Business Notebook

Billiards Club breaks for new building

ROCK FALLS – The Rock Falls Billiards Club is moving to a building with more space, which means more game tables.

The club has been at 223 W. Second St. since late last year. Owners are planning to move to the site of the former Furniture Barn, 211 First Ave., to accommodate their growing customer base.

The club hopes to move by Sept. 1 to the 5,000-square-foot building, which is twice the size of its current building, General Manager Tony Mitchell said. The new building will have space for 10 tables. Only six game tables fit in the current space, Mitchell said.

Six leagues play pool at the club: Jedi Amusement ACS, the summer league, the fall league, the women’s league, the junior league and the Scotch doubles league. Each has 75 members and the numbers are growing, Mitchell said.

The Sept. 1 move date is planned to take place in the break between the summer league and the fall league seasons, Mitchell said.

The club is renovating the larger building, Mitchell said.

The club offers pool, foosball, air hockey, arcade games and dartboards. It opens at 3 p.m. 6 days a week, and at noon on Saturday. For more information, call 815-626-6200 or find it on Facebook.

Kroger program supports USO, military members

STERLING – At Kroger, you can donate to the USO or post a picture of a soldier or Marine serving overseas.

The store at 2301 Locust St. is among those in Kroger Co.’s central division (in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio) that are building patriotic displays in honor of Kroger associates and customers who are serving or have served in the military.

Stores are hanging wall banners on which customers and employees can write notes to those serving and post photos of them.

The company launched a 3-month fundraising campaign on behalf of the USO and the military in May. Customers may contribute via coin boxes at all check-out lanes, self checkouts and pharmacy counters until Aug. 13.

All proceeds will go to USO programs that support U.S. military and their families, also honoring the 70th anniversary of that service organization. Kroger is trying to raise $1 million for the USO this year.