Merveille Luyeye Scroggins has been interested in hair and makeup since she was 9 years old.
“It’s always been my thing,” she said. “I always liked to be pretty, cute, like messing up all my mom’s makeup stuff.”
So when Scroggins decided a few years ago that she wanted to become her own boss, naturally she turned to the beauty industry.
She began by launching a brand of lipstick and found a lot of customers in Champaign and Monticello for her products. She then expanded into selling other items such as hair extensions.
“I really had a lot of clients,” she said. “Then I’m like, ‘Well, it’s good to have all this stuff, but what about (if) you have a client that doesn’t know how to apply it?’” Then I’m like, ‘OK, I need to open a beauty salon.’”
However, rather than immediately opening a location in the United States, she decided to start in her home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and move more slowly in the U.S.
Scroggins built her first beauty salon and spa in 2021. She later opened two more locations in the Congo and is now set to open her first U.S. salon in Champaign.
ML Beauty Bar, located next to Old Navy in Market Place mall, will hold a grand opening at 1 p.m. Oct. 18.
“This is my smallest one,” said Scroggins with a laugh.
Services at the salon will include haircare, makeup, facials, skincare, waxing, permanent makeup, small tattoos and a variety of spa offerings.
Daycare seeks community support to stay open
My Morning Out, which operates out of Temple Baptist Church in Champaign, is trying to raise $30,000 to keep its doors open through December.
Director Maggie Keeley said that the nonprofit is authorized to care for 86 children but is only serving 35, which is “a historic low.”
She told The News-Gazette that factors in declining enrollment likely include current economic difficulties, more parents working from home post-pandemic, and the fact that My Morning Out is only a half-day program, which may not suit some families’ schedules.
The fundraising campaign , which can be found at givebutter.com/4oFhPG, had raised over $12,000 as of Wednesday night.
“We’ve really seen a lot of support, so that makes us hopeful,” Keeley said. “We’ve determined that we’re able to stay open through November with the support we’ve gotten. We’re going to keep pushing a little harder to get through December just because (that’s when) people start to book for childcare again for second semester.”
My Morning Out has been part of the local community since 1967.
Nightmare on Market Street
Nightmare at Fox Hill has returned for its 11th year and is now located at 1086 S. Market St., Monticello.
The annual “charity haunt,” which is sponsored by the Monticello Theatre Association, is open from 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October. Tickets are $15. This year’s run will benefit both the MTA and several other local organizations, the group said.
The haunted house shared on social media that the new location’s large parking lot will allow them to host different food trucks on select weekends: “Stay tuned for the food truck lineup, including Moonbean Coffee, Chicago Grill, Burrito King, Patty Daddy’s, hopefully more, and we’ll see you opening night!”
Nonprofit plans to get fancy with fundraising
Salt and Light will hold its first annual masquerade ball on Oct. 23, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. The location, which will be somewhere in Champaign County, has yet to be announced. Ticketholders will be hand-delivered invitations on the eve of the gala, which is black tie optional.
“This year’s theme of cirque du soleil will be complete with individual performances by aerialists, fire performers, live music, and immersive entertainment,” organizers said. “For one magical night, we will stand together to change lives and transform our community with great food and drinks, music, whimsical entertainment, and live and silent auction.”
Information and a link to buy tickets can be found at saltandlightministry.org/masqueradeball2025/. Friday is ticket deadline.
Local library hosts book sale
The Catlin Public Library is holding a used-book sale throughout October, with a selection of hardbacks, paperbacks, nonfiction, fiction, and children’s titles all available for purchase.
“We do not put a price on the sale items, but instead ask for a donation to our program fund,” library officials said.
The library’s hours are:
- Monday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesday and Thursday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Saturday: 9 a.m. to noon.