06/01/2026
The next Small Business Award Nominee of the Year for The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce is Doug and Susan Bloemke who own a welcoming neighborhood bar called Northern Lights Lounge Springfield. Their mission is to create a comfortable, inclusive space that brings people together with strong community ties and a feeling of home...so much so that they have started a tradition of home cooked meals on Sundays after seeing a need for a community gathering space that felt like family.
Susan first started working at Northern Lights as a bartender and built so many strong relationships with the customers there that when the chance came for her and her husband to purchase the place, they jumped on the opportunity. Northern Lights has become a thriving community hub. It is the Bloemke's goal to help everyone who walks through the door feel valued and supported. They celebrate with their customers, have bring-a-dish-to-pass Thanksgiving and Christmas meals together, host poker nights, raffles, game days and host fundraisers to support their community. And with a small pass-through window to Dillon's Pizza right next door, you can get some great food with your beverage of choice at the bar on any given day.
I cannot say enough about these two. I may have asked them to adopt me into their 'family'. They are the most cheery, fun-loving and easy-going people in the world. Their session was full of so much laughter and encouragement towards each other. It's who they are to their core, and you know it within minutes of meeting them. They are the perfect people to own a hometown lounge, and I cannot wait to take my family in to visit them. Congratulations Doug and Susan.
