New 4-tenant business development planned for Winnebago Corners

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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WINNEBAGO — Plans are taking shape for a new four-tenant business development at Winnebago Corners, the busy business and travel stop at the corner of Winnebago Road and U.S. 20.

Village officials said they’re in the early stages of the plan review process with developer and landowner First Midwest Group, which has developed commercial and residential real estate projects across the region. The initial plan calls for a 7,600-square-foot development anchored by Starbucks on land west of McDonald’s. Other tenants have not been identified.

There’s no set timeline for construction.

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“Winnebago Corners is what everybody sees when they drive on 20,” Village President Frank Eubank said. “Having national chains as well as local businesses is key to bringing people into the village, so we try to have a mix of both.”

Winnebago Corners was previously home to Cuppa Java, a locally owned coffee shop that closed in August 2019. The village has also had a mobile coffee shop stationed in the area in the past, Eubank said.

Starbucks will likely bring in clientele from the village, as well as neighboring communities and travelers passing by, Eubank said. He hopes that will help them discover more of what Winnebago has to offer.

“The corners is really what grabs people’s attention,” Eubank said. “Then, hopefully, we can get them in to explore the rest of the village.”

Starbucks has been rolling into several new locations in the Rockford region in recent weeks.

A new Starbucks opened last week at State and Main streets in downtown Rockford, another is planned for the former Dodge Lanes property in Belvidere, one is under construction on Mulford Road just north of Casey’s General Store, and one is coming to former Sonic Drive-In space near Menards in Cherry Valley. A Starbucks opened near the Machesney Park Town Center last year.

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas