Art Mart in Champaign is a food-and-gift stop at 1705 South Prospect Avenue, combining a deli and bakery with groceries, wine, kitchen goods, toys and other retail departments.

For a first visit, the short answer is simple: use the Prospect Avenue address, check the day’s food availability if a particular item matters, and allow time for more than a coffee-counter stop.

The business appears in Boneyard Beat’s Local Coffee directory, but that category captures only one part of what it sells.

With autumn visits and gift purchases to plan, its mix of food and retail makes it worth understanding as a multi-purpose shop rather than assuming it follows a conventional café format.

Official store information and local institutional sources were checked on October 16, 2026.

Where Art Mart is and when to visit

The current Art Mart homepage lists hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The telephone number is 217-344-7979, and the listed address is 1705 South Prospect Avenue, Champaign, Illinois 61820.

Use the Prospect Avenue map destination when planning your route.

Older accounts describe previous Urbana locations, so check the address before following a remembered route from years ago.

The store’s listed hours describe the business as a whole; confirm a particular food order or service directly if that is the reason for your trip.

An early stop for baked goods and a later visit for a gift can involve different priorities even within the same opening schedule.

If you need an access arrangement, ask the store about the entrance and facilities before arriving rather than assuming details that are not stated on the pages reviewed.

From an art gallery to a broader local shop

Art Mart’s own history places its beginning in 1958 as an art gallery near the University of Illinois campus.

A March 3, 2023, Experience Champaign-Urbana interview traces how the business expanded beyond that original role.

It describes housewares, pottery and clothing joining the mix, followed by food, wine and a toy section as the owners responded to changing interests.

The account says the Lincoln Square store closed in 2015 and the business reopened in Champaign in 2016.

That history helps explain the present combination: the food departments and retail departments are parts of a business that grew in several directions.

It also explains why a resident might remember Art Mart for one kind of purchase while a newer customer knows it for another.

The article is a historical account, so use the current store homepage for today’s address and hours rather than treating every detail of the older story as a current operating instruction.

A 2026 recognition for the owners

Art Mart also has a recent local business milestone.

In a May 20, 2026, Parkland College Foundation announcement, the college named co-owners Linda Davis Ballard and Courtney McKay its 2026 Entrepreneurs of the Year.

The announcement identifies the V. Dale Cozad Entrepreneur of the Year Award and describes the business’s long relationship with the community.

It says Ballard began working with Art Mart in 1963 and McKay joined in 2008.

Parkland’s account emphasizes their work across generations and the transition in business leadership.

For readers considering a local shopping stop, the recognition adds context about the people behind the name.

It is an institutional honor, not a substitute for checking whether a particular product, service or price fits your own purchase.

This feature draws on published sources and does not claim a new interview with the owners.

Photo by Alex Albert on Pexels. Illustrative stock photo; not Art Mart products or premises.

What to ask about at the food counter

The store’s food and merchandise description lists a deli, bakery and gelato, along with pantry items such as oils, vinegars, sauces, jams and preserves.

It describes croissants baked each morning and gives both sweet and savory varieties as examples.

Treat those examples as a reason to ask what is available, not a guarantee that every variety will be waiting at every hour.

For a special order, the page asks customers to allow 24 hours for best service.

Confirm the exact item, quantity, pickup time and lead time with staff before relying on that general statement for an event.

No current item-by-item price list was verified for this guide.

If you are shopping for a gathering, explain the number of people and the kind of food you need before selecting quantities.

Ask about ingredients and any dietary concern directly; the reviewed descriptions do not establish allergy-free preparation or a dedicated preparation area.

Make the retail side part of the plan

The current website groups merchandise into kitchen, housewares, wine and spirits, toys, clothing and gifts, and food and grocery.

That range gives a visitor several possible starting points, but a short list can keep the visit focused.

For a host gift, decide whether the recipient would prefer something edible or an item for the home.

For a child’s present, bring the age range and any preferences instead of choosing solely from a broad department label.

The store description also mentions greeting cards and gift wrapping; ask what is available with your chosen purchase.

Product ranges and individual stock can change, so a website photograph should not be treated as a reservation.

If a specific item is essential, call before traveling and ask whether it can be held or ordered under the store’s current terms.

A practical first stop on South Prospect

Start with the current hours and the Prospect Avenue address, then choose the main purpose of your visit.

If that purpose is a special food order or a particular gift, contact staff before building the rest of your day around it.

Keep browsing time separate from any confirmed pickup deadline.

For returning customers, the useful reminder is that Art Mart’s current identity includes both food and a broad retail selection.

For new customers, the directory listing is a starting point, while the store’s own information and a direct question can settle the details that matter.

A clear plan makes room for the shop’s variety without turning an unverified item, price or service into a promise.