2025 Estate Planning
The issue of Lake Lifestyle you hold in your hands (or read online) marks the fifth anniversary of Lake Carroll’s monthly magazine.
I thank you for this milestone.
Without you, it wouldn’t have been possible. Our readers and advertisers have given our Lake Lifestyle team at Sauk Valley Media the support to continue to bring to you stories about not only about Lake Carroll, but neighboring communities and beyond — from people you know to interesting places to go.
YCODYCUTTER . SAUK VALLEYMED
Ask yourself: Are there new places you’ve explored and enjoyed after reading about them here? Have you been encouraged to join one of Lake Carroll’s social clubs after getting to know a little more about them in these pages? Did seeing an article about the Lake Carroll Farmers Market this past summer make you want to go there and shop around?
While I don’t quite expect the answers to be, “yes, yes and yes,” I hope we’ve introduced you to at least a few new faces and places.
It has been a joy to help promote Lake Carroll for the past five years through Lake Lifestyle and help celebrate its sense of community — that’s what this magazine is about.
If you’ve made a new friend, explored a new town, tried a new restaurant, visited a new business, picked up a new hobby or learned something new about your community, we’ve done our job, and we look forward to continuing to do it.
I am not a resident or a member of the Lake Carroll Association. It kind of feels like I am, though. The work I do with Lake Lifestyle brings me to Lake Carroll often, and in five years of doing this, some residents and members have come to know me on a first-name basis, and vice-versa.
As a journalist, sometimes when you meet someone as the subject for a story, they don’t remember you down the road. I don’t get that at Lake Carroll. One of the most rewarding things as a journalist is when you’ve impacted the lives of people enough to be appreciated. Maybe it’s by telling you something in a story that you didn’t know before, or made you think, or inspired you to take a day trip.
My hope in what I do is to help bring people in Lake Carroll closer to one another and help them get to know this great community a little better. I especially want to thank those who’ve taken a moment to come up to me while I’m at Lake Carroll to express their appreciation, and those who have called or emailed their kind words. Journalists don’t get a lot of that these days, and it’s really the readers and their appreciation that lets us know we’re doing the right thing.
Cody Cutter/ccutter@shawmedia.com
Among my favorite Lake Carroll events to cover is the Music Trivia contest, and sometimes I’ve invited my parents to join me for the fun.
Even though it’s my name that appears in the byline, this is far from a one-person show. Jennifer Heintzelman, publisher of Sauk Valley Media, is the project manager who leads our crew, helping come up with story ideas and keeping us on task. If you like the way the magazine is designed, that’s all the creative mind of Rusty Schrader, who is my editor and lays out these neat-looking pages. The magazine also wouldn’t be a success without advertising, and it’s the job of Jill Reyna and Kelly Null to make that happen; and we hope the advertisers have helped impact your lives in some way, too. Our experienced pressmen also make it all happen with their work as well. Each of us work out of the same building in downtown Dixon, so you know it’s not being assembled in different places.
Covering the Lake Carroll Car Show in the fall has become a staple on my coverage schedule. There’s a story behind the wheel of every car, and their owner, too. By the way, this year's show is Sept. 27 at the Clubhouse, so mark your calendar!
One story subject from a few months back was excited to tell me that he has every single copy of the magazine. I should have quizzed him on what the April 2020 articles were: Those were the magazine’s first. They were features on Lake Carroll’s Prairie Club, Fishing Club and golf course; what’s playing at Timber Creek Playhouse in Mount Carroll; Havencrest Castle in Savanna; and JJ & Freddie’s restaurant at Sievert’s in Mount Carroll (which has since closed and is now the Mount Carroll Pub). Now in its 53rd year, Lake Carroll continues to thrive, and will always have new stories to tell, and we hope to tell as many of them as we can — there have been around 350 of in the pages of this magazine so far.
Cody Cutter/ccutter@shawmedia.com
Cody Cutter/ccutter@shawmedia.com
Lake Carroll's summer farmers market found a new home this year, on a grass lot near the Clubhouse, with July 6 being the first market there. With several vendors from Lake Carroll at the market, I found it a great way to meet and greet residents of the community and learn more about their talents.
