Come Visit Henry, IL!

The 505 on Edward comprises a beautiful, combined storefront boutique and beauty salon located in downtown Henry at the intersection of Edward and Third Streets. It is independently owned and operated by Henry native and resident Amy Moeller.

By way of background, Moeller was raised in Henry by her mother Beth (Chambers) and the late Keith Moeller, with her sisters, Erika Anderson and April Rowe. Moeller worked as a stylist in Henry for the Carousel Salon (owned by Mary Jo Klein) for eight years and subsequently moved her business to Peoria for eight years. Moeller’s inspiration to open The 505 on Edward hits close to home. She said that for those folks who know her best, she had previously stated that she would never own a business seeing how hard it was as she observed through the struggles facing both of her parents: her mother owned Putters at Edgewood Restaurant for 10 years and her father owned Moeller’s Auto Repair. Nonetheless, Moeller always dreamed of “doing hair” and feels lucky to have a passion that ultimately gave her a career as a hair stylist. As her career grew, she moved to and operated out of a salon in Peoria. And to her delight, the bulk of her clientele were from Henry, which sustained her career. After COVID hit, ironically her career accelerated. Besides her solid Henry clientele base, she had another reason to consider opening her own business in Henry: two nieces and four nephews located in the community. Moeller indicated that her nieces are currently dedicated Mallards players on the softball, volleyball and basketball teams and she wants to support them on the sidelines.

The Boutique at The 505, opened in November 2022, was founded in conjunction with a fundraising Ryker's Rally and whose slogan is #choosejoy. The Boutique sells #choosejoy branded merchandise and has raised over $120,000 in the ongoing support of the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. In addition, the Boutique offers shoppers a wide variety of additional items including, for example: Henry-Senachwine branded spirit wear (Mallards and Cardinals) and Putnam County and Midland branded spirit wear; Henry gear; women’s casual, dress and active wear; jackets; jewelry; handbags; sunglasses; Little Babe Shades; Cow’s Coffee (of Walnut); mugs; popcorn (of Popcorn Shoppe in Peoria), hair care products and accessories; and more.

The Salon at The 505, opened in January 2023, is immediately adjacent and behind the Boutique (housed in the same building). There are currently five professional hair and beauty stylists operating in the venue serving women, men, and children. A sixth stylist is slated to join in January.

The 505 on Edward’s community involvement activities include the aforementioned #choosejoy ongoing support. Also, The 505 is a huge supporter of local causes wherein they routinely donate to various organizations, fundraisers and so forth. And Moeller is a big booster of Henry events including, for example, those associated with the 4th of July, the Santa parade, and Henry’s Slice of Summer event in June. And one of her favorite ways to support various organizations is hosting events at The 505.

The launch of the 505 on Edward was supported by an award of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds provided by the City of Henry. According to Moeller, TIF funding was instrumental in her motivation to start the business. She noted that buying a building that needed extensive remodeling and renovation was scary to her but knowing that she had some financial assistance through the City of Henry TIF funding program made it easier. She hopes to secure additional TIF assistance given projected future renovation needs geared toward expansion for even more businesses to join The 505 venue. In fact, Moeller stated that she recently finished what she dubs as Phase Two, which added two private treatment rooms that now includes the Kyle Bruketa Family Chiropractic office (with one more private room that is renovated and available to be rented).

By way of background, TIF funding calls for local taxing bodies, including municipalities such as Henry, to make a joint investment in the development or redevelopment of an area including, for example, the use of providing financial incentives (where appropriate and subject to strict guidelines) for new and existing businesses in a community. TIF funding is done so with the intent that any short-term gains be reinvested and leveraged so that all taxing bodies will receive larger financial gains in the future. The use of TIF funds is widely used across the U.S. and is often viewed as a valuable tool to spur economic development and growth and ensure that such communities and neighborhoods remain vital and healthy.

The 505 Boutique hours of operation (with someone onsite to assist shoppers) are 11am-6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; 12-6pm on Thursdays and 10am-2pm on Saturdays. The 505 Salon’s five stylists set their own respective days and hours of operation. For more information, visit www.the505onedward.com/; 309-242-4614; 505 Edward Street, Henry.

The impressive Henry Harbor Marina Inc. is located on the north bank of the Illinois River in Henry next to the bridge. The Henry Harbor Marina (“Marina”) is independently co-owned and operated by wife and husband MaryFrances (Fran) and David Passini and their son, Jake. They took over operation of the Marina in April 2021.

Under the management of the Passini family, the Marina currently rents seasonal and transient boat slips and sells fuel to boater enthusiasts from near and far away. In fact, according to Fran Passini, they were pleasantly surprised by the frequent visitors to the Marina from the so-called “loopers” and captains moving boats. Specifically, loopers are boaters who cruise the 6,000-mile “Great Loop” route aboard their own boats completing a circumnavigation of the eastern U.S. and part of Canada via mostly protected inland waterways. The Great Loop route follows the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the Chesapeake Bay, and the New York Canals northwards, goes across the Great Lakes, south on the inland rivers (including the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers among other waterways), and then east Gulf Coast to complete the Loop (view details at www.greatloop.org). The 6,000+ member America's Great Loop Cruisers’ Association provides resources and information for the loopers.

