2270-2282 Washington Road
The addresses of 2270 through 2282 Washington Road lie North of Washington Plaza in Sunnyland near Summit Drive. As Sunnyland evolved, the area between Summit and School Street was developed later in the timeline. In the early days, this area, known as the Andrew Smith farm, really served as a rural gap between two separate developments, Sunnyland to the West and Beverly Manor to the East. The map below shows this, with a yellow star denoting our locale of focus.
In 1960, that all changed as the development of Rolling Meadows began to bridge the gap between Sunnyland and Beverly Manor.
Sensing opportunity, John Hinken Sr. purchased the property of our focus for his own plant nursery. Hinken worked in Peoria for several years as a partner in the Sheridan Road Nursery as well as an independent landscaper.
Hinken's Rolling Meadows Nursery opened in 1962 with living quarters built above the business.
While his nursery business flourished in 1972, Hinken Sr. retired at age 65. His son John Jr. took over ownership with continued success. Many Washingtonians remember purchasing Christmas trees at the Hinken nursery.
John Hinken Sr. passed away in 1979, and that same year the nursery closed. It was replaced by Taylor Rental Center owned by Tom and Judy Bernitt and Larry and Josie Snyder. This was a one-stop rental shop with a wide variety of items. John Hinken Jr. would continue to sell Christmas trees on the property for a few years.
Taylor Rental only lasted a couple of years and was replaced by AAA Rentals which provided roughly the same service closing in 1991.
The property sat vacant for most of 1991 until November when Craft Connection moved from Sunnyland Plaza. Craft Connection was owned by Harold and Marlas Collinson and offered classes in ceramics as well as gifts for sale. Craft Connection remained until 2006.
Another part of the property was utilized by Small Engine Specialty owned by Terry Lee. This business moved down the road to 2372 Washington Road in 2003 and is still in business today.
In 1993, a storage facility was built in the back of the property dubbed Outta Space. The storage facility still exists; operating as B & J U-Store for awhile and since 2011, Washington Self Storage.
OTHER NOTABLE BUSINESSES AT THE SITE:
Dolls With Hart: This was the love of Crystal Hartseil, who moved her doll repair business here in 2006 from the original location at 2454 Washington Road, the old Bill Maher Drugs building. Hartseil was mentioned in many "Hotline" Q&A articles in the Peoria Journal Star as THE place for doll repair in the area. She remained in business at the location until 2017 when she sold the property to the LLC corporation who still owns the building as of 2023.
Prairie Outdoor Barns: In 2020 Caleb Bond, pastor at Faith Holiness Assembly Church, opened this business at the site selling his deluxe handmade sheds.
Domino's Pizza: Domino's originally opened in Sunnyland in 1985 at 2311 Washington Road under the original ownership of Ray and Nancy Emtiaz and remained there until 2016. They expanded to this site in 2018 with a newly constructed building.
There are four businesses active at the location as of 2024. The aforementioned Washington Self Storage, Prairie Built Barns, Domino's Pizza, along with the King Smoke Shop which opened in 2023.