As mentioned, I hope Lake Lifestyle is a great aid in promoting Lake Carroll. Some readers get the magazine mailed to their primary homes away from Lake Carroll. We invite you to show them to friends, neighbors or co-workers, or drop them off at waiting areas — help spread the word about the magazine and about Lake Carroll and all the great things it has to offer — and who knows: Maybe they’ll get hooked and want to move here, and the Realtors in our magazine’s real estate ads can hook them up with a home.
Don’t have copy of the magazine? Online copies of every issue, can be found by going to saukvalley.com/enewspaper and clicking on the Lake Lifestyle button. The online magazines are posted during the first week of the month, and usually are available prior to the actual magazine coming in the mail, so if you’re really eager to read it, check it out online.
Photographic memories
Whether they’re photos I’ve taken myself (like this panoramic shot of the lake, or a picture of curious deer atop Three Tubes) or pictures our readers have sent in through the years (above right) — some of which graced our covers (above left) — the faces and places of Lake Carroll have given us and our readers a lot to smile about ... Want to submit a photo? E-mail them to rschrader@saukvalley.com. Please include your name and tell us a little bit about the photo: who’s in it, when and where it was taken, and whatever else you’d like to share.
Cody Cutter/ccutter@shawmedia.com
What to read Lake Lifestyle online?
Go to saukvalley.com/enewspaper and click on the Lake Lifestyle button. Need an extra print copy? Limited copies of most issues are available and can be arranged for mailing by calling Sauk Valley Media at 815632-2592.
Also, if you have a suggestion for a story, let me know – I’m all ears. Lake Lifestyle is a magazine devoted to you, the people who make Lake Carroll the unique and fun place that it is. Do you know someone whose story would be a great one to share? Someone with an interesting hobby, or who brings something new to the community? Is there anything unique about the area that you would like to learn more about? Share away! I can be reached at ccutter@shawmedia.com or 815-632-2532. Do you have any interesting pictures of life on the lake? We also feature your photo galleries on occasion (see page 10). For the December 2022 edition, we asked Lake Carroll residents what they love about Lake Carroll. We received many great responses from readers, but here’s mine: I have enjoyed getting to know people from all sorts of backgrounds and learning more about them. I get to know a little more about life in general by meeting all these interesting people and hearing their stories. I’ve come to appreciate things a little more, such as model railroading, music history, nature, and a wide variety of art from stained glass, photography, quilt patterns and even cigar boxes. Each encounter I’ve made at Lake Carroll over the past five years has made an impact on me as a person in some way. I have had nothing but positive experiences with its residents and members, and I appreciate it greatly.
As I hope I’ve inspired you to explore all of the neat places within a short drive from home, some of you have inspired me to do the same from places you’ve told me about: The 16” Softball Hall of Fame in Forest Park and the Leaning Tower of Niles are two of them; and I have the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago on my bucket list.
You’ve made this shy journalist feel like Lake Carroll is a great “second community.” Thank you for reading, and we hope we continue to help Lake Carroll become the great place it is.
CARROLL COUNTY HAS SEEN A 54.7% DECREASE IN UNDERAGE DRINKING SINCE WE STARTED WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS IN 2006! ***Illnois youth survey***
• Increase Youth/Adult Protective Factors which helps youth and adults make better choices for their health and safety across Carroll County.
• Decrease local RISK Factors that influence youth and adults to use substances.
COALITION is
of
citizens and community leaders from 12 sectors who
and address local substance use and the
it has on the
and safety of our county. We can continue to try to put out the fires of addiction-or We can Work together to prevent addiction by changing our community and protecting our youth!
Safe and Substance Free Carroll County 114 W Market St • Mt Carroll, IL (815) 244-0063 www.drugfreecarrollcounty.org
If there’s one thing that the western Winnebago County village of Pecatonica is known for, it’s its own thing. Not just any thing: It’s a big thing. The Pec Thing. But don’t let the name fool you, it’s not just one thing, it’s lots of things — lots and lots and lots of things.
Just what is The Pec Thing? It’s one of the biggest flea markets in the area, boasting over 500 vendors set up across 40-plus acres of outdoor space and 100,000 square feet of indoor space twice a year at the Winnebago County Fairgrounds, and the first one of the year is just around the corner.
By Cody Cutter | Sauk Valley Media
The spring “Thing” is Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, and the fall flea market is Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-21, rain or shine. Saturday’s hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday’s are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
You’d be hard-pressed not to come away with something from The Pec Thing. Whether you’re looking to liven up your living room, beef up your man cave, or spruce up your yard, you won’t leave empty-handed — or with an empty stomach either, thanks to nearly two dozen food and drink vendors set up throughout the market.
Variety is the vendors’ stock in trade. Toys, trinkets and tools, furniture and food, collectibles and crafts, books and baked goods, art for your yard and plants for your garden, glassware and hardware, knick knacks and this-and-thats — there’s not much you can’t find at the biannual flea market, whether you’re a picker, a bargain hunter or an antiquer.
Winnebago County Fair office manager Michelle McCabe helps coordinate it all, and she’s a shopper, too, squeezing in time during a hectic weekend of work to check out the vendors.
“If someone comes here and walks around, looks at everything, and they don’t walk away with something, I’ll be shocked,” McCabe said. “I can’t even do that, and I’m working from the office. I’ll always find something along the way somewhere. There’s always something. You’re going to find something that you want.”
From quaint and quirky to retro cool it’s no wonder The Pec Thing draws more visitors than the entire population of the village it calls home, attracting thousands from near and far to the community of about 2,100 people. It’s been around for more than 40 years and has built up quite a following. If you plan on going, you might want get an early start and explore Pecatonica, too; residents, knowing all the extra traffic The Pec Thing draws, set up rummage sales during the weekend, too, giving visitors a good excuse to check out the village and its historic downtown.
“If you’re just looking for some good fair-type food, you can find it here” ... The Pec Thing features nearly two dozen food and drink vendors featuring a wide variety of tastes to satisfy any appetite: BBQ, beef, tacos, pizza, popcorn, gourmet mac & cheese, corn dogs, and lots more — and course, plenty of deep-fried delights. Picnic tables are set up throughout the market, and sheltered seating areas are also availbale.
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Plan on doing your Thing in Pecatonica next month? Wear some comfortable shoes. There’s nearly 40 acres of outdoor space to peruse at The Pec Thing.
Admission to The Pec Things is $5 each day, and early bird passes, which give customers a preview on the Friday before the event, are available on the fairground’s website. No matter which day you go, though, there’s plenty to see.
“Pretty much anything that you could possibly be looking for, the odds are good that you’re going to find it,” McCabe said. “We have antiques and collectibles, crafts, people that are just cleaning out their house; they get a space to bring their stuff to sell. Anything you can think of.”
All that walking will work up an appetite, so when you’re ready to recharge, there’s plenty of options, traditional fair
favorites to specialty items — corn dogs, funnel cakes, pizza, barbecue, brisket, pulled pork, egg rolls, fried rice and crab rangoon are just a few of the menu items. The fairground’s Moss Hall also opens its kitchen during the weekend.
“If you’re just looking for some good fair-type food, you can find it here,” McCabe said. “You can come here, check things out and get some great food.”
The Pec Thing began in 1980 and had around 200 vendors throughout its first decade. It’s expanded gradually since, taking a break in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic — but the next year, shoppers and vendors and visitors were eager to get back, McCabe said.
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Ken Zbynski, a longtime Pec Thing vendor, shows off some of his unique creations, including clocks made from old 45 records, and a lamp made from electrical supplies. The propane tank critters at bottom are another example of finding the art in parts, and were available from another vendor at the flea market.
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Seward Bluffs Forest Preserve — This picturesque preserve boasts woodlands, streams and dolomite cliffs. Its 400 acres are home to many northern relic species, a good spring wildflower display,restored prairie and oak savanna. A good spot for hiking and horseback riding, Seward Bluffs is one of three preserves that offers a campground, and the overlook on the eastern edge provides one of the most beautiful views in the county. Address: 16999 Comly Road, Seward.
Four Lake Forest Preserve — Four Lakes is a 186-acre preserve containing four small man-made lakes and is one of Winnebago County’s most popular fishing areas. Fish stocked include: bluegills, channel catfish, largemouth bass (catch and release on bass at this location), brown bullheads, redear sunfish, and northern pike. No minnows are allowed for bait. The preserve hosts the annual Hooked On Fun, a free kids fishing event. Address: 10207 Fish Hatchery Road, Pecatonica.
Did you know that Winnebago County is home to 44 nature preserves — several of which are located near Pecatonica?
