Monticello ‘Business Bootcamp' helps entrepreneurs get a head start
Monticello has been hosting small business training sessions at no cost to participants for years. Now officials said they've gone from around 70% of retail space not being used to only one building sitting empty.
Ginger Ale's in Savoy closes permanently
Plenty of people want to own their own business — but where do you start? The City of Monticello's Economic Development Office said they're here to help with their small business bootcamp program.
'I think it was definitely beneficial,' Sage City Market owner Wes Hornback said.
Monticello officials said the City is filled with thriving small businesses. But it hasn't always been this way.
'Three or four years ago, we had a 30 to 40% occupancy rate in first floor retail space in our downtown,' Director of Community and Economic Development Callie McFarland said. 'We have one empty building right now.'
She credits part of this growth to the Monticello Bootcamp program.
'It's kind of a five-week snapshot of all things that people should be thinking of when they run a business,' McFarland said.
9th Annual Champaign-Urbana Area Restaurant Week celebration
The program has been going on for ten years now. Many of the businesses in Monticello have been through it.
'Going from just a small little business or a hobby type thing to a legit business, there's a lot of things that you don't think about,' Hornback said.
At Sage City Market, you can get farm fresh produce and meats. Hornback said they made the transition a little more than a year ago moving from going to farmer's markets – to having a physical location.
'Going through the bootcamp really helped open up our eyes to all of those little things and be able to really develop a plan and an approach to, you know, get to open,' Hornback said.
But, Hornback said it's not just the knowledge that's valuable — it's also the network you create. And with the new tools he learned — Sage City is having success.
'So far have been very happy with how everything is going,' Hornback said. 'We keep growing every month, which is really the goal and what I want to do.'
And Monticello is too. McFarland said this growth has been great for the rural community.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hypebeast
09-07-2025
- Hypebeast
Billy McFarland's Fyre Fest Is Officially Up for Auction on eBay
Summary Name your price —Billy McFarland'sFyre Festbrand is officially up for auction oneBay. The founder took to social media to announce that his previous deal to sell the IP has fallen through, causing him to put Fyre back on the market. 'Whoever owns the Fyre brand will have an attention engine to launch festivals, do merch collabs, do insane pop-ups, run livestreams, or build a media brand,' McFarland said in a video. The auction kicked off with a starting bid of one cent and iscurrently pricedat a whopping $200,100 USD. As per the listing, the winning bidder will acquire the brand name, its festival domains, artist and talent relationships and more: Brand NameRegistered Trademarks & Intellectual PropertyOfficial Social Media Accounts (including verified Instagram)Comprehensive Marketing Assets (photos, videos, graphic templates, ad archives)FYRE Festival DomainsCaribbean Festival Location Option (with full support from elected island leadership)Behind-the-Scenes Content & Documentary FootageEmail & SMS ListsArtist & Talent RelationshipsExtensive Media Coverage ArchiveAccess to Core Team (optional) Earlier this June, McFarland announced a newFyre event in Hondurasaftercancelling Fyre Fest 2. The upcoming 'Fyre Coral View Pop-Up in Utila' will supposedly take place on September 3 to September 10 in the small, undeveloped island of Utila. Check out McFarland's announcement below.
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
DeWitt County getting new transportation system
DEWITT COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A public transportation service based in Piatt County is expanding to DeWitt County in July. 'Piattran' will be available for DeWitt community members beginning July 1. Residents will be able to use the door-to-door service for medical appointments, work, shopping, social visits, and more. Officials said it will offer safe, reliable, and accessible transportation throughout the county. Monticello park honors local war hero 'All of us at Piattran are excited to partner with DeWitt County to help meet a growing need for public transportation,' Tim Gadbury, director of Piattran, said. 'Whether you're a senior, someone without a vehicle, or just looking for a more convenient way to get around, we're here to help.' Individuals with wheelchairs will also be able to use Piattran, officials added; the vehicles are ADA-compliant and have wheelchair lifts. Piattran will serve the entire county, and will be available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rides will cost between $1-$8, based on distance, and rider discounts (seniors and those with disabilities could qualify for a reduced cost). Piattran officials said rides must be scheduled by 2 p.m. the previous day. Central Illinois cooling centers open this season If you're interested in scheduling a ride, or learning more about ride costs, travel days to nearby cities and service guidelines, call (217) 762-7821, email ride@ or visit Piattran's website. Piattran has provided public transportation in Piatt County since 1982. You can find out more about the service here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Champaign Co. Treasurer's Office moving to new location, temporarily limiting services
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Treasurer & Collector's Office is the latest Champaign County department set to move into the Bennett Administrative Center. On Friday, it was announced that the Treasurer's Officer would be starting its move at the end of June. As a result, there will be limited services available from June 30-July 3 as they transition into the new space. During this period, the office's services will be limited to payments only. Illinois EPA sponsoring Champaign Co. household waste collection event Additionally, in-person payments will be accepted at the following locations: June 30: Brookens Administrative Center 1776 E Washington St., Urbana July 1-3: Bennett Administrative Center 102 E Main St., Urbana Residents can also pay using any of these options: Online at At participating banks throughout Champaign County By using the secure drop box in the circle drive at Brookens Full service will resume on July 7 at the Bennett Center, following the Fourth of July holiday. Law enforcement runs from Fischer to Champaign for Special Olympics On Tuesday, it was announced that the Champaign County Clerk and Recorder's Office would be relocating to the Bennett Center from July 7-18. In April, it was announced that a number of Champaign County offices would be moving into the center after renovations had been completed. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
