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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.

Menards to open Tuesday in Evergreen

Menards will open Tuesday in Evergreen Park.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy


The first store in the economic redevelopment of the former Evergreen Country Club at 9100 S. Western Ave. will arrive Tuesday morning whe n the long-awaited Menards finally opens its doors as part of a soft opening (no fanfare).

The store is about 200,000 square feet in size and employs about 150 workers.

A nine-day grand opening celebration will be announced a little later.


Szarotka’s adds gaming machines to menu

Szarotka’s, a restaurant at 8100 S. Roberts Road in Justice that specializes in traditional Polish and ethnic European cuisine such as potato pancakes, cabbage rolls and pierogi, recently added video gaming to its menu.

The establishment (known by locals as Szarotka’s Hideaway) installed five of the video gaming terminals, which is the state limit, and they are operated by Accel Entertainment Gaming LLC in Bolingbrook.

According to Wally, one of the co-owners who declined to give his last name, the machines have been well received.

“So far, they are doing good,” he said.

State law imposes a 30 percent tax on gaming revenues and 5 percent of that goes to the local municipality.

Szarotka’s is the sixth establishment in Justice to carry video gaming terminals (basically video poker games).

Other businesses with the machines and their tax contribution to the village for February include Chino’s Pizzeria, $1,125; Davern’s Tavern & Lounge, $1,874; Duett Bar, $2,108; Melody Lounge, $637. The village’s total take for February was $5,743.

Walmart rolls back gas prices

Now through July 7, Walmart is helping customers save money on fuel purchases through its Great Gas Rollback program in 21 states including Illinois.

Walmart customers using a Walmart gift card will receive a 10 cent per gallon discount; customers who use a Walmart MoneyCard or Walmart Credit Card will save 15 cents per gallon on their fuel purchase.

Stations participating include those at: Bridgeview, 10260 S. Harlem Ave., Bedford Park, 7050 S. Cicero Ave., Hodgkins, 9450 Joliet Road, McCook, 42nd Street and Hinsdale Avenue.

Lansing Chamber grand opening

The Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. at its new office at 3330 181st Place Suite 103 in the Clock Tower office building.

Barry Bergstrom & Associates, Paul Smit & Associates and Kotecki-Turek-Shanahan Agency are  hosting a Business after Hours for the chamber from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland.

Atlas Oil to hold Earth Market grand opening in Frankfort on Monday

Earth Market convenience stores will offer
amenities such as leather chairs and Wi-Fi.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy


Atlas Oil, a Michigan-based company that provides gasoline to more than 400 stations including several it owns in the Southland, will launch its new convenience store concept called Earth Market with a grand opening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, April 22, at its Frankfort store at U.S. 30 and LaGrange Road in the BP station. That’s also Earth Day. 

“We wanted to market a destination,” said Mike Evans, vice president of retail and real estate for Taylor, Mich.-based Atlas Oil. “The market has changed so much and we needed to change with it.” 

Earth Market is also a cause as well as a brand, Evans said. 

“We will offer discounts to customers who bring back their coffee cups and water bottles,” he said explaining Atlas’ commitment to recycling. 

Earth Markets are designed to be family friendly, he said. 

"Besides having great Eco-Earth Coffee, Earth Markets will have a common theme and a common look with the same amenities from station to station,” he said. 

Amenities will include a cafĂ© style area with lime green leather chairs, TVs, a fireplace and Wi-Fi access. 

“We want the stores to be a convenient meeting place for friends, family or students to gather,” Evans said. 

The company has rolled out the Earth Market concept at five stores including the one in Frankfort and additional stations at LaGrange Road and 191st Street in Mokena, at 7993 W. 95th St. in Hickory Hills, at 12230 S. Cicero Ave. in Alsip and Oswego. 

“We have another 19 locations interested in adopting the Earth Market concept,” Evans said. “We will have in excess of 30 Earth Market locations by the end of the year. 

“We are offering the Earth Market franchise to any of the stations that we supply,” he said. 

“We anticipate Earth Market will be a successful brand.” 

Bombshell Boutique grand opening 

Bombshell Boutique Salon, which opened last summer, will hold its ribbon cutting and grand opening at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, at 9031 W. 151st St. Suite 205 in Orland Park. Owner is Katrina Hegeduis. For information, call 708-768-1089. 

Tattoo parlor opens in Justice 

The Spot Tattoo opened last month as a tattoo and body piercing studio at 8646 S. Roberts Road in Justice. For information, call 708-233-6348 or visit The Spot Tattoo on Facebook. 

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at 

You can also follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.

Jet’s Pizza lands in Tinley Park

 
Jet's Pizza now open in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy


Another national pizza chain opened a few weeks ago in Tinley Park when Jet’s Pizza landed at 17105 S. 88th Avenue.


The Michigan-based chain, which proudly calls itself the 17th largest pizza chain in the country, is in an expansion mode and the Tinley location is its first in the Southland.


Calls to the pizzeria’s general manager were not returned.


The eatery serves pizza, sub sandwiches and salads and its signature item is a deep dish square pizza.


