One of the many things that can unite a community is local, unique food and drink businesses. In the small town of Elburn, local food businesses thrive on their community and loyal customers.

One business in particular started out two years ago and has grown to be a staple in the community. Knight Club Nutrition, owned by Lori Palmisano, is a protein and nutrition drink shop in downtown

Palmisano ended up going after her childhood dream to start a restaurant, and fell in love with the Elburn community. Her daughter, Jess Hienrich, works alongside Palmisano as they run the business together.

“I absolutely love being a part of the community,” Palmisano said. “It’s so much fun to interact with the customers that come in every day.”

Elburn that has become very active in the community. 

Along with owning a business, Palmisanio and Hienrich are very involved in the community and love to help. They recently participated in the Elburn Christmas stroll and they support a local softball team, helping the two remain  very active in the community. 

“With an elementary school, we did a ‘read to the community’ thing where we each read a chapter,” Hienrich said.

Despite only being open for two years, Palmisanio and Hienrich have made themselves known in the community and helped greatly with their contributions. Another local favorite, Corner Grind, brings in many loyal customers with their baked goods and welcoming appearance. The cafe has a very homey feeling, and many regular customers come by first thing in the morning to pick up food or coffee before starting their job.

“I absolutely love the small town feel,” manager Randi Perez said. “I love knowing everybody that walks through the door.”

Being open for 11 years, Corner Grind does a great job of giving back to the community. One way they stay involved is by donating to local shelters and having fun, creative tip jars on the counter.

“This month and next month, we are doing a drive for a domestic violence shelter,” Perez said. “We also finished out last year with the Community Santa Project, which was incredibly successful.”Another popular spot to eat in Elburn is Paisano’s. Known for their pizza and unique pies, Paisano’s has been a staple in the community for years.

Upon entering the store, there are tons of past accomplishments and photos decorating the walls. Decorations like sports team photos, thank you letters and fun signs from Elburn residents are just some of the things you can find on the walls of Paisano’s.

“The original owners left here a couple of years ago, but as you can see from the pictures on the walls, they were all about community,” manager Mitch Jackson said. 

One way Paisano’s has stayed connected to the community for so many years is their significant contributions and fundraising.

“We work with Kaneland softball, the Elburn fireworks show and recently we were in the Christmas Stroll,” Jackson said. “Pretty much any big event, we try to be involved like a lot of the businesses here.”

Local businesses in Elburn not only bring in plenty of regular customers, but also help to support and raise funds for things around the community. Whether it’s businesses like Paisano’s and Knight Club Nutrition funding school sports or Corner Grind funding local shelters, these local restaurants all come together to make Elburn feel like a community.