Romeoville Welcomes Deal$, Red Dragon Martial Arts

Romeoville recently welcomed two new businesses. For one business owner, it was more of a homecoming than a grand opening.

After opening All Ages Red Dragon Martial Arts studio in March, Master Mark Caruso hosted an official opening event on June 16.

“We had a great turnout,” Caruso said. The event marked Red Dragon’s return to its original location at 27 Normantown Road.

Caruso closed up shop in Romeoville about five years ago to run martial arts studios in Plainfield, Crest Hill and Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. After selling those studios to students, Caruso said he was ready to retire after 45 years in martial arts.

“My 8-year-old daughter actually talked me out of it,” he said. “She asked me to be her business partner.”

At the urging of daughter Toni, Caruso looked into opening a new martial arts studio in Romeoville. To his surprise, he found that his original location on Normantown Road was available.

Red Dragon reopened in March and offers classes in tae kwan do, hapkido, jujitsu and kickboxing, to name just a few. Course are open to students of all ages.

“We start them out at 4 years old,” Caruso said, adding his current crop of students range in age from 4 to 72.

In addition to Caruso, three full-time instructors and two summertime instructors teach classes at Red Dragon.

For more information on All Aged Red Dragon Martial Arts, visit the studio’s Facebook page or call 815-546-2224.

Deal$ opens on Weber Road

Red Dragon was the second Romeoville business to open within a week.

A Deal$ discount store opened June 12 next to in the Shops of Romeoville plaza, 263 S. Weber Road.

The 10,000-square-foot store was approved by the village board last year. According to Mayor John Noak, a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the store has yet to be scheduled.