Nokomis business has ribbon cutting

December 4, 2023 281

NOKOMIS — A downtown Nokomis business recently celebrated its grand opening, with a ribbon cutting to kick off the event.

The ribbon cutting, arranged by the Nokomis Chamber of Commerce, was held Friday afternoon, December 1 at 3:45 p.m.

The business, Sunny and Red’s, opened in mid-March in the former Bell’s Jewelry building, although there have been many business ventures in that building since the jewelry store closed.

The establishment’s owners are Frank and Beth Steele, who previously owned the former Jim’s IGA for their namesake Steele Hall for a few years.

Present on behalf of the Chamber were Secretary Michele Orsborn, President Dr. Scott Doerr, Treasurer Ed Chausse, and members Tom Spears from Nokomis Gift & Garden and Jake Leonard from Heartland Media Group of Central Illinois. They would join the Steeles, daughter Remy, and employee Angie Lyerla in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

After the ceremony, there were cold drinks, snacks, treats, and gaming for which the business has gained a reputation.

The namesake of the establishment lies upon two icons in Major League Baseball, “Sunny” Jim Bottomley and Charles “Red” Ruffing. Bottomley and Ruffing were raised in the Nokomis area before embarking upon Hall of Famer careers, including their respective Hall of Fame honors with the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox.

The duo are also partial namesakes for the local baseball museum with Ray Schalk, the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Baseball Museum, all of which have local connections to Montgomery County. The museum is just down the street from Sunny and Red’s.

Sunny and Red’s is located at 103 W. State Street.