By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com Because Dan Annen, the owner of the recently opened Pop-a-doodle-doo – a gourmet popcorn and shake shop at 201 Main St – loves popcorn, he can fondly recite his history with the snack. He’s old enough to remember Jiffy Pop, with the kernels, oil, and butter in a foil-covered, disposable […]
Anyone doing business in Woodstock must register with the city by October 1 By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com Under the city of Woodstock’s new business registration program, anyone doing business in the city – whether brick-and-mortar, home-based, mobile, nonprofit, lodging, or government – must register on the city’s website by October 1 or pay a […]
Historic Preservation Commission greenlights landmark status for Dairy Queen By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com “When you get to the Dairy Queen, take a right . . .” “When you get to the Dairy Queen, you’re getting close to the Square . . .” “If you get to the Dairy Queen, you’ve gone too far . […]
TWI takes readers through a regular round-up of business news By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com Summer might be winding down, but not so business activity in Woodstock. The buzz continues over the news that The Village Squire – with restaurants in Crystal Lake, McHenry, East Dundee, and South Elgin – will open The Squire on […]
By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com Pawstock owner Don Buss calls the decades he spent working in the pet nutrition industry “the best part of my life.” His career began locally when he signed on as a sales manager for the now-shuttered Jones Country Meats for the butcher’s dog treat portion of the business. In the […]
Previewing the Cobblestone Hotel and Suites, slated for a 2026 opening By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com As word leaked out that a developer wanted to put a hotel in downtown Woodstock, the questions have come thick and fast. Primary among them: What’s the name of the hotel and what will it look like? The name […]
High prices and interest rates, low inventory the continuing story in real estate By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com Janet Lindner remained in her longtime home near the intersection of N. Seminary Ave. and Route 120 after her husband, Ron, passed away in 2018. Still, she said, “I knew I was not going to be able […]
Quick sale of renovated vintage home shows power of ‘charm and location’ By Susan W. Murray Kathleen Labude and her second husband left Illinois for Colorado in 2020, a time when the Centennial State was gaining nearly 75,000 residents a year. Despite living in popular Colorado Springs, Labude missed Woodstock, where she had raised her […]
Remodeling project at the AmericInn heads toward the finish line By Susan W. Murray news@thewoodstockindependent.com Quietly, so you might not yet have noticed it, the former Best Western at 990 Lake Ave. has undergone a brand change and an all-out interior renovation. Within the next two months, Woodstock residents should be able to see the […]
Alfredo’s Pizza and Pasta opened on N. Seminary in April By Susan W. Murraynews@thewoodstockindependent.com When Nishank Patel was a student at Northern Illinois University, his part-time job was answering phones at the Rosati’s Pizza in DeKalb. As he put in more time at the restaurant, he was permitted to top the pizzas with cheese. From […]
Larry Lough is editor of The Independent and reports local news.
Janet Dovidio has been a freelance correspondent for The Independent for eight years.
Susan W. Murray wrote for The Independent, covering various beats, from 2005 to 2008.
Tricia Carzoli is a freelance writer and photographer that on community news.
