As of Aug 2018, I have officially lived in Champaign-Urbana for ten years. TEN YEARS! (WHAT?!?) I was doing some work and having lunch at Panera today, and someone was talking about being from the Chicago suburbs, but was saying that she preferred living, here, in Champaign-Urbana. She said it's so much more chill, there's not much traffic, and there are so many cool places/restaurants/things to do. I didn't want to be a weirdo and intrude on her conversation, but every part of me wanted to be like "YES! I AGREE!" I am also from the Chicago burbs and I, too, love it in C-U.
In honor of being here for ten years, I'm going to list my top ten favorite businesses C-U and surrounding areas!
Feel free to comment with your favorites too! If you live in another city, please tell us some of your favorite businesses in your area!
(Full Disclosure: None of these businesses have paid for me to say any of this or even know they are being featured in this post. These are just the places I personally love!)
10. Dallas and Co.
dallasandco.com
Dallas and Company sells costumes, magic, and a whole bunch of other fun stuff! Since I moved here, I've always thought it was such a unique and cool place. Being part of a high school drama program here, I'm so thankful it's here so we can get all of our make up, fake facial hair, and other random theatre things there! If you don't live in C-U, don't worry! They ship all over the world!
9. Prairieland Feeds
www.prairielandfeeds.com
Prairieland Feeds is a pet supply store that has all kinds of treats, food, toys, and tons of other things. The best part about Prairieland Feeds is their kind and knowledgable staff. They are always helpful and can answer any question I have! Their yearly pet extravaganza is coming up at the end of September! Check out their website for more details!
8. Georgia's K9 Komforts
www.facebook.com/GeorgiasK9Komforts
Georgia's K9 Komforts is a newer favorite of mine! My husband and I were recently referred to their daycare and boarding services when we were going out of town for a week and needed a different dog care option last minute. They easily took our dogs on for the week and our pups had a blast! The best part is that they post pictures on Facebook constantly so when you're away and missing your pups, you can still see them having fun!
7. Riggs and Triptych
www.riggsbeer.com
triptychbrewing.com
Ok, number 7 is a tie. I love both of these brewing companies so much it's impossible to choose which one I like more! Both have delicious beer and an awesome atmosphere! If you're in town, you'll have to check them both out! If you're not in town, you can find their beer in a lot of different cities now! Check out their websites for more details!
6. Harvest Market
www.goharvestmarket.com
Harvest Market is a relatively new grocery store in the heart of Champaign, that also has a coffee shop and restaurant area. They have tons of cool products throughout the store, but my favorite thing about Harvest Market is the restaurant area. Everyone that works there is positive and friendly, and the food is delicious! They have an amazing salad bar, a soup bar, restaurant menu items, and a hot food deli bar area. The food is super reasonably priced too! And if that's not enough, you can always go into the grocery store, find things, and take them into the restaurant area to enjoy (including going to the meat counter, picking out a steak, and asking them to cook it for you!). Harvest Market has been a great addition to our community!
5. HealthSource of Champaign
www.healthsourcechiro.com/champaign
I recently decided to up my health game, and take care of some back and leg issues I have been having. I randomly was losing some feeling in my left thigh and someone suggested seeing a chiropractor after a regular doctor wasn't able to find any issues. I had just met Hanna and Cameron (owners and operators of HealthSource of Champaign), and I trusted them to try it out. Dr. Cameron is amazing, and very good at explaining what he's doing and why. Hanna is on top of everything and has every detail covered! Best of all, they are two of the most compassionate people I've ever met. I'm grateful to have them helping me take care of my body, and to call them my friends!!
4. For the Love of Hair
www.facebook.com/For-The-Love-of-Hair-368152636616440
For the Love of Hair is a hair salon in Philo and is well worth the drive. Abby Schopp is the owner and is one of my favorite people on the planet. She is extremely easy to talk to and is kind to everyone, and on top of that she is SO good at what she does. I have never known what to do with my sort of curly, sort of straight, mostly just frizzy hair; and after the first time I went to Abby, I was like "OH! That's what my hair is supposed to look like!" She has truly helped me love my hair. You should definitely check out her services, but call soon - She's booked up for a while because she's so awesome!
3. Cactus Grill
www.cactusgrillchampaign.com
Cactus Grill is so yummy!! If you've never been there before, it's a burrito, taco, quesadilla type place, where you can choose what goes in your order. Their food is so delicious, and they even have options like tofu and fish! Their prices are great and the service is always excellent. Rick, the owner, is also very supportive of our community and cares very much about Champaign-Urbana. He has generously supported my drama program with low-cost lunches several times. Our drama students get the energy they need to perform all day and they all get to choose something they like, so everyone is happy! If you have never eaten here, it's definitely time you go! My go-to order? Honey chicken burrito with lime cilantro rice, pinto beans, lettuce, tomato, onion, mild salsa, cheese and sour cream!
2. Norris Tire
www.norristire.net
I don't know a ton about cars, but I do know that I love my car and want to take care of it so it can last as long as possible! Norris tire has been my go to place for my car since I bought it back in 2010. They are completely trustworthy, and extremely knowledgeable and good at what they do. Any time I've tried taking my car somewhere else (usually because their waiting room is full, or because I'm out of town and need car service immediately), I've been lied to or the other car care places have made mistakes. Travis works at the front desk and is my favorite to work with there. I know that I can go to him for car advice that I can trust. They don't take appointments, so as long as you get there early, you can usually get your car in!
1. Prospect Bank
www.bankprospect.com
Prospect Bank is the best. bank. ever. I know a lot of people are switching away from brick and mortar banks completely and doing the online thing, but the service and the people at Prospect are worth the drive to the bank. I always tell people it's like going to your grandma's house, but instead of a house, it's a bank! Everyone there knows my name (and my dog's names), and they truly care about me and my business. They have saved articles from the paper for me about my drama program, and they always ask how my dogs are and how business is going. They truly care about each of their individual clients. They helped me navigate getting my business set up when I had no idea what I was doing. And since it's the dog-friendly bank, you can bring your pup in when you visit! I originally chose to have my business account at Prospect Bank after a ton of research because they had accounts with no fees, but I stay because of the service. I'm so happy I chose to have my business account there. They are the best!
Well those are my top ten favorite businesses in C-U, but there are a ton of others that easily could have made it in the countdown! Here are some other favorites that we'll call "Honorable Mentions" - Keller Williams, Weldon Pest Control, TLC Pest Control, Padanos Pizza (St. Joe), Pizzeria Antica, Papa Dels, Ask Joe to Mow, Oishi, Starbucks on Neil St., Espresso at the Crossing, Lodgic (opening soon), Aldi in Savoy, Custard Cup, Capitan Jack's Antiques (Savoy),
V Picasso, Esquire, Seven Saints, Ferran's, Smoothie King, Curtis Orchard, AND SO MANY MORE!
Bottom line: Champaign-Urbana and surrounding areas are awesome. If you have never been here, you should come check it out! Share you favorites in the comments!