Casto’s Closes in Tinley Park

The sign in front of Casto's is now blank along Oak Park Avenue.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The economy claimed another victim in Tinley Park this week when Casto’s Ristorante suddenly closed its doors at 16846 S. Oak Park Ave.

Calls to owner Bill Casto were not returned, but a message on the front door of the restaurant cited “the economy, high taxes and unwillingness of Archer Bank to work with small business” as reasons for the closing.

The restaurant opened in 1999 and was noted for its Christmas in July celebrations, which sometimes included holiday inflatables on the front lawn.

Oak Lawn Dominick’s Closing

Dominick’s is closing another Southland location. The supermarket chain will shut down its store at 8700 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn on Monday, Jan. 1.

“The lease expired and the store did not meet sales expectations,” said Lauri Sanders, director of Public Affairs and Government Relations.

She said the store had 75 full-time and part-time employees.

Also, Sanders dispelled rumors that the store at 127th Street and Ridgeland Avenue in Palos Heights was closing.

“We have no plans to close our Dominick’s in Palos Heights,” she said.

The company did close its Orland Park store recently.

Once the Oak Lawn store closes, Dominick’s will have 76 stores in the Chicago marketplace.

Doc Popcorn Opens at Chicago Ridge

Doc Popcorn is now open at Westfield Chicago Ridge Mall in the Center Corridor near Bed, Bath and Beyond. This Sunday from 2-4 p.m. you can get a free bag of popcorn in celebration of its grand opening. Just mention you saw the Yellow Ad.

Bear Sighting

Wide receiver Johnny Knox of the Chicago Bears will be at Phillips Chevy, 9700 Lincoln Highway in Frankfort, on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. to sign autographs.

There’s no Bears deal this weekend because the team is on its bye week.

Halloween Deal

Applebee’s is holding a Kids Eat Free promotion on Monday, Oct. 31. Kids 12 and under can order for free from the Kids Menu. Two free kids for every paid adult entrée.

Berkot's Eyes Orland Park Location

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Orland Park looks like it will be getting a new grocery store to replace Green Food and Produce, which closed earlier this year at 11333 W. 159th St. in the Wolf Crossing plaza at 159th and Wolf Road.

Mokena-based Berkot’s Super Foods has applied for building permits and the village is reviewing plans, Karie Friling, director of development services, told me recently.

“It’s no secret,” she said.

Indeed not, I have received emails from a couple of readers asking me when Berkot’s was going to open.

For its part, Berkot’s is staying mum. I received an email recently from Luke Kotara at Berkot’s who said he would contact me when he could confirm the plan.

Berkot’s has a nice history of taking former supermarkets and breathing new life into them. They did it most recently this past summer in Lockport when they converted a former Sterk’s and Fairway Foods into the company’s 13th location.

Season of the Witch

Remember when Halloween was all about candy and carving pumpkins? Those days are long gone and Halloween is now the second biggest retail season behind Christmas and several seasonal shops have opened in the Southland in advance of next week’s holiday.

Spirit Halloween is now open in the former Borders store in Ravinia Plaza in Orland Park, in the former Borders Express in Chicago Ridge Mall, at 14726 S. Cicero Ave. in the former Walgreens at Mid-Oak Plaza and at the Long Run Marketplace, 13462 Archer Ave. in Lemont.

Halloween City has set up shop at 15852 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park, at 4824 Lincoln Highway in Matteson, and 19816 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena.

Halloween Express is open at 7260 W. 159th St. in the Home Depot Plaza in Orland Park and at 6101 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn in a former Men’s Wearhouse.

Chick-fil-A Celebrates Anniversary

Chick-fil-A will celebrate its first anniversary at 15605 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park by giving away free chicken sandwiches from 6-10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 29. The eatery is also offering free kitchen tours from 2-4 p.m. sign up at http://cfarestaurant.com/orlandpark

Happy Halloween at Orland Square Mall

Simon Kidgets Club is hosting a free Halloween party for kids 3-8 at Orland Square Mall on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The event, presented by Dole, will include activities and games, crafts, a costume contest, and trick-or-treating through the mall. Dole will be handing out Real Fruit Bites sample. Free Trick-or-Treat Bags will also be distributed while supplies last.

Orland Park Bakery Announces New Home

Orland Park Bakery, which is losing its longtime home at Orland Plaza, has finally announced it will be moving into new and larger digs at 14850 S. LaGrange Road next to Dania furniture.

“We’re very excited about moving there,” Dan Major told Orland Park Patch last week about the bakery’s new location. There’s plenty of parking there, and it’s easy to access both from LaGrange and Ravinia.”