After you’ve spent a day hoofing it around The Pec Thing, you probably won’t feel like getting in some hiking afterward, but why not come back some other weekend to unwind and relax surrounded by nature.
According to the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County website, the district was created by a public vote in 1922 and now encompasses 11,500 acres of woods, wetlands, rivers, prairies, and ponds that are home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. Below is a list of a few preserves just a short drive from Pecatonica.
Pictured here is the Pecatonica River Preserve | Courtesy ofwinnebagoforest.org
Pecatonica Wetlands Forrest Preserve — Pecatonica Wetlands is made up of 1,048 acres of flood-plain forest, oxbow ponds, marshes and upland forest along the Pecatonica River. The site has outstanding spring flora and bird life. It features fishing access, hiking trails, picnic areas, a shelterhouse and wildlife areas. It’s also an excellent bird watching location. Address: 5750 Best Road, Pecatonica.
Pecatonica River Forest Preserve — This 466-acre preserve features woodlands and oxbow swamps and is an Illinois Dedicated Nature Preserve. It’s divided into two parts, upper and lower. The upper area contains a 130-year-old limestone barn, hardwood forest, upland prairie and a shallow creek meandering between steep slopes. The lower half is flatter, larger and contains vast swaths of restored prairies, floodplain woods, oxbow ponds, and extensive river access. Address: 7260 Judd Road & 14960 Brick School Road, Pecatonica.
Source: winnebagoforest.org/
Despite such a large venue, the space fills fast and there’s a waiting list for new vendors. Not a day goes by at the fairground office when McCabe and her staff aren’t doing something that involves the event — and that includes passing along some sound advice to shoppers: Clear out your trunk and empty your truck, because you’ll need plenty of space to haul your stuff home, McCabe said.
Some vendors take plastic, but it’s a good idea bring plenty of cash, too (but if you forget, there is an ATM on site).
“You don’t go just anywhere and find this environment,” McCabe said. “The people are so much fun. Most of the vendors are really fun to work with, and honestly, we could not do this without our vendors. This show is a team effort, and it’s a lot of fun to watch it all come together and be a success. It’s something I look forward to every year.”
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
The Pec Thing, hosted by the Winnebago County Fairground, 500 W. First St. in Pecatonica, is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 17 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 18. The fall event will be Sept. 20 and 21, with the same hours.
Admission is $5 for each day, ages 12 and younger are free.
More info: Find the fairground on Facebook, go to winnebagocountyfair.com/ pec-thing, email fairinfo@ winnebagocountyfair.com or call 815-239-1641.
CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
Cheese connoisseurs will tell you there’s nothing quite like aged cheese. There’s a rich and diverse mixture in its years, bringing out a one-of-a-kind quality that only comes with time.
The same can be said about cheese stores. Just ask the folks who’ve been coming to Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern for nearly 100 years.
Located just across the border, in Wisconsin’s Green County, the family-run business in Monroe’s downtown square has become an institution, not just with locals but with visitors who come from near and far (it’s about an hour’s drive from Lake Carroll) to sample the menu, soak up some suds and enjoy the company.
With 94 years of history behind it, Baumgartner’s is known for its Swiss decor, cheese, regional beer, and a menu that’s sure to satisfy anyone looking for a taste of America’s dairyland.
The store doesn’t make its own cheese, but sells around 40 to 50 varieties from area cheesemakers, both packaged or hand cut by the pound, along with cheese plates and sandwiches, cheeseburgers, chili and more. It’s Wisconsin’s oldest cheese store, and that’s something special in a state known for the dairy delight, co-owner Chris Soukup said.
“In a state dominated by cheese, that’s quite a big deal,” Soukup said. “There’s a lot of history and many people have come here. A lot of our business comes from Illinois, and a lot of it is families.”
Chris, along with his brother and co-owner Tyler Soukup, grew up in Freeport, and Baumgartner’s was a weekend destination for their family when they were kids nearly 35 years ago. They weren’t the only ones who crossed state lines to enjoy all sorts of cheeses and brews; since the Soukups bought the business in 2005, they’ve come to know many other families who’ve come for the same reasons.
Chris Soukup owns Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern in downtown Monroe with his brother Tyler. The brothers bought the 94-year-old business in 2005, and it is the oldest cheese store in Wisconsin. “There’s a lot of history and many people have come here” Chris said. “A lot of our business comes from Illinois, and a lot of it is families.”
