Amy Mills was raised on smoke, sauce, and Magic Dust®. Owner of the renowned barbecue destination, 17th Street Barbecue, she’s the industry’s go-to girl for all things barbecue. As the recipient of the Barbecue Heroine prize and consistently named a leader in her industry, it’s Amy’s mission to spread the gospel of barbecue.
17th Street Barbecue is headquartered in Murphysboro, Illinois, with an outpost in the neighboring town of Marion. Influenced by her business, Murphysboro was proclaimed the “Barbecue Capital of Illinois” by the State Legislature in 2014.The Factory at 17th Street, their barbecue sauce co-packing facility launched in 2021. Faye, a coffee/café/gourmet provisions shop opened in 2022.
At 40° Below Joe®, we brew fresh coffee from the highest quality Arabica beans, and then we cryogenically freeze it (at -320° F) at its freshest point while keeping all of the original moisture content intact.
After experimenting and perfecting the marriage of liquid nitrogen and ice cream in his kitchen, Jones, his wife Kay, and their five-year-old daughter Tracey opened the first Dippin’ Dots®store in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 18, 1988. With the help of their extended families, hundreds of employees, franchisees and millions of consumers, the next 30 years were spent growing Dippin’ Dots®into a worldwide brand landing in malls, fairs, festivals and major theme and water parks around the U.S. — and eventually in 14 other countries.
All Things Maroon was created by Sadie Horan, a 2007 SIU graduate, independent consultant, and e-commerce fan with a background at Shopify. Sadie played a key role in launching Saluki Market, a platform dedicated to showcasing alumni businesses and providing a seamless shopping experience for SIU supporters.
Founded by TJ Cowan in 2017, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering at SIU, he focused primarily on efficiency and lean manufacturing. Growth of the company has compounded year over year and now includes Brick & Mortar locations, e-commerce, wholesale clients, private label customers and they are the official sponsor of Jordan Rainer (Country Music Sensation & finalist on The Voice). As CEO of Cold Blooded Coffee & Roastery, TJ is able to not only focus on teaching and implementing systems within his company but also on numerous other coffee shops and start-up companies in and around Southern Illinois. "Growth will continue into new and exciting areas for us, Caffeinate & Dominate!"
For over 40 years, Cristaudo’s has been a beloved part of the Carbondale community—and a gathering spot for SIU students, alumni, and faculty. Nestled in a historic downtown building—shared with our friends at Plaza Records—our café, bakery, catering co., and gift shop offer a welcoming space where food, art, and family come together.
As a proud graduate of Southern Illinois University (SIU) with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and a minor in Marketing, Lauren Craig has spent the last 14 years cultivating my passion for fashion, design, and entrepreneurship. During her time at SIU, she turned her passion into action by launching a business where she designed, manufactured, and sold handmade handbags — a venture that gave her invaluable experience in both the creative and business sides of fashion. Her sorority sisters in Delta Zeta called her the Kate Spade of SIU!
Fired Up Jellies and Jams crafts small-batch jellies and jams that pack bold, unexpected flavor—some with a spicy twist, some with a sweet surprise. From fiery strawberry habanero to warm, spiced peach habanero, and our smooth, strawberry vanilla rhubarb, every jar is made with care and creativity. Proudly SIU alumni-owned and Illinois-made.
Hi! My name is Chloe Scroggins, and I am a student athlete at University of Illinois Springfield. I graduated from Southern Illinois University with a degree in agricultural systems technology management while on the softball team there. I have been into different creative activities and crafting my whole life but started my sewing journey three years ago. Since then, I have been creating all sorts of items as a creative outlet and to gift to others. Creating for others truly brings me so much joy.
I can create anything from custom accessories to fun, practical items and lots in between. My Instagram and Pinterest accounts show a collection of things I have created so far on this journey. I strive to provide the best possible quality and attention to detail with everything I create.
Prompt Intelligence™ helps entrepreneurs, educators, and business leaders use AI the right way—by thinking first and prompting with purpose. Built on Bloom’s Taxonomy and the CLEAR Framework™, this book turns AI into a tool for smarter thinking, not shortcuts.
Written by Tom Harness, Founder of Harness Digital Marketing, here in Southern Illinois!
My name is Hayden Emery. I was born and raised in Southern Illinois, and have always been a fan of the Salukis. Quite a few of my family members have attended SIU.
I got in contact with Nick Hill about doing hats for a fundraiser for the football team; he loved the idea and loved the hats. He typically wears the hats I've made while coaching.
Howdy Hyde is a leather-based, hunting-inspired lifestyle brand creating handcrafted hats, apparel, and gear built for the outdoorsman. Blending rugged craftsmanship with clean, meaningful design, we make products that tell a story—born from the field, made to be worn every day.
