evans
Closed: March 25
Details: Bob Evans first arrived in Springfield in 1993, providing a homespun take on traditional breakfast favorites like eggs and sausage, while also serving comfort food favorites like ham, turkey and chicken for lunch and dinner. The original location at 3050 Stevenson Drive was successful enough that a second location opened along Conestoga Drive on the west side of town in 2000.
However, in an unexpected move, the Stevenson Drive location closed in late March.
The Conestoga Drive location remains in business.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Closed: Nov. 26
Details: Home to a relatively simple menu of burgers, fries and shakes, Five Guys opened in 2013 as part of an internal and external modernization of White Oaks Mall, with Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurant opening next door a year later in the former space of the White Oaks Cinema movie theatre.
Cooper's Hawk remains open but Five Guys closed over Thanksgiving weekend, leaving a space open for potential future development by a restaurant or another store.
Pie's the Limit and Public House 29
Closed: July 24
Details: Owned by restauranteurs Chris Hanken and Vic Lanzotti, Public House 29 first opened along Route 29 in Rochester in 2014, providing a casual experience alongside high-end bar food.
One of the items on the menu was wood-fired pizzas, which became an idea expanded upon one year later when the two opened the doors for Pie's the Limit at Parkway Pointe, allowing customers to create their pizzas, salads, and pasta with a wide range of ingredients.
A second location opened in 2016 on MacArthur Boulevard, which became the sole location for the restaurant in 2020.
Pandemic-related issues in the hospitality industry have negatively affected many businesses big and small, with Hanken and Lanzotti's restaurants being no different. The former owners of Lake Pointe Grill, closed that store in 2022 and shut the doors to Pie's the Limit and Public House 29 in July. The increasing cost of labor and products was cited as the reason.
The MacArthur Boulevard location for Pie's the Limit wasn't vacant for very long, with local bar owner Ryan Bandy purchasing the property and opening Papi's Pizza Pub earlier this month.
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Hanken and Lanzotti haven't given up on pizza, with Sapori's Pizzeria and Italian Market opening in Montvale Junction this fall.
Sportsman's Lounge
Closed: Sept. 15
Details: The building that housed Sportsman's Lounge at 225 West Mason Street has been a watering hole of sorts since 1935, only two years after Prohibition was lifted.
The Sportsman's Lounge name graced the site in 1957 and the bar/restaurant made a name for itself through its pork tenderloin sandwiches and tavern chili. It even survived – for a short while – the COVID-19 pandemic, but the owners struggled to make ends meet and incurred significant losses owning the historic bar.
The site was sold to Windsor Development Group, which is expected to put the site to use as a 24-unit apartment complex designed for those just out of homelessness. That may not be the end of things for the bar, however, as the owners were seeking to sell the proprietary assets to someone who could rebuild Sportsman's Lounge at a different location.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: These five businesses in Springfield closed their doors in 2023
