In the past three and a half years, Chelsea Richard has enjoyed her time at LaSalle Market and Deli, growing close to many of her customers and front-of-the-house manager Jessie Kaminski. “My customers are family and my boss is my best friend; it doesn’t get much better than that,” Richard said. “Basically my day-to-day interaction with people is a pretty positive experience.” The restaurant is a hub of activity during the week, and working early morning though early to mid afternoon, Richard can see as many as 200 people a day. But taking orders, answering phones, bringing food to customers…

Liz Jackson certainly meets a customer’s expectations of a receptionist at Rootz Salon — friendly, organized, easy-going and well-dressed. So torque, power, competitiveness and a motorized sprint across a snow-covered landscape may not be the first thing that comes to mind.  But it wouldn’t be so far off as Jackson is a former champion in Snocross, a popular form of snowmobile racing. “I love the competitiveness of it and, of course, being outside,” Jackson said. For much of the 1990s, Jackson competed in an East Coast Circuit with Rock Maple Racing at various events in states like New York, …

As a long-time resident and owner of Massage 4 You, Corey Lynn Tucker is a familiar sight in Collinsville. But with an increased passion for photography and a spot in LaSalle Market’s latest art display, area residents can now see Tucker’s take on natural beauty, whether it be the intricacies of a flower or the majestic trot of horses in the snow. While Tucker has taken some portraits, nature and animals currently make up the bulk of her work. She’s been inspired by local places, area artists and Roberto Dutesco’s images of “The wild horses of Sable Island." “Horses are my number one muse,” …

While Kelley Thomen can help you pick out a wine from virtually any region, her worldly knowledge extends far beyond the aisles of Bahre's Wine and Spirits. In fact the 1982 Canton High School graduate has seen many parts of the world, sold artisan-made products from several countries and travels as much as time and money allows. It all started after she obtained a math degree from the University of Connecticut. After graduation, she spent almost three years with the Peace Corps in the Republic of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). There she helped with water sanitation efforts…

Bette Toomey is a familiar face at The Village Café and Bistro. She's been a fixture at the restaurant since it opened in November 2007. "It was nice being in on a new business venture from the start and watching it grow," she said. Before that she worked at Truffles, located in the same spot in the Canton Village Plaza on Route 44. But while her dry humor, quick smile and customer service may be fairly well known, some may not realize Toomey is a mother of five, grandmother to just as many, an artist, an avid reader of historical fiction and an advocate for pit bulls. Toomey grew up in …