By way of background, Fran and David Passini grew up boating with a lifelong passion for it that inspired them to acquire the Marina. According to Fran, they “raised their kids on a boat in Henry.” David’s family has maintained a boat at the Henry Marina since the early 1970s. Fran and David were married in 1988 and have been boating at the Marina ever since. In fact, they spent their honeymoon at the (then) Henry hotel and boated all weekend with their family. So, when they learned of the pending closure of the Marina, they could not imagine boating anywhere else. As such, they decided to buy the Marina with the goal of restoring it to what it was when the Torchia family previously owned it (albeit without the restaurant and hotel components as was the case with the Torchia family). From day one, they knew it was going to be more of a labor of love. They are attending a weeklong class in December 2023 to learn to make boat canvases with the goal of being up and running next season (2024) with their boat canvas business. Future plans call for the renting of pontoons and kayaks, and opening an onsite combination snack shack and ship store for boaters.

As noted by Fran, they love their seasonal boaters. Under the Passini family’s management, the Marina has gone from only about a dozen slips being rented to now nearly 40 total. They were delighted in being able to finally get the new bathhouse built for use in 2023. They also added a fire pit with picnic tables for boaters to enjoy. Activity at the Marina has increased so much that they have become “unintentional live-aboards” wherein they have gotten busy enough that they need to be present at the Marina most days. Given that Fran, David, and Jake Passini each work full-time jobs on top of their Marina duties, it was and is challenging at times but well worth it given their love of boating. Given they are in a flood plain at the Marina, they cannot add a new building and therefore “had” to get a larger boat so they could have a work office.

Fran indicated that they love Henry, the Marina and boating life and would like this to become a full-time business. She added that they seek to further become a part of the fabric of the community in Henry. They sponsored the Henry 2023 Halloween Spooktacular and the Marshall-Putnam fair concert. And they have been active sponsors of school related activities and events.

Fran Passini grew up in McNabb while David Passini grew up in Standard. Both attended Putnam County High School. David owns Passini Plumbing & Heating and Fran owns The Cabinet Shoppe (with both businesses located in Standard and where they reside). Their son, Jake Passini, went to Putnam County High School and subsequently graduated from Benedictine University. He joined the U.S. Marines as an officer and came out as a captain. Jake, who works in his father’s heating and plumbing business, and his wife, Katie (a police officer in Ottawa), reside in Standard. Fran and David are also proud parents of two grown daughters (and their respective husbands) and two granddaughters (all of whom reside in Illinois).

Henry Harbor Marina Inc.: https://www.facebook.com/HenryHarborMarina/; 309-364-2181; 204 Cromwell Drive, Henry.

Bruketa Family Chiropractic maintains a thriving practice in an office within The 505 on Edward building located in downtown Henry at 505 Edward Street. It is independently owned and operated by Dr. Kyle Bruketa.

Dr. Bruketa serves clients throughout the greater Peoria area out of his primary office in Peoria (which he opened in January 2016) and a second office in Henry which he opened in April 2021. Bruketa Family Chiropractic strives to serve patients and provide adjustments as needed for anyone with a spine and nervous system related medical issue. The ultimate goal of his practice is to adjust the spine of his patients to improve the function of their nervous system which then allows for negative symptoms to decrease or be eliminated outright.

By way of background, Dr. Bruketa was born and raised in Dunlap where he attended all levels of childhood education through high school graduation. He subsequently attended Logan Chiropractic College in Missouri in an accelerated program that took 3.5 years of year-round schooling. Upon graduating in December 2015, he decided to “come back home” and take care of friends and family and start and grow his practice in the area where he grew up. His aunt, Dr. Shelly McGath, D.C., was an established chiropractor in Washington, IL, and had a profound influence on him including his career choice (sadly she passed away in 2017).

According to Dr. Bruketa, he has always treated his patients based on the excellent college education he received but also college alumni, other peer chiropractors, and fellow professional chiropractic fraternity brothers with whom he attended college. He had a growing practice in Peoria wherein several Henry area residents drove there to receive chiropractic care. However, for many of the Henry area patients, it was getting difficult to continue to drive the distance more than once a week if necessary. To better serve the needs of Henry area patients, he initially set up a temporary treatment office in town out of a location housed within the photography studio operated by Heather Collins. Subsequently, Amy Mueller, the owner and operator of The 505 on Edward, became a patient. This led to a discussion about a more permanent Henry office location for Dr. Bruketa wherein she built a dedicated office space for him within The 505 to continue to grow his Henry practice alongside Amy and her successful boutique and hair salon. Dr. Bruketa is delighted to operate his Henry practice office out of The 505. He does so in the spirit of mutually promoting his chiropractic business and the services and products offered through The 505. He does so with the shared goal and vision of making downtown Henry a thriving business center serving the various needs of the local community. In this regard, Dr. Bruketa is hoping that as support and patient numbers increase at his Henry office location, additional days and hours for appointments will be added to better serve the needs of the community.