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Once upon a time, Baumgartner’s allure grew with older teens from Illinois who wanted a legal swig of beer at a time when Wisconsin’s drinking age was still 18. While Illinois’ legal drinking age has been 21 for many decades, in Wisconsin it was 18 until 1984, and then 19 until 1986, when it became 21. With Monroe being just a few miles north of the state line, it became a haunt for many young adults who lived in Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Winnebago counties. In addition, alcohol wasn’t sold on Sundays in Illinois until recent decades, which brought even more Prairie State visitors to Wisconsin.
Baumgartner’s draws a mix of longtime customers and those visiting for the first time, and the Soukups and their staff maintain a positive and casual atmosphere, Chris said, making sure everyone who walks through the door walks away with a good experience.
Baumgartner’s decor is like a little slice of Switzerland in southern Wisconsin. While you’re there, check out the stuck bucks hanging overhead. Getting the buck to stop there has become a favorite tradition at the bar. The money is removed periodically and donated to charity.
“We get a lot of people who come here as a escape to get away from their everyday life, and for around $40 we can give them a couple-hour mental vacation and kind of step back in time where everybody’s friendly,” Chris said. “Our world is so politically divided, and none of that matters here, where everybody comes in and gets to sit next to each other. A lot of people at the bar can make new friends.”
History, heritage, and dueling drinks, Baumgartner’s walls honors its roots, both here and abroad. Among the murals and displays: one that features information on each of the 26 cantons (states) of Switzerland, owing to southern Wisconsin’s Swiss heritage. Some murals celebrate Baumgartner’s home county and its prominent role in cheese making, including co-owner Chris Soukup’s favorite mural (bottom right). Green County is home to several cheese makers, including the only one in the U.S. that makes Limburger cheese, Chalet Cheese Co. The mural at right asks, in Swiss: “When wine and beer fight, who will win and who will lose?”
Room temperature cheese sandwiches on dark, seedless rye bread and meat-and-cheese plates are served all day, along with soups and its “Second Best” chili; a full menu of other sandwiches, burgers, baby back ribs and market salads is available during the evenings, and special entrees are posted on its Facebook page.
The all-day menu consists of brick, cheddar, Swiss and Limburger cheese sandwiches, salami, hard salami and braunschwieger sandwiches, and combination sandwiches with any of the mentioned. Why is the chili considered “second best?” Let’s face it, there’s nothing like mom’s chili, Soukup said, so why compete with the best? “We don’t want to argue with anybody. What you grew up eating is what you’re going to like the most.” Chili is available by the cup or bowl, with or without cheese on top, and it’s also is sold by the jar. Limburger cheese, known for its pungent smell, is unique to Monroe — at least in the U.S. The Chalet Cheese Co-op in town is the only place in the United States that makes it, and Baumgartner’s uses it for its sandwiches. People who try it for the first time either love it or hate it, Soukup said, and many of them pair it with braunschwieger on their sandwich.
“It is very strong and very creamy, sort of a brie texture when it’s ripe, but it doesn’t taste as strong as it smells,” Soukup said of Limburger. “The smell throws a lot of people off, but it’s a very flavorful cheese. We get a lot of older people buy it who had been used to it growing up with more fermented and funky foods, and foreigners really like it. A lot of people who grew up liking bleu tend to like Limburger more than those who like mozzarella. It’s a more flavorful variety.”
Baumgartner’s
CODYCUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
If Swiss if your cheese of choice, Baumgartner’s has it, but that’s not the only taste of Switzerland there. Murals of cheese making and Swiss life are found throughout the place, as well as information on each of Switzerland’s 26 cantons (states), a nod to southern Wisconsin’s strong Swiss heritage. A world map on one of the walls is full of pins showing where customers have come from; six continents and counting — just don’t expect any from Antarctica anytime soon.
In its earliest days, though, Baumgartner’s was a local hangout. Its story began in 1931 when Emil Baumgartner bought a cheese maker supply store that had been in business for 40 years. Back then, there were around 130 different cheese factories in Green County, which used milk from nearby dairy farms to make the cheese, and business continued to boom despite the Great Depression. Still, the industry wasn’t totally immune from the economic wallop, so Baumgartner pivoted his business to a cheese store, adding a tavern once Prohibition was repealed a couple of years later.
