Paul Heatherington was 21 years old when he decided to open his own business. He drove 25 miles each way to get to At's-A-Nice Pizza and he worked seven days a week. "I think in any business, you have to give 100 percent," he said. "I remember selling my car to get a better gas mileage car." Today, 25 years later, he lives much closer to his Romeoville restaurant and he has come to love the people he serves. "The best thing about it is the people out here; There's so much heart out here," he said. Heatherington began his business in 1988 with 1,800 square feet. In September 2001, he debuted a…

Max Jacobs is the third generation of his family to work at his family business. He is the creative marketing/ social media administrator for the group of car dealerships that carry the Bill Jacobs name, including Bill Jacobs Chevrolet. He and his three brothers all work for the family business in some capacity. But it is his mother, Linda Jacobs, who is at the helm of the family business and her lifetime friend Cynthia Thrall serves as the president. The women who are at the helm at Bill Jacobs have an entire Women of Bill Jacobs section on the Bill Jacobs Web site. Dennis Wolff is a Joliet …

When you get up on Wednesday morning to the possibility of more snow and a long, dreary commute, the folks at Patterson Travel want to remind you that the time to start thinking about your summer vacation is now. And, if you use a travel agent, you can pay for your trip in installments. "They make a deposit and then it’s usually 40 days before the trip that they have to make the final payment," Linda Hawkinson, co-owner of Patterson Travel said. That's just one of the perks to using a travel agent instead of booking a trip yourself. Hawkinson, who owns Patterson Travel with Eileen Sellers, …

Back in August 2011, Will County Habitat for Humanity ReStore opened its doors on Larkin Avenue. Since that time, the non-profit store has seen nothing but growth. "We are 27 percent over last year," Annette Leck, executive director for Will County Habitat for Humanity said. And as they grow, they are making changes and additions that will help merchandise move faster and bring more customers through the door. About three months ago, the ReStore began a new pricing structure. After items are in the store for a month, the price drops to 25 percent off the original price. Then, a month after …

Zip Fitness is tucked into a strip mall along Jefferson Street in Joliet. It is one of five Zip Fitness locations in the state of Illinois and it has one goal in mind. Zip Fitness co-owner Jim Reddinger said 15 percent of the population already belong to a fitness facility. "We're trying to be a gym for that 85 percent of people," he said. "We are a fitness club for people who haven't been in fitness before." Zip Fitness does not want to be intimidating. The business wants everyone that comes in the door to feel welcome, no matter if they are overweight or out of shape or just unsure where to…

Two years ago, after Nancy Skinner was laid off from her landscaping job, she and her husband Steve bought the Joliet location of Wild Birds Unlimited. The store, it turns out, was a perfect fit. "It’s always been an interest to me because I was introduced to birds and nature as a small child," Skinner said. Today, as the owner of the store, she hopes to pass that gift along to the next generation. "We’re getting younger parents now with kids that come in," Skinner said. So, she created an area just for kids in her store, hoping that what they learn when they are young will stay with them. "…

In the 1850s, the D'Arcy family traveled from Ireland to Joliet to settle in for a new life. In 1895, a D'Arcy, who was an attorney, served as the city attorney for the city of Joliet. Today, even though Terry D'Arcy's business is not in civil service, he regularly gives back to the community. "My (parents) were the kind of people who gave back to the community," D'Arcy said. Today, D'Arcy owns three car dealerships in Joliet - Buick/GMC, Hyundai and VW facilities. He opened his first dealership in Sept. 1991 with an Oldsmobile dealership on Stryker Avenue and Jefferson Street. He started …

Anthony Roy knows what rock bottom looks like. Before opening up Salon David Anthony with his business partner David Schmidt, Roy was very close to losing his house. "I was unemployed for three years," he said. "I used to go to food shelters." Roy was feeding himself and his elementary-aged son. But, somehow, he managed to keep his house. "I received so much help throughout Joliet," he said. "That's why I help other people; when you give, you get." Salon David Anthony opened in Oct. 2010. Schmidt is a hairstylist and Roy handles the business end of things. Even in their first year, they …

Hanging in the window at the art studio at 310 Ottawa Street is a blue, ornament-like glass piece. To an untrained eye, it looks similar to other beautiful art pieces that Sue Regis creates from glass. But for Regis, it is a reminder of someone - a student she had who passed away. The glass in that piece incorporated the ashes or cremains of the student she lost. That piece is close to Regis' heart because she knew the person whom she was memorializing. Most of the time, though, she is creating glass art pieces to memorialize someone she has never met. Regis works with Tezak's Home to …