Café Gaston Ribbon Cutting
Café Gaston is unveiling its new look and menu to the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce at a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 14438 John Humphrey Drive in Orland Park.
RSVP to the chamber at http://www.orlandparkchamber.org/calresp.asp?id=14807

Downtown Tinley Halloween Kiddie Parade

The Oak Park Avenue Mainstreet Association is holding its 13th annual Halloween Kiddie Parade and Party on Sunday, Oct. 30, from noon to 3 p.m. outside its office at 170th Street and Oak Park Avenue in downtown Tinley Park.

There will be a walking parade, trick-or-treating at local businesses, games, prizes, snacks and refreshments. Prizes will be awarded in “Best of” categories.
Businesses are invited to set up a table and pass out treats to the kids along with a coupon or promotional item to the parents. In past years, there have been 450-500 children, not including their parents, grandparents and pets. Go to http://www.opama.org/ to download an entry form.

Ford to Add Jobs at Local Plants

Ford Motor Co. plans to invest up to $200 million to expand its Chicago Assembly Plant and Chicago Heights Stamping Plant and add upwards of 1,200 jobs between the two plants.

Gov. Pat Quinn last week said the automaker will add a third shift at the Assembly Plant in Chicago’s Hegewisch community, which makes the Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Explorer. The investment will allow the plant to produce new sedan and SUV police interceptors.

Ford will invest $117 million at the Assembly Plant and $86 million to upgrade the stamping plant, which makes body panels.

Crematorium OK’d for Homewood

Homewood has approved a special-use permit that will allow the Cremation Society of Illinois to build a crematorium at 17859 Bretz Drive. The society operates two other crematoriums in Romeoville and Rockford.

Annual Legislative Breakfast


 The Southland Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Legislative Breakfast on Friday, Oct. 28, from 8-10 a.m. at The Horton Group, 10320 Orland Parkway in Orland Park. For information, call 708-957-6950 or visit their website at http://www.chicagosouthland.com/.

Gyros Express Opens in Tinley Park

Gyros Express is now open in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Gyros lovers in Tinley Park have another reason to salivate with the recent opening of Gyros Express at 7108 W. 171st St. across the street from the Jewel-Osco store. The store is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and delivers. It has the standard gyros joint fare. For information, call 708-444-2100.

Gayety’s Opening Indiana Location
Gayety candy and ice cream lovers who made the move to northwest Indiana will soon be able to find the sweets they loved in Schererville. Gayety’s, which moved years ago from its original home in South Chicago to Lansing, is expected to open a second sweet shop Oct. 25 at U.S. 41 and Main Street next to the H. Dog hot dog stand. Hours and a phone number are not yet available. For information, visit http://www.gayetyschocolate.com/.

Juice Shop Closes in Mokena
Juicilious, a smoothie shop that opened back in the spring in the Boulevard mall at 191st Street and Everett Lane in Mokena, closed up recently. Customers on its Facebook page say that LivingSocial will refund money for unused deals.

Borders Stores Get the Ghost
Spirit Halloween has opened Halloween stores in the former Borders book store at 15260 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park and the former Borders Express book store inside Chicago Ridge Mall. There also is a Spirit store in the old Walgreens at 14726 S. Cicero Ave. in the Mid-Oak Plaza in Midlothian. For information and a complete list of stores, visit http://www.spirithalloween.com/.

Tim Gunn Hosts Live Show at Orland Square Mall
Style expert Tim Gunn, who is co-host of Lifetime’s Project Runway cable show, is hosting a fall fashion show of the Liz Claiborne and Claiborne collections at Orland Square Mall at 1 p.m. Saturday in the upper level JC Penney Court.

After the show, guests will be treated to an open forum Q & A with Gunn.

With any qualifying purchase of $75 or more, guests will be professionally photographed with Gunn and will receive a personalized, signed copy of his New York Times best-selling book Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work!

Seating is open but limited. No reservations are required.

Deal of the Month
Subway is selling all of its regular Footlong sandwiches for $5 in October.

Bears Deal of the Weekend
Ed and Joe’s in downtown Tinley Park is replacing its normal Bears package with a special offer when the Bears take on the Vikings in a Sunday night football matchup. The restaurant will offer free pizza at half-time to anyone who is inside the restaurant by the start of the second quarter.

Old Navy to Open New Store This Weekend in Tinley Park

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Old Navy, which is moving its Matteson store from Lincoln Mall to Brookside Marketplace, will open its new store at 7410 W. 191st St. in Tinley Park with a sneak peek starting at 5 p.m. Friday.

