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Eyes on You

Specs around town‚ and country too: Julie Kubsch is often seen wheeling about in a lime green VW‚ license plate BUGEYZ4‚ bringing an eclectic assortment of eyewear to customers at home or work.

Specs Around Town carries 15 eyewear lines‚ many not available elsewhere in central Illinois. “We seek out unique items‚” Kubsch‚ a licensed optician‚ says. “Our customers are fun people who enjoy their eyewear.”

Shoppers can also drop by her boutique to peruse such lighthearted jewelry as magnifier pendants and necklaces for readers that complement stylish or funky frames and lenses. Youth styles are also available.

The boutique is located in Bloomington’s historic downtown in a restored building that features local artists’ work. Kubsch is an ardent supporter of nearby businesses and cultural attractions‚ promoting them in her shop and on the Specs Around Town Web site.

Snacks at Hand

It used to be that residents of Beer Nuts’ hometown enjoyed a perk denied customers shopping in stores around the country. They could choose from a wider selection of packaged nuts along with ball caps and T-shirts in the outlet store at the company’s front door in Bloomington.

Nowadays anyone who craves the sweet and salty snack is just a click away from www.beernuts.com‚ where the original glazed peanuts‚ pecans and almonds‚ and the new Spicy & Hot Peanuts and Bar Mix can be purchased. Boxers and beer mugs are available‚ and so are computer screensavers and wallpaper with the nostalgic red-and-white logo.

“We’ve recently licensed Target and Wal-Mart to carry some of our clothing‚” sales and marketing coordinator Georgia Dawson says.

The nuts may not be homegrown‚ but the Beer Nuts company is. The glazing recipe came with a confectionary shop that Edward and Arlo Shirk purchased in 1937. Two more generations of Shirks are active in the business today.

Growing Agribusiness

McLean County is home to GROWMARK‚ a supplier of agriculture products and services in the Midwest‚ northeastern U.S. and Ontario. Organized as a cooperative‚ GROWMARK‚ with 380 employees‚ is owned by many of the 250‚000 farmers it serves.

Producers can purchase feed‚ seed‚ chemicals‚ fertilizer‚ propane and countless other products needed to grow the nation’s food supply through GROWMARK’s member cooperatives.

Vehicle owners who want to drive on alternative fuels can find ethanol blended gasoline and soy-based biodiesel at Fast Stop stores‚ including eight locations in McLean County.

GROWMARK is rooted in the Farm Bureau‚ which organized it to provide petroleum for the tractors that replaced horses in the 1920s. Their latest joint venture is AgriVisor‚ a grain and livestock market advisory service. “We are looking at what expanded services we can offer by working together‚” says Amy Bradford‚ corporate communications manager.

Like a Good Neighbor

Since 1922‚ Bloomington has been home to State Farm‚ the nation’s leading auto and home insurer. As it grew and prospered‚ the company expanded its horizons and now also offers property and life insurance‚ banking services and mutual funds. Associates‚ numbering 15‚500‚ work for the corporate office‚ State Farm Bank and the Illinois zone office in three locations downtown and on the east side.

After hours‚ they put the company’s Good Neighbor philosophy into action by volunteering in their central Illinois communities. Associates and retirees help check children’s car seats‚ build Habitat for Humanity homes‚ register people to vote‚ send packages to troops overseas and coach youth sports.

“State Farm’s mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life‚ recover from the unexpected‚ and realize their dreams‚” says company spokesman Jeff McCollum. “We achieve our mission through the products and services we offer and through our involvement in and commitment to the community.”

Quality Pays Off

In 1925‚ a group of Illinois farmers began selling insurance part-time to their neighbors. Eighty-one productive years later‚ COUNTRY Insurance & Financial Services‚ with 2‚200 employees in Bloomington‚ operates in 40 states and takes in $3 billion in revenue.

COUNTRY’s property and casualty and primary life and health companies have earned A.M. Best Company’s A+ Superior rating for more than 65 years. Not only is COUNTRY a financial success‚ the quality service it delivers has earned recognition that matters to customers. As of 2007‚ COUNTRY ranked first in Illinois with the fewest customer complaints seven out of the last eight years‚ according to the State Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

“The good marks we get for customer service are directly related to our location‚” COUNTRY spokesman Jay Verner says. “We’re straightforward‚ down-to-earth and reliable. It’s not difficult to find those traits in McLean County.”

Story by Gretchen Monti
Photo by Wes Aldridge

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