Thriving Thistle: Market, Bistro, and Wellness Center
Devoted to family, community, and living a life they love, Geoff & Liz Stocks brought Thriving Thistle Market to Apple River. This adventure all started with a desire to be a family in a town they love. Like most families that live in small towns, Geoff and Liz worked away from home, and spent so much precious time on the road. They recognized a need in the community for a place to get fuel, simple things a gallon of milk, and something delicious to eat. When they saw an old, run-down, abandoned gas station that previously operated as the hub of the community, they chose to take a chance on their community and bring the business back to life.
Geoff was born and raised in Apple River, Illinois. He follows in a long line of community-minded family members. Liz is a Doctor of Chiropractic and is passionate about health and living well. This combination is what brought Thriving Thistle Market to fruition. They love their community and want to see it THRIVE. Their appreciation and honor of the community is illustrated by the naming of menu items after community members of the past.
The Thistle itself represents life in a small town: the roots are deep to provide stability, gather nutrients, and contains healing properties; and the stem, though winding, challenging and thorny at times, leads you to a beautiful, abundant, and enjoyable flower at the top. The Thistle is an analogy for life.
Like Geoff and Liz Stocks, the Thistle’s roots are difficult to uproot from their community. The Thistle is a symbol representing wholesome food and heart-filled connections. They intend to be an active part of the community for countless years to come. It is with great pleasure and honor that they continue to create a THRIVING legacy the ancestors of Apple River would be proud of.