“He was selling equipment to cheese makers, but it was during the Depression, so he started taking cheese on trade for equipment and then selling the cheese to the public,” Soukup said. “That’s how it became a cheese store, and shortly after he had all of the delivery drivers from all of the cheese factories come in all day long, and he decided to put a keg of beer in the back and let the guys have a beer when they were working. It started out as them putting a nickel in a cigar box and them pouring it themselves, and it’s evolved over almost 95 years, into a restaurant and a bar.”
Emil Baumgartner passed the business to his son Walter in 1944, who ran it until selling to Bob Hahlen in 1952. Hahlen owned the business until selling to John and Christie Huber in 1985, who owned it for 20 years before the Soukups took over.
One of the place’s long-standing traditions, sticking dollar bills on the tavern’s ceiling, began under Hahlen’s ownership. The practice is more common for bars with low ceilings, but that didn’t stop Hahlen from doing it on his higher ceiling — and it ended up answering a higher calling: helping people in need. The cash is taken down each spring and donated to local organizations. About $4,000 is raised each year, including the most recent haul, which pulled in — and pulled down — $4,097 on March 8. The Monroe YMCA will get $2,000 of it and the rest will go toward establishing a pocket park downtown.
Just how does a bill make its way up high? Sorry, that information isn’t free — it costs a dollar to find out, Soukup said.
“[Hahlen] used to go hunting up north a lot, and he went to a bar that had really low ceilings and they’d stick dollars there,” Soukup said. “The philosophy was that if you put a dollar up there, and if you’re ever really broke you always have a buck at the bar to still have a drink. He and a buddy came back from a hunting trip and decided to have a couple of dollars stuck up here, and it collected for 15 years until 1985 when there was a local farmer killed in a farming accident, so the owners decided to take all of the dollars down and donate it to the family.”
Making Baumgartner’s a world-renowned place takes more than just good food and drink. Its friendly and welcoming atmosphere has brought people from all walks of life and cultures together.
“With the amount of people that we get to meet from literally all over the world, you develop relationships with people you may only get to see once or twice a year,” Soukup said. “We get people who come in every day, and we get families that come once a year, and we really feel like we get to know you. I got to see kids grow up, and then come with their kids, and it’s fun to see that generational aspect. Everybody has a great time here, and it feels like no matter how bad the world gets, in here we maintain this safe haven of happiness.”
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
more info
Baumgartner's Cheese Store and Tavern, 1023 16th Ave., in downtown Monroe is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook, email baumgartnercheesestore@gmail.com or call 608325-6157 for more information.
More on Monroe
A day trip to Monroe was featured in the January 2023 edition of Lake Lifestyle. Go to issuu.com/shawmedia/ docs/svm ll 010423/16 to read the story.
nnalisa Culver doesn’t like looking at a closet full of clothes that just hang around, and she’s met a lot of other women who feel the same way. Culver believes wardrobes are meant to be worn, not just give your clothes hangers something to do, and that’s where the Lena boutique owner’s flair for fashion comes in handy. She helps customers who come into Ev Marie Boutique to get the most out of their closet space, finding clothes that are a combination of
comfort, style and versatility. Whether they want something to wear for a day at work or a night on the town, Culver loves helping people find the right fit.
“I feel like if you’re going to invest in your closet, let’s make sure we get you really good pieces that fit your body shape, fit your lifestyle, and are going to have some longevity for you as well,” Culver said. “My favorite thing is helping style people and finding out what’s going to work for them. Every body shape and every age is different, and I like honing in on that. You can just come in and let me dress you up.”
Ev Marie carries a wide selection of styles and sizes, from tops to bottoms, dresses, jeans, comfy casual wear, outerwear and more. The store also stock accessories and other items, including sunglasses, tanning products, scrunchies, jewelry, and hand bags.
Want to shop at home or just check out the choices before stopping by? The store’s merch can be viewed and purchased at evmarieboutique.com, where photos and descriptions tell shoppers more about the items — the fabric, fit, stretchability, and more.
While trends come and go, clothing doesn’t have to be the same way. Culver wants clothes designed for durability.
“It’s more versatility and how to style it and wear it multiple ways. It’s good quality that’s going to withstand,” Culver said. “You don’t want to have something where you wear it once or twice and it falls apart in the wash.”