Founded in 2021, The JAY Effect is a Southern Illinois–based, family-owned seasoning company rooted in faith, flavor, and togetherness.
Originally from Chicago, SIU alumna Yemisi Anderson now calls Southern Illinois home, where she and her husband, alongside their three children, have built The JAY Effect into a growing small-batch brand. What began as a vision rooted in prayer during the pandemic has continued to flourish through dedication, resilience, and family support.
Each blend is thoughtfully crafted, mixed, and packaged by hand right here in Southern Illinois using clean, recognizable ingredients—low in salt and free from artificial additives or fillers. At its core, The JAY Effect is about faith, family, and bringing people together through simple, flavorful meals made with intention.
We’re a small, holistic ranch in Ogden Valley, Utah, and we’re glad you’re here. Everything we do is rooted in care for the land, our animals, and our community.
Our ranch is family-run by Craig, an SIU alum, and his wife, Angela. Together, they blend tradition, hands-on experience, and a love of learning into everything they do, from caring for the land and animals to creating products they’re proud to share.
Each blend is thoughtfully crafted, mixed, and packaged by hand right here in Southern Illinois using clean, recognizable ingredients—low in salt and free from artificial additives or fillers. At its core, The JAY Effect is about faith, family, and bringing people together through simple, flavorful meals made with intention.
The Kinley Jewelry Shop includes a variety of Earrings, Bracelets, Necklaces and Anklets, each made by hand using materials such as metals, natural gemstones, wire, glass, resin, beads, crystals and more. The inspiration for the brand comes from our natural world so themes like leaves, trees, moons, sun, animals and geometrical patterns are throughout. It's a boho/hippy vibe with a touch of sophistication.
Miss City Creates was created from the belief that art, conversation, and creativity can help bridge the growing gap between modern stress and meaningful human connection. After beginning my journey in speech therapy and communication support, I realized I felt most called to help people through expressive arts, emotional expression, and community-centered creative experiences.
In a world where both children and adults are navigating stress, isolation, and emotional overwhelm, my work is centered around creating sensory-conscious spaces where people can feel seen, empowered, creative, and connected. Alongside offering expressive arts experiences and creative connection workshops, I also create and sell original handmade artwork inspired by emotion, storytelling, healing, color, and authentic self-expression.
Wayne and Michelle Sirles are fifth-generation family farmers at Rendleman Orchards. They are also the third generation of double Saluki alumni/sweethearts to own and operate their over 150-year-old multigenerational family business, located in Alto Pass in the heart of Southern Illinois.
At Tattered-N-Torn, we're passionate about reducing waste in the fashion industry. By upcycling and repurposing materials, we're not only creating distinctive products but also promoting a more sustainable approach to fashion.
By shopping with us, you're supporting sustainable fashion and helping reduce waste. We invite you to explore our collection, visit our shop, and experience the story behind Tattered-N-Torn.
The Association created Saluki Market with the mission of showcasing the Saluki entrepreneurial spirit, giving alumni, students and friends of the university a place to promote and sell their products, and offer the community a place to “Shop SIU First.”
At St. Nicholas Brewing Co., we provide our guests: fresh, local, and quality craft beers, food, and entertainment in a fun, historic setting while promoting cycling culture and lifestyle in Southern Illinois.
Sunflower Girl Skincare is for women like me — and like you — who are ready to stop hiding, stop guessing, and start feeling beautiful in their own skin. And I’m just getting started.
— Elvira Muckelroy, Founder of Sunflower Girl Skincare
We’re extremely proud that Tawl Paul Music is played, recorded, engineered and produced by Saluki alumni.So, get ready to relive the incomparable “Tawl Paul Experience” with this double CD featuring 27 different songs by the Tawl Paul / Slappin’ Henry Blue Band - the first recorded music by the band in over 20 years.The CD titled “Slap This! Live on the Strip” truly captures the essence of a Tawl Paul show with it’s excitement, raw energy, great musicians and Paul’s extraordinary vocals. We know you’ll enjoy the CD, and you’ll wind up playing it over and over. Get Ready To Rock to the Tawl Paul / Slappin’ Henry Blue music experience!
Ryan Wolfinbarger is a proud Southern Illinois University alumnus and entrepreneur who has spent his career building consumer products from idea to market. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Design from SIU, graduating with honors. While at SIU, Ryan was a four-year letterman on the Saluki swim team, an experience that shaped his work ethic, resilience, and appreciation for teamwork. Ryan is the founder of Wondustries, a direct-to-consumer product company focused on designing functional, well-made products for everyday use.