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I have more than 40 years in the news business and have successfully evolved into an electronic journalist. Comings & Goings and Southland Savvy track news about businesses in Chicago's Southland.

Tribes Alehouse new to Mokena

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Tribes Alehouse and Grill, a new venture by Mokena resident Niall Freyne, will open Tuesday at 11220 W. Lincoln Highway in Mokena. Earlier this year, Freyne closed Galway Tribes in Frankfort, which has since reopened as Tommy Nevin's Pub.

Tribes Alehouse is a lot smaller than Galway Tribes and is located in a busy strip center just west of Wolf Road in Mokena. The phone number is 815-464-0248.

Smooth Joe's opens softly in Frankfort
Smooth Joe's Coffee House is in the midst of a soft opening at 9645 Lincolnway Lane in the Crown Center Plaza in Frankfort.

The restaurant is working out the kinks and doesn't have everything up and running yet, such as the expresso maker or wi-fi. But the kitchen is open and the restaurant is offering a full menu that includes sandwiches, paninis and salads.

A grand opening will be held in the near future. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The eatery is closed on Sundays.

For more information, call 815-469-9448. The eatery hopes to have a Web site soon.

Now open
Boost Mobile opened recently at 6764 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn. The phone number is 708-599-6400.

4 Tinos Pizza closes
4 Tinos Pizza has closed at 637 N. LaGrange Road in Frankfort.

Oak Forest loses Ho-Ho connection
The Hostess outlet store at 6080 W. 159th St. in Oak Forest, which was a great place to get cheap Cupcakes, Twinkees, Ho-Hos and Wonder Bread, closed recently. Outlet stores remain open at 164 Town Center Road in Matteson (plaza with the Toys R Us store), 6420 W. 87th St. in Burbank, 2500 W. 95th St. in Evergreen Park, 3201 W. 167th St. in Hazel Crest and 1330 E. 142nd St. in Dolton.

Puppy Love Boutique new to Mokena

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Puppy Love Boutique, a pet store that specializes in all things canine, opened Tuesday at 19155 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena. Owner Don Groenewold said the store sells puppies and pet supplies for dogs. "We're just about dogs," Groenewold said about an hour before opening the doors Tuesday.

There's no web site but you can call 708-785-7387 for more information.

Polish deli opens in Orland Park Gorka Deli, which features Polish specialties, sandwiches and hot meals to go, opened a few weeks ago at 15118 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park. The eatery also has fresh meat and produce.

Hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The phone number is 708-364-7335.

Orland Park hasn't been home to a Polish deli since Bobak's (and its many incarnations) closed at 159th Street and Wolf Road.

Polish bakery and deli coming to Frankfort No sooner did Gorka Deli open than a sign popped up in the former Caliendo Meats at 47 E. Lincoln Highway in Frankfort promising a new Polish deli and bakery called Tasty Bites & Treats is coming soon.

Gibson Chevrolet closes Gibson Chevrolet, 1533 E. 162nd St., South Holland, was one of the GM dealerships that closed Oct. 31 as a result of the automaker's Chapter 11 reorganization. The dealership had been in South Holland for decades.

Sweet shop opens in mom's memory

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy staff

Sarah Lamas lost her beloved mother, Laura Moreno, to breast cancer in 2005. Now she is using sweetness to attack the disease that took her mom.

Sarah has dedicated her new sweet shop, Fudgi Island Cookie Co., 17133 S. 88th Avenue in Tinley Park, to the memory of her mother, who introduced Sarah to the old family tradition of Fudge Island cookies. Sarah said 10 percent of the profits from cookie sales is donated to the American Cancer Society.

What you might ask exactly is a Fudge Island cookie?

"The cookies are fudge-filled with walnuts," Sarah explained, adding that her grandmother invented them.

Sarah may make the cookies with love, but it was husband, Arturo Lamas, who said she should share them with the world.

"My husband was the idea behind the company," she said, adding she was leery at first of opening a business in today's uncertain economy. "But people are still splurging on sweets, and we make a great cookie. We're going to succeed."

Besides cookies, Fudgi Island also sells the homemade fudge used in the cookies, ice cream supplied by Gayety's in Lansing and chocolates.

Sarah said the cookies are also for sale at Berkot's supermarket in Mokena ($3.99 a bag). "So far, it's just the Mokena store," Sarah said. "We're trying to get them in more grocery stores."

That's heady success for the Calumet City native who is only 24 and whose previous work experience was as a cosmetologist.

Fudgi Island opened Oct. 16 and will hold a ribbon cutting, grand opening and business after hours for the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday. As part of its grand opening, Sarah said sundaes will be half-off Thursday and Friday.

Sarah said another promotion will last until at least February. "Anyone who comes in wearing breast cancer awareness clothing or merchandise will get a free bag of cookies," she said.

Hair Trenz opens in Tinley Park

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy staff

Nicole Bowden has opened Hair Trenz, a full service hair salon, at 17216 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park. Bowden said her salon caters to men, women and children and haircuts start at $13. She opened her own shop after styling hair for 13 years at Shear Express in Tinley Park. Hair Trenz has five stations and is open daily.

Hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The phone number is 708-429-0055. She doesn't have a Web site but Bowden said Hair Trenz does have a Facebook page.