Countryside Closeout, which opened at 230 S. Market St. in Paxton in March, operates little differently from most grocery stores.
The business sells discounted in-date, out-of-date and close-dated groceries, said owner Jeremiah Delaney. When a shipment comes in, the business examines the products and their dates, determines pricing, then adds the items to the store’s shelves.
“There’s a need for people to save money on groceries,” Delaney said.
Countryside Closeout typically discounts items at about 50 to 60 percent off retail prices, he estimated.
The business sells dry groceries as well as drinks. Delaney said he plans to add frozen food but will probably never sell fresh produce or milk.
“We have canned pineapples, chili, I mean, it’s a little bit of everything,” he said. “We get Ritz crackers, we get Oreos.”
He’s currently working on an addition to the store that will include a burger barn at the front and retail space and storage at the back.
Butters Burger Barn could open in October or November, Delaney said.
“All we’re serving is hamburgers, cheeseburgers, bacon cheeseburgers and fries, and that’s it,” he added.
The store has seen a good response, with Delaney noting that it’s a helpful option for people living on limited income.
He estimated that one woman spent about $75 in one trip and probably saved about $200.
“Every week, we’ve got more and more new people that are showing up,” Delaney said.
He’s hoping to be able to accept EBT by sometime this month or next.
New businesses headed to Mahomet
A Wingstop is planned at the Churchill Commons center in Mahomet, commercial realtor Jill Guth told The News-Gazette.
“Construction is officially underway on the new 1,700-square-foot Wingstop restaurant, which will be located next to Papa Johns at Churchill Commons,” Guth and Associates shared on Facebook. “We’re excited to see another national brand choose Mahomet and look forward to welcoming Wingstop to the community. Opening is anticipated in early 2027!”
Additionally, a new business known as The Candy Kernel is coming to suite 14 of Eastwood Plaza. The shop will sell treats such as candy and the original Del’s popcorn.
The store is expected to open this fall, according to Guth and Associates.
JT Walker’s reopens
JT Walker’s Restaurant and Brewery in Mahomet officially reopened in late August following renovations.
“We know, we know — you’ve been (maybe not so) patiently waiting, hitting refresh on our page, driving past just to peek in the windows,” the business posted on Facebook. “Well, wait no more! Come see what we’ve been brewing up (literally): a full bar, full kitchen, all your JT’s favorites plus brand-new menu items, and gaming machines to keep the fun going all night.”
JT Walker’s is located at 402 E. Main St.
Urbana business in the running for country’s Top 10 escape rooms
C-U Adventures in Time and Space has been included in the list of voting options for the escape room category of USA Today’s 2026 10Best Awards.
“An expert panel has nominated these 20 game facilities as the best in the country for the quality of their experiences, and now it’s up to readers to choose the best,” the media outlet said.
Individuals can vote for their favorite escape room business once per day at 10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-escape-room/ until 11 a.m. Central on Sept. 21. The top 10 will be announced on Sept. 30.
“The entire list is full of great companies, but if you’ve played with us and agree, we’d certainly appreciate a few votes over the next month!” C-U Adventures in Time and Space wrote in a social-media post.
Local business suffers minor equipment fire
A coffee roaster machine at Mad Goat Coffee’s roastery building on South Gilbert Street in Danville caught fire on Tuesday.
“Thankfully no one is hurt, minimal damage to our roastery building, but significant damage to equipment,” the business wrote in a Facebook post that afternoon.
“We are still waiting for the machine to cool off before we can assess more. Our coffee shops are unaffected and open as usual.”
Content creation program returns
Illinois Public Media and partners are offering four sessions of the Content Creation Lab this fall. The free program provides an opportunity for local high-schoolers to learn about different storytelling mediums and create original content at IPM studios, organizers said.
“My hope is the Content Creation Lab will deliver production skills to students but also help them build connections to local communities, gain richer understandings of media literacies, as well as experiences in storytelling as a practice of democracy,” said Angela Aguayo, director of the Content Creation Lab and associate professor of media and cinema studies at the University of Illinois.
Sessions will take place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 26, Oct. 3, Oct. 10 and Nov. 7.
More information and a link to register is available online.
The program is designed for 15 students, organizers said. Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions if possible so that they can “build their skills and create alongside the same group of young storytellers.”
Sessions will focus on podcasting, audio production, video, documentary, local reporting and “social-media storytelling.” The experience will include workshops, studio time, challenges and collaborative projects. No previous experience is required.
The Content Creation Lab is a collaboration between the Department of Media and Cinema Studies at UI’s College of Media, the Illinois Community Media Project and Illinois Public Media.