Shoppers will have to pick up a special 20 percent off sneak peek coupon at other retailers in Brookside Marketplace.

The 15,000 square foot store will open Saturday at 9 a.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a host of guests and events including a DJ, stilt walkers, balloonist, and food from local restaurants including Buffalo Wild Wings, Popcorn Town & Candyland, Subway, Odyssey Country Club and Culver’s.

The opening events continue on Sunday with a costume contest. Guests can visit the store anytime to have their picture taken for the contest.

Guests can also sign up for a chance to win a $500 shopping spree.

The store will donate 5 percent of grand opening weekend sales to the local Boys & Girls Club.

Store hours will be Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call the store at 815-464-0232.

Middle Eastern Grocery Store Closes in Tinley

Devon Groceries, which opened two years ago at 17105 S. 88th Avenue in Tinley Park, closed recently.

Dominick's To Remain Vacant

Pete's Fresh Market, which owns the building that housed the Dominick's food store on LaGrange Road in Orland Park, said nothing will be done with the building until 2014.

Any plans for the building are on hold until a state widening of LaGrange Road from 131st to 179th streets is completed. The project will start next summer and run through 2013.

During construction, road equipment will be stored at the former store's parking lot.

Ross Dress for Less Stores to Open Saturday in Orland, Matteson

Ross Dress for Less stores will open Saturday in Orland Park and Matteson.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Ross Dress for Less, a California-based off-price retailer, will open 12 stores Saturday morning including one at Orland Park Place mall and another at Matteson Center mall at Cicero Avenue and U.S. 30.

It will be the single biggest store opening in the company’s 30-year history. All stores will open at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Each store is offering shoppers a chance to win a $500 shopping spree or one of five $100 shopping sprees.

“We are so excited to be here,” said Mary Walter, senior vice president of stores during a sneak preview Thursday night at the Orland Park store.

Walter said Ross has more than 1,000 stores in 27 states.

“We started in California and are working are way east,” she said. “Customers in Chicago will respond to our great products at great prices.”

Walter said Ross typically offers a wide selection of brand name merchandise for 20-60 percent less than at department stores.

The Orland store features a mix of clothes, shoes, seasonal decorations, toys and home décor.

Walter said Ross will celebrate its entrance into the Chicago market by making a $50,000 presentation to the Boys & Girls Club. In Orland, a gift will also be made to the Sandburg High School Music Boosters. In Matteson, a similar donation will be made to the Matteson Public Library.

Walter said Ross has hired about 50 associates at each store.

Store hours will be Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Other new stores are in Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Bloomingdale, Crystal Lake, Naperville, Niles, Rockford, Schaumburg, Skokie and South Elgin.

For information about Ross, visit http://www.rossstores.com/ and www.facebook.com/rossdressforless.

PSC Seeks Employers for Job Fair
Employers looking for candidates to fill open positions are encouraged to register for the Prairie State College annual job fair scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the college, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights. Commission-only positions and positions requiring a start-up fee are not allowed.

The job fair will be open to currently enrolled students, alumni and community members.

Registration is $50 per company and includes seating and lunch for two representatives, a table, table covering, and signage. Each additional representative attending the fair is $25.

To register, visit prairiestate.edu/jobfair. The deadline for registering for the fair is Friday, Oct. 7.

For information on the job fair, contact Tanya Norfleet, coordinator of career development services, at (708) 709-3755, or Ramien Manson, career advisor, at (708) 709-3922.

Demolition Makes Way for Dave & Buster’s
Demolition began last week on the former movie theater at Orland Square Mall to make way for the new Dave and Busters adult arcade that should open next year at the northeast corner of LaGrange Road and 151st Street in Orland Park.

Orland Township to Host Job Fair
Orland Township is hosting a free job fair for both residents and non-residents on Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Orland Township Activity Center, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave. in Orland Park.

A variety of company representatives from different industries will be present to meet with participants, including the insurance and financial fields.

Companies scheduled to attend include Plastipak Packaging Inc., Cintas, Allstate Insurance, Lowe’s, Norfolk Southern, Prudential and more.

Business attire is required and attendants should bring updated resumes for distribution.

For information, visit http://www.orlandtwp.org/.

Michael's Stores Close
Southeast suburban arts and crafts fans will have to travel to Tinley Park now that Michael's stores have closed recently in Calumet City and Matteson.

Bears Deal of the Week
Fat Sam’s at 15896 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park, will have a free halftime buffet and drink specials when the Bears take on the Lions Monday night. For information, call 708-403-0733.