Dr. Bruketa notes that he loves helping people lead a healthier lifestyle and get out of pain without the use of medicine or drugs. He is of the mindset that “natural ways to get healthy and stay healthy” lead to a prolonged and enjoyable lifestyle. In fact, he has always followed this approach and will continue to preach it moving forward. He passionately believes that changing people’s lives through his extensive education and practice – coupled with the physical adjustments given by his hands – have a powerful health potential for everyone who decides to utilize chiropractic services. Furthermore, Dr. Bruketa adopted an innovative patient-focused “cash practice style” with the knowledge that a typical insurance practice can be an insurmountable burden for many of his patients when it comes to what services his practice can offer. In doing so, he can now treat every patient as needed (regardless of whether the insurance company would have approved or not) and know that the patient is receiving the best care possible during each visit. And of course, this approach makes it more fun and enjoyable by focusing squarely on the treatment of patients with far less time and drudgery spent filling out paperwork and related coding. Simply put, Dr. Bruketa introduced a cash practice to serve as many people as he can all while making chiropractic services very affordable and accessible for both individuals and families.

Bruketa Family Chiropractic hours of operation are as follows: 2:30-6pm on Tuesdays in the Henry office (with hopes to add additional hours or days in the near future); 2-6pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and by appointment only on Saturdays in the Peoria office. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/DrKyleBruketaDC/; 309-258-5738 (call/text for appointment); 505 Edward Street, Henry.

Beebe’s Produce is a growing produce operation located at 809 University Avenue (Route 29) in Henry. It is independently owned and operated by the wife and husband team of Shannon and Gary Beebe.

Beebe’s Produce is a farmers market offering a wide assortment of freshly grown and typically locally sourced fruits and vegetables, and freshly baked goods. Gary Beebe oversees all planting and utilizes their greenhouse during this process. Shannon Beebe oversees the marketing and, pursuant to her food license, manages the bakery operations which includes fresh breads, cookies, and pies. At the very beginning of the spring season, while awaiting the harvest of their own locally grown produce, they start with fresh produce sourced from a farmers market based in Springfield, IL. In addition, they personally travel to and obtain fresh fruit as needed from a Michigan-based farm. This hands-on approach guarantees the produce is always top quality.

Shannon Beebe and her three sisters were raised in Henry by their parents Tony and Edie Gluck. Gary Beebe and his brother and sister were raised in Putnam by their parents Mary Denton and Gary Beebe Sr. Shannon and Gary are proud parents to their three children, Ivy, Kristin, and Juilie (all of Henry). Juilie is disabled and serves as an inspiration for launching Beebe’s Produce. By way of background, Gary worked for a local farmer for 15 years and acquired considerable knowledge with respect to raising fruits and vegetables. Shannon joined Gary for the last six years of working for the local farmer and also learned the ropes of farming and gardening. In March 2023, they decided to go with their deep passion for and knowledge of farming and gardening and strike out on their own in launching Beebe’s Produce. With their daughter, Juilie, being disabled, Shannon felt they needed a business that permitted Juilie to come with them. In this regard, Beebe’s Produce turned out great. Shannon and Gary’s love of plants is exemplified by their “green thumb” skills and overall knack for growing quality produce.

According to Shannon and Gary, there is something truly amazing in growing fruits and vegetables from seed. They chose Henry in part because it is Shannon’s hometown. Beyond that, they both strongly believe that everyone should have access to quality fruits and vegetables. They are extremely proud that the local families they serve, including a notable number in the lower income category, can obtain quality produce at a fair price. They feel their favorite part of the business is the people they serve in the Henry area. For example, they delight in the experience of helping someone pick their first pumpkin, assisting young children in selecting a peach or apple, and talking with older customers that share their knowledge and insight of Henry and the surrounding areas. They are incredibly proud to call Henry home and are very appreciative of how the community has been supportive of their new business.

Recently, Shannon and Gary installed a new building to sell their produce and baked goods. They are in the process of fine tuning their hours of operation to best serve their customers. For the 2024 season, they hope to begin accepting Link cards to make their produce more widely available (given they currently accept debit and credit cards).

Shannon and Gary passionately believe in “giving back” to the community. They routinely donate baked items for bake sales in support of Gateway, and recently supported a benefit for John Delhotal. They supported the Henry Halloween Spooktacular event in Central Park wherein they sponsored the pumpkin carving contest and supplied hay bales and pumpkins. They routinely provide delivery in the summer for their older patrons who cannot get out but want baked goods and fresh vegetables and fruits. For Christmas 2023 they are donating cookie trays to the Henry nutrition site for seniors. Shannon hopes to collaborate with the local public school in the future to volunteer her time to educate children on gardening best practices including how to grow fresh produce.

Beebe’s Produce hours of operation are as follows: Winter hours: 11am-5pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (subject to change); Summer hours: 11am-5pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; 9am-2pm on Saturdays; and 11am-4pm on Sundays. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/shannonbeebe123 309-238-4279; 809 University Avenue (Route 29), Henry.