Business

Congratulations to Gurnee Donuts for receiving the 2024 "Bringing Me Home" award. 

What people are saying:

• “There is no place like Gurnee Donuts, an award-winning product and a hometown experience”
•  “Over 30 years in business, generations keep coming back to the place where simple wholesome memories are made." 

Congratulations to Tacos El Norte Gurnee for receiving the 2024 "Pay It Forward" award. 

What people are saying:

•  “All we need to do is ask; always willing to assist”
• “Supports school multilingual events where families make connections and get to know each other”
• “Very professional.  Great sense of community”

 

Congratulations to Jewel-Osco Gurnee for receiving the 2024 "Special Needs Champion" award. 

What people are saying:

• “Associates with disabilities are a valued part of the Jewel-Osco team”
• “Workplace environment fosters successful, long-term outcomes”
• “Meaningful employment and support for individuals with special needs”

Congratulations to Repeat Street for receiving for the 2023 "Bringing Me Home" award. 

What people are saying:

• "I have been shopping at Repeat Street since they opened and the store offers a refreshingly different experience - It's like you are family when you walk in the door"
• They care about their customers and it feels like "Cheers" from the moment you step in the door. They celebrate business milestones and holidays with their "family" of customers hosting Treat Days and giveaways."
• "They keep money in our community while keeping items out of landfills. It's a win for shoppers who get a great items at the best prices and a win for our environment."

Congratulations to Top Shelf Ice Arena on receiving the 2023 "Pay It Forward" Award recipient. 

What people are saying:

• "Top Shelf Ice Arena is an inclusive establishment that encourages people of all ages and all abilities to get involved with the sport of hockey."
• "The owners grew up in Lake County, learned to play hockey in Lake County and are now giving back to Lake County."
• "Just what the community needed!"

Congratulations to Loved Twice Thrift Boutique for receiving the 2022 "Bringing me Home" award winner! 

What people are saying:

• " Staff and volunteers create such a caring and fun environment to shop"
• "Serve all who visit the store with care and support"
• "A true community spirit of love for everyone!"

Congratulations to D. Wells Automotive for receiving the 2022 "Bringing Me Home" award. 

What people are saying:

• "Generous sponsor of  youth sports and community events"
• "Supports and promotes fellow Gurnee small businesses"
• "Always goes above and beyond to help out - always fair and honest"

Congratulations to Gurnee Garden Center for receiving the 2021 "Bringing Me Home" Award.  The Gurnee Garden Center is a long-time staple of the eastside of Gurnee and represents everything that is great about the small business community.

What people are saying:

• "Gurnee Garden Center has stood the test of time; nearly 50 years in business doesn’t happen by accident!”
• “its variety is competitive with the top nurseries on the North Shore”
• “a reputation for quality product with knowledgeable service … Gurnee Garden Center is a gem for Gurnee”

Congratulations to Kaiser's Pizza for receiving the 2020 "Bringing Me Home" award. During 2020, a challenging year, Kaiser's Pizza maintained that hometown feel and family atmosphere that they are so well known for and continued their spirit of service to the community even while following CDC guidelines. 

What people are saying:

• “the community Kaiser’s has built is amazing; thank you for wonderful lifelong memories!”
• “always taking care of the community,  lending a helping hand”
• “a family atmosphere, with community ties fostered over many years”
• “customers are like family; their wellbeing is a priority”
  

Congratulations to Six Flags Great America/Hurricane Harbor for receiving the 2020 "Pay It Forward" award.

In 2020, many of the businesses in Gurnee did that while we navigated the unknown of COVID-19. However, one business capitalized on its resources to make sure those in need were able to provide food for their families. A deep appreciation to Six Flags Great America/Hurricane Harbor for working with the Northern Illinois Food Bank to support the community throughout a difficult year, serving neighbors in need. Our decades-long community partnership has never been stronger.

What people are saying:

• “caring for neighbors in need during a difficult year”
• “flawless execution by dedicated staff, serving the community with heart!”
• “truly an example of a business using its resources and expertise for good”
• “decades-long partnership has never been stronger”

The 2019 Bringing Me Home award is intended to recognize a business that fosters community pride by infusing excellence into its business operations with evidence of long-term, sustained commitment to its customers and the community. Opened September 11th, 2011, 10 years after our world changed forever, Mission BBQ set out to remind everyone what makes the United States unique - its heroes. They found nothing more American than BBQ and serve it to their customers in a patriotic dining room filled with tributes to our soldiers, firefighters, police officers, first responders, and all of our loved ones who serve including our local organizations like the Lake County Honor Flight, Wreaths Across America and the Gurnee American Legion Post 771. Congratulations, Mission BBQ, and thank you for your immediate contribution to your customers and the Gurnee business community!

The 2019 Pay It Forward award acknowledges a business that is recognizing needs within its community and is meeting them head on. Nomination forms submitted to the Best of Gurnee committee noted that Honey Orthodontics supports the Warren Township Food Pantry, local animal rescue organizations, Toys-for-Tots, Feed My Starving Children and provides an annual scholarship to a Warren-Township High School senior looking to go on to a medical-related career. Owner, Dr. Honey has also traveled with her team to Kenya three separate times to provide dental care to orphaned children. Congratulations, Honey Orthodontics, and thank you for your contribution to the Gurnee community and beyond!

Nothing Bundt Cakes is the recipient of the 2018 Pay it Forward Award. 