The pizzeria opens early at 11 a.m. daily and is open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.


For information, call 708-263-0150 and check out some early reviews at Yelp.com.




FrancoNello’s now open for dinner


After months of delays, FrancoNello’s Italian Restaurant has finally reopened at 10222 S. Western Ave. in Beverly – though only from 4-10 p.m. for dinner right now.


The restaurant was gutted and rebuilt after a devastating Labor Day fire on Sept. 4, 2011.


Marty Joyce, from Ald. Matt  O’Shea’s office, said part of the lengthy rebuilding process was that owner Frank Ruffolo reconfigured the inside of the restaurant.


Joyce said the inside of the restaurant looks beautiful and the upstairs has been transformed into a nice banquet area.


Calls and emails to Ruffolo were not returned.


Plass Appliance to shut down


Family-owned Plass Appliances, which had already closed its Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Bourbonnais and Burbank stores, has announced it will close its remaining five locations by the summer.


If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.


You can also follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.

Caribou Coffee pulling out of Illinois

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Caribou Coffee Co. is closing or rebranding all of its 66 stores in Illinois as the company intends to focus on its home market in Minnesota.

This doesn’t mean much for the south suburbs seeing that Caribou effectively pulled out of the Southland last year when it abruptly closed its Tinley Park and Homewood locations.

The decision does affect a longtime store at 30 N. LaGrange Road in LaGrange, which will be closing on Sunday after 12 years, and a new store inside the Jewel-Osco store at 5545 S. Brainard in Countryside, which will also be closing Sunday after only recently opening.

The company had already scrapped plans to open coffee shops in remodeled J.C. Penney stores.
A few stores in the Chicago-market will be staying open after being converted into Peet’s Coffee & Tea shops.

Stores that are closing have started 50 percent off sales on merchandise such as coffee mugs. The stores will add coffee and other foodstuffs to the sale list and increase the sales price to 75 percent off on Friday as they attempt to sell off their inventory.

Caribou was acquired in December by a German private equity group for $340 million. The same group had earlier acquired Peet’s for $1 billion.

Just last year, Caribou had announced plans to expand in the Chicago market, which was its second largest market, and said it would be opening in select Jewel-Osco locations, including the one that just opened in Countryside.

Grand opening for Flip Flop Shop

Flip Flop Shop, which opened in July at Orland Square Mall, will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The store carries two dozen brands of flip flops, sandals and street shoes ranging from $22 to more than $100, said store manager Cathie Roth. Top selling brands include Sanuk, Cobian, OluKai and Reef.

“We have brands that no one else in the mall has,” said Roth adding there are plenty of them. “I have more than 1,000 pairs of sandals on the wall.”

The store is the chain’s only location in Illinois.


Tinley Brew & Vine Festival is Saturday

The Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce annual Brew & Vine Festival will be from 3-10 p.m. Saturday at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Tickets are $25 if purchased by midnight April 10 and $30 at the door on Saturday.

Former White Sox great Frank Thomas will again be the festival’s special guest.

For information and to buy tickets, visit Brew & VineFestival online.

Sign company moves to Mokena

EZ Sign Co. recently moved from its longtime home in Oak Forest to new digs at 19125 S. 85th Court in Mokena.

The company has been offering indoor and outdoor signs in the south suburbs since 1976.

For information, call the company at 815-469-4080.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.

Walt’s manager strongly denies Frankfort store closing rumor

A store manager strongly denied a rumor that Walt's was closing its Frankfort store.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy


“That is a vicious rumor and totally untrue,” was the response from Tim, one of the managers at the Walt’s Food Center in Frankfort, when asked about a rumor making the rounds that the store at 20825 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort.
 

“I don’t know where it started but it spread like wildfire through the community,” he said. “I’ve had people coming in asking when we were going to close.


“We are not closing. Period,” he said. “We’ve just finished making improvements at the store. Why would we do that if we were going to close?”


A call to Walt’s corporate offices in South Holland was not returned.


The rumor was probably tied to the recent opening of Mariano’s Fresh Market a couple of blocks to the north of Walt’s. There are now six grocery stores or supermarkets on LaGrange Road in Frankfort and Mokena between U.S. 30 and Interstate 80.


The King retreats from Orland


Burger King closed its doors recently at 14601 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park. You can still get your Whopper fix at the fast-food chain’s location on 159th Street near 94th Avenue in Orland Hills.


New owners for River Oaks Toyota


New management was introduced last month at River Oaks Toyota in Calumet City, which was purchased over the Christmas holiday and remodeled.


Fernando Falcon is the new president and CEO.


Ed & Joe’s offers reward for voting


Ed & Joe’s restaurant in Tinley Park has a sweet deal for anyone who casts a ballot at Tuesday’s consolidated election.


The pizzeria will give a free appetizer worth up to $7.95 to anyone who brings in their voter receipt on April 9.


New life for gas station


The gas station at 11458 S. Harlem Ave. in Worth may be coming back to life. JTL Group Inc. has taken out a $400,000 mortgage on the property from U.S. Venture Inc.


If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.


You can also follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.