Mike Deaton is moving the two Decatur businesses he owns into the same location. Innovative Designs by Deaton is moving into the same building as California Closets at 1624 S. Taylorville Road, where California Closets is currently located.

"I got tired of running across town," Deaton said. "It made sense to try to work them together. Then I could be more involved in the Deaton side of the business."

Deaton plans to keep the same staffs for both businesses. Innovative Designs, an interior design company that specializes in floor coverings, has been operating for 22 years, Deaton said.

California Closets is a national franchise that builds any kind of home or commercial storage systems. It covers a large territory in Downstate Illinois and into St. Louis.

Deaton's companies recently worked on part of local printer Huston Patterson's expansion. Huston Patterson opened a new training center in May.

Call 875-4594 for Innovative Designs. Call 425-9544 for California Closets.

Mark your calendars for the Decatur Black Chamber of Commerce annual banquet at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at the Decatur Club, 158 W. Prairie Ave.

Tickets are $15. For more information or purchase a ticket contact Derrick Thaxton at 791-1530, AOK Travel Network at 330-7771, or Wole Adoeye at 428-4000.

In other Black Chamber news, the organization has moved its office to the Millikin Court Building at 132 S. Water St. Suite 438. Business hours will be announced later. The Chamber encourages members and anyone else interested to stop by and visit. Call 428-9679.

Macon Ice Cream will celebrate National Ice Cream Month by giving away a kid's cone with any purchase of a single cone or larger from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. July 28 Operated by Macon Resources, the shop is located at 130 E. Prairie Ave. but will relocate next month to larger quarters across the street at 190 Merchant St.

The Decanter Fine Wines store in Decatur is in a party mood.

Celebrating its one-year anniversary, the business, located 215 N. Main St., will offer free wine tasting with food from 1-6 p.m. Saturday.July28

Jay Emrich, who owns the store with partners Mike Delaney and Kevin Graham, says these won't just be any old wines.

"We're talking more upscale, some really very nice wines," Emrich said. "And you're probably won't find them anywhere else in town."

The anniversary celebration will also include prize drawings and special discounts.

Appetizers designed to be the perfect complement to fine wine will be provided by Melodie Burrus, owner of the Gathering Place at Haines & Essick. The Decanter Fine Wines is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Call 422-9463.

A local muralist is transitioning a hobby into a business.

Heather Raleigh of Niantic has been painting for about four years, but just recently decided to turn the hobby into Creating a Scene.

"I started off in my children's room, and then I did a bunch of them in my church," Raleigh said. "So it kind of just stemmed from that."

She has painted scenes in local churches, playrooms and bedrooms and nurseries. Raleigh said her favorite things to paint are cartoon-type characters, such as ones from Disney movies.

She is booking appointments in Decatur, Mount Zion and Forsyth and plans to expand to other areas as time allows.

Call 454-1800 or e-mail createyourscene@aol.com.

On Biz, published Fridays in the Herald & Review, highlights business developments. Contact Chris Lusvardi at clusvardi@herald-review.com or 421-7972. Theresa Churchill contributed to this column.