The 2018 recipient of the Pay It Forward Award has made its mark on Gurnee in a relatively short period of time having opened less than a year ago but, as one nominator indicated, “they have been hands on, involved in the community from the start.”

Just a few of the charitable events this business has supported in its first year include Bernie’s Book Bank, the Mr. Warren awards at Warren Township High School, an autism respite weekend, the Gurnee Community Pageant, the Woodland ROAR Run, multiple school and church fundraisers, as well as the Legions of Craft Beer Festival – donating to the American Legion and Honor Flight and then voluntarily doubling that donation when sales exceeded estimates.  

Another nominator noted that “the owner and her staff are at SO many Gurnee events, football games, the [East Grand] Farmers Market, supporting the youth with jobs…and she was a Gurnee teacher for years.”  

Fundraisers are getting more than a donation when they engage this business; they are getting a collaborator that “tailors its support to meet the needs of each fundraising organization; they are flexible, creative, and committed.”

Thank you to Kathy and Troy Blair, the owners of Nothing Bundt Cakes, for your commitment to Gurnee. Congratulations on being the recipient of the 2018 Pay It Forward award.

Salutos of Gurnee is the 2018  recipient of the Bringing Me Home award. 

A generation of Gurnee residents has grown up with the cozy ambiance, friendly service, and their favorite (award-winning!) pizza & pasta…served under the twinkling lights of an Italian garden. One longtime patron cited the exemplary customer service and attentiveness of staff, noting in his nomination that, “the family ownership and caring staff create the homespun environment that always makes us feel at home.”
Owners Bob and Melody Bode and their family have built this business in Gurnee since 1990 and are the recipients of the well-deserved “Bringing Me Home” Award for 2018.

In 2017 the Best of Gurnee Committee received a selection of nominations, but Timothy O'Toole's clearly stood out above the rest. Because of this, the committee decided to bestow just one award instead of two. 

Some of the comments offered about Timothy O'Toole's are:
     “A shining example of a Gurnee business owner who Pays It Forward”
     “Timothy O'Toole's deserves special recognition for their outstanding leadership,      commitment, and generous spirit.”
     “Timothy O'Toole's friendship and support has proven to be an outstanding asset to our organization.”

Another example is when former mayor, Kristina Kovarik, had a 'big idea' that needed local partnership, she knew she could rely on Timothy O'Toole's because of their compassion and generosity. With a herculean team effort, they pulled together the 1st (and the 2nd and the 3rd) Legions of Craft Beer Festival which has now raised over $75,000 for our local veterans in the Gurnee American Legion and Lake County Honor Flight. At the center of that effort was this one business.   Without their connections and expertise, it Would. Not. Have. Happened.  

We are so pleased to have this opportunity to say Thank You to owners Humberto Martinez Jr. and Sara McKinnon, their beautiful family and their amazing team! 

The Shipping Point is the recipient of the 2016 Bringing Me Home award. 

From the day in 2009 when current owner Jim LoMonaco purchased his business and decided to take a risk and break with the chains so that he could offer customer service HIS way, to the many expansions of the business since then, The Shipping Point and Printing Point has been beloved by its customers. It is family-owned and operated by Jim and his wife, with integral involvement by Jim's sister, Lauren, and they have built it into a go-to resource for packing, shipping, printing, and all business services by offering a faster turnaround, higher quality, and customization.   The Shipping Point is a major supporter of community organizations – in fact, they were a title sponsor for the past two year’s Craft Beer Festivals.  Jim and his wife are raising their kids here in Gurnee, they’re invested in this community, they take a hands-on approach to the business, they treat their customers like friends, and it shows, because the business consistently is ranked in the top 5% of its industry. 

When nominations were submitted the feedback provided was:
 “Old school customer service”, “Variety of services offered”, “alternative to a chain”, 
“They treat you like a person and not just a sale."

Congratulations to Jim LoMonaco, the owner of The Shipping Point, on being the 2016 recipient of the Bringing Me Home award. 

Six Flags Great America is the recipient of the 2016 Pay It Forward award.

Six Flags has been part of Gurnee’s history for decades and has been integral to this community’s identity, our growth, and financial stability.    Its leaders are also leaders in our community, by virtue of their personal involvement with Gurnee’s service organizations, they support the causes that are important to us, and as a business partner, they’ve been paying it forward to Gurnee ever since the day they opened.

Causes that Six Flags supports:

Locally, SFGA participates in Gurnee Days parade and Ribfest, hosts the Devil Dash organized by Rotary to benefit WTHS, offers scholarships and internships to local students, the park employs a student from the Warren FBLA Club as a marketing intern,  donates supplies for the Holiday Train, sits on local boards, participates in Drug Free Lake County, support the Legions of Craft Beer Festival , has already committed to support the WTHS Hackathon with ticket donations, and earlier this fall opened up the entire park to the community for a private event to benefit Warren Township High School and celebrate its Centennial.

In the Midwest, SF raises funds for Special Olympics Illlinois with its Coaster Challenge held during Fright Fest,  donates 375,000 tickets per year to K-6 students through its Read to Succeed program to encourage literacy,  donated 1,000 Justice League super hero capes to patients at Lurie Children's Hospital, delivered to the kids personally by Bugs Bunny,   hosted 11,000 graduating high school seniors this past June for Grad Nite – Safe & Sober, and SF supports each of its team members in supporting causes that are important to them by offering 2 tickets each year to be donated to a charity of their choice.

Congratulations to Six Flags for being the recipient of the Pay It Forward award.