Trent R. Nelson speaks with Michelle Ownbey, publisher of the Springfield Business Journal and Illinois Times, about the latest happenings in the Springfield business community and all of the relevant bits fit for the greater community to learn about.

Topics Discussed In This Interview:

• Seoul 4 Soul has closed less than nine months after opening, but one of the owners, Kimsimone Manning, is launching a new Korean fusion bistro in its place. A Taste of Seoul will hold its grand opening Saturday, Sept. 28.

   

   

• Six businesses have been awarded $280,000 in grants by the Springfield City Council from the city's share of sales taxes on adult-use cannabis sales. The allocations came more than two years after the first round of grants and after a September 2023 audit that pointed out numerous inconsistencies in the program and suggested reforms.

   

• A proposal from a local developer to build tiny homes on the east side of Springfield for unhoused veterans is generating big controversy.

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