Culver’s passion for fashion began as a teenager in Minnesota when she worked at The Gap. When she moved to Stephenson County to be closer to family, Culver bought an embroidery business in Lena 10 years ago and did that for four years as Fluegel’s Embroidery and Boutique (Culver’s maiden name) while selling a small line of boutique clothing on the side. She decided to shift her focus to fashion in 2020, selling the embroidery part of Fluegel’s and rebranding the shop, making a name for her business from family: “Ev” after her daughter Eveline and “Marie” from Culver’s middle name — and that anchor in the logo? It was inspired by her daughter’s birthmark.
Her customers have become like an extended family, too, and Culver is more than happy to be an extra set of eyes and ideas when they drop by. She prides herself on getting to know her customers personally — their fashion likes and dislikes, what’s going on in their lives. The better she knows her customers, the better she can help them.
Culver likes to think of a stop to her shop as “an experience,” she said.
“I’ve always said, if you want to go shopping and not talk to anyone, or get something and go through a self-checkout and never talk to anyone, I’m the wrong place for you,” Culver said.
“I get to know my customers, what they do, their family, and I figure all of that stuff out so that I can help them get the right fit. What do you have to wear to work? We’ll figure that out. For jeans, there are so many different ones, but it depends on the person and their body shape, and what styles are going to work for them.”
Water Damage & Mold
Leaks lead to rot, mildew, health risks, and costly interior repairs.
Higher Energy Bills
Poor insulation & ventilation let heat & AC escape, raising costs.
Structural & Safety Risks
Weak spots invite pests, cause collapses, and even fire hazards.
Decreased Home Value
A damaged roof scares buyers and tanks property value.
FROM STOREFRONT TO STITCHES TO STYLES
When Culver
“If you have the right look or the right fit for a person, you can tell instantly in their eyes,” Culver said. “The eyes are a big tell for if they like something or are comfortable in something, and their confidence can instantly change. You can tell right away, if someone puts something on and they love it, you can tell with their body language and in their eyes.”
Culver has seen firsthand how fashion can make an impact — those moments of excitement and joy when someone finally finds the look they’ve wanted. Times like that remind her of why she got into this business.
“Clothes are personal,” she said. “I’ve had people cry in here. I’ve had people become extremely happy. The crying is part of it sometimes, especially when your body has changed, or your life circumstances have changed. They’re crying happy tears because they feel beautiful. They’re the moments I remember on the tough days, and I’ll go ‘This is why I do what I do.’”
Culver is proud to offer her fashion in a town as small as Lena (population 3,000), when stores like hers are often found in much larger towns. She’s also helped local entrepreneurs who don’t have a brickand-mortar setup by offering her space for pop-up market events; the most recent one was March 1, and she plans to have additional ones in the future, she said.
Find your style
Ev Marie Boutique, 146 W. Main St., Lena, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Find it on Facebook and Instagram (@evmarieboutique), go to evmarieboutique.com or call 815-369-2015 for more information.
For Culver, running a small business has made a big difference, not only her own life, but her customers’.
“We love to be able to help you find the stuff that really makes you feel good and confident, and we’ll also get to know you to make sure we’re suggesting the right pieces for you,” Culver said. “We want to make sure we have a good relationship with you.
“Come in, we’ll talk and I’ll pull out some stuff for you and play dress-up.”
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
The facility has three fitness centers — two on the mezzanine level overlooking the gym and equipped with cardio equipment, two treadmills, a pair of ellipticals, a stationary bike, yoga mats, kettlebells, dumbbells and medicine balls — and one in a separate room, for group fitness activities.
The Davis Community Center offers a wide range of fitness equipment suited to most any fitness need — treadmills, cardio machines, weights and lifting stations and more.
The gym consists of two regulation-size basketball courts, which can be combined for one championship-style court, or partitioned into three volleyball courts and four pickleball courts. Open gym times for each sport are available on the center’s calendar (go to daviscommunitycenter.org and click on “See all events” for times). A four-lane indoor track wraps around the gym.
ADAM
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The people’s courts ... The Davis Community Center’s gym consists of two regulation size basketball courts, which can be combined for one championshipstyle court; it also can be partitioned into three volleyball courts and four pickleball courts. Open gym times for each sport are available at daviscommunitycenter.org — click on “See all events” for times.
CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
Larry Heckman (815) 864-2808
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The center also has ongoing fitness programs taught by area instructors, listed below Times are subject to change; go to the Center’s online calendar at daviscommunitycenter.org or check its Facebook page for up-to-date information:
• The indoor walking cardio fit class, which lasts 45 minutes, will get your heart pumping with stationary walking at various paces with intervals of body-firming movements. Participants must be able to stand for 30 minutes. The class, taught by Mary Jo Hecker of Lake Carroll, runs from 6 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 to 9:45 a.m. Saturday.
• Yoga classes combine fluid movements, breath control, static holds and body alignment in a relaxed setting. Classes are from 6:15 to 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, 4 to 4:45 p.m. Wednesday and 8 to 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
• Chair yoga is one of the center’s newest programs and one that was added after members’ requests. Ex ercises are done using a chair — seated or braced on — instead of a yoga mat. Classes are from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday.
• Body blast consists of a high-intense successive variety of cardio exercises, and strength and resistance training. An introductory program also is available for basic and guided training. Classes are from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday and Thursday; the intro class is 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. on the same days.
• Silver Sneakers fitness classes feature exercises geared toward ages 55 and older, and factor in changes in participants’ range of motion, and muscle and bone health. Some workouts are conducted with the aid of a chair. Classic classes are from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; circuit classes, for those who want a more intense workout, run from 5 to 5:45 p.m. Wednesday and 10 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday.
• Introduction to fitness and introduction to weights classes are taught by the center’s personal trainer, who guides participants on equipment and training machine usages to develop a fitness routine. Call the center for class times.
Membership tiers are available, from ages 13 and younger to seniors 65 and older, as well as household and adultplus plans (one adult plus dependents 18 and under). Just want to stop by to shoot hoops or get in a workout? Day passes are $10 for individuals and $25 for families. Everybody pays the same price regardless of where they live.
The center offers more than just a path toward fitness. Three multipurpose community rooms can host gatherings such as meetings and parties. And in another effort to help build a stronger community, the Mount Carroll Mini-Food Center food pantry is one of the center’s newest additions, serving those in need throughout Carroll County.
Bandemer said she’s proud of how the center’s activity offerings have grown in just a year’s time — and they’re not done growing yet: More classes are in the works, such as something dancerelated, she said.
“A year ago we didn’t have these, so this is a highlight,” Bandemer said. “We started with body blast and [its] intro in April last year, and it wasn’t until May and June when we had yoga. We just started adding in what people wanted.
When we think of what we’re up to now, it’s pretty exciting to see.”
While Bandemer doesn’t instruct any of the classes, she gets to hear from the many people who’ve taken them about the impact — sometimes profound — that they’ve had on them.
“I talked to a gentleman who’s 80 years old, and he said, ‘I can turn my neck now. I had a hard time driving and turning my neck to see,’ and his Silver Sneakers class gave him mobility in his neck and back that he hasn’t had in years,” Bandemer said. “I talked to a member in her 60s and she said, ‘I’m walking two miles a day and have been doing it for six months now,’ and she’s been able to get off her blood pressure medicine, and her cholesterol is lower. A widow who just lost her husband is here five, six days a week — we are her new friend. There’s the kid who comes in after school, and we’re part of his life now.”
Bandemer and her staff see the word “community” in a much more larger scope than just Mount Carroll itself, or even the West Carroll School District, which also consists of Savanna and Thomson. All of Carroll County is the “community” they serve — Lake Carroll included.
“One of the things that I’m most proud of is the overwhelming response of members, not only in Mount Carroll, but all of Carroll County,” Bandemer said. “By design, we knew Mount Carroll wasn’t going to be big enough to maintain a building like this, that we needed to have Lanark, Lake Carroll, Savanna, and the surrounding area. We’re super proud of how the people in other communities have attended here and have gotten behind us.”
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Learn more about it ...
The William J. Davis Community Center, 631 S. East St. in Mount Carroll, is open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Find “Davis Community Center” on Facebook, go to mtcarrollil.org/daviscommunitycenter or call 815-244-5524 for an up-to-date program and events schedule, or for more information.
Read more about it
The Davis Community Center was featured in the Spring 2024 edition of Carroll County Living. Go to issuu. com/shawmedia/docs/svm ccliving 022024/4 to read the article.
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