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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.

New eatery comes to Tinley Park

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy staff

Another restaurant that caters to the breakfast and lunch crowd has opened in Tinley Park. Skillet House II opened a couple of weeks ago at 16729 S. 80th Ave., said owner Juan Castillo, who has operated Skillet House I at 10933 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn for the past 12 years.

Castillo, who has been in the restaurant business his whole career, said he wanted a second location and Tinley Park seemed a good choice. "We were looking and this location (167th and 80th Avenue) seemed like a good corner," he said.

Business has been pretty good so far, Castillo said. "We just opened so it takes a little while for word of mouth to let people know you're open."

The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The phone number is 708-633-1919. Castillo said a Web site should be up soon at http://www.skillethouse.com/

A couple of other restaurants have operated at the site over the years including Broken Egg Pancake House and a Polish cuisine restaurant.

Tommy Nevin's to open in Frankfort
Tommy Nevin's Pub will open at 11 a.m. Thursday inside the former Galway Tribes eatery at 9680 Lincolnway Lane in Frankfort.

The Frankfort location will be open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. nightly. There are two other locations in Naperville and Evanston. The manager is Steve Cin. The phone number is 815-464-1000.

Meanwhile, Jameson's Pub, which is moving into the former Fireplace Inn at 9545 St. Francis Road in Frankfort will miss its planned Nov. 1 opening. An employee at the Joliet location said no firm opening date has been set for the Frankfort location but the owners are hoping for mid-November.

Tilted Kilt now open in Chicago Ridge
The Tilted Kilt pub opened Sunday at 6401 W. 95th St. inside Westfield Chicago Ridge Mall. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily. The phone number is 708-851-8300.

Double time at New Lenox McDonald's
A new McDonald's restaurant has opened at 2151 E. Laraway Road in New Lenox. In addition to the usual golden arches and Big Macs, this location features a double drive-through.

Pink Slip boutique open in Mokena

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy staff

Pink Slip Dress Boutique opened recently at 18907 S. Wolf Road in Mokena in the former Drama Queens location, which moved across the street to 18700 S. Wolf Road. Pink Slip features party dresses and cocktail dresses. The phone number is 708-478-7465. The store is hosting a Halloween party from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 25.

Co-owner Carly Singraber, 25, says the store specializes in party dresses. "Most of our dresses are really sparkly," she says. The store also has an in-house designer.

HOBO spotted in Oak Lawn
Home Owners Bargain Outlet has opened a new store in the former Value City Department Store at 8716 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn. It is the fifth Chicago-area store for the discount home improvement retailer. The phone number is 708-423-4656.

Bridal woes
Donna K Bridals has succumbed to the lousy economy after more than 30 years in business. The bridal boutique closed over the weekend at 17204 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park.

Now open
Bridgeview-based The Patio restaurant chain has opened a fifth location at 2780 S. Highland in Lombard. You have to love the smell of ribs cooking when driving past the locations in Bridgeview and Orland Park.

New consignment shop in Orland

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy staff

On The Road Again, a consignment store, will open Saturday at 9925 W. 143rd St. in Orland Park.

Co-owner Nancy Plesha, a former Orland Park resident, says she chose the name because she used to run Threadneedle Street, a quilting shop, at the same location. Most recently, the building was home to Village Unlimited.

Plesha said the store has lots of merchandise, but she and business partner Jeanne Gartland are always looking for "upscale furniture, home decor items and art."

Plesha said the store offers a 90-day consignment.

"We and the consignee will set a price and the item will sell for that price for the first 30 days. The price comes down 10 percent for the second 30 days and another 10 percent for the third 30 days," she said. If unsold after 90 days, the consignee can mark the price down further or reclaim the item, Plesha said.

Plesha said the store will be open daily but she and Gartland will be there mostly on weekends.

For more information, call Plesha at 630-569-0591.

Napleton Dodge moves to Lansing
Ed Napleton Dodge, one of the many Southland dealerships that closed as a result of this year's Chrysler bankruptcy and dealership reduction, has moved from its longtime home in Oak Lawn to the former River Oaks Chrysler showroom at 17225 S. Torrence Ave. in Lansing. River Oaks was another of the dealerships forced out of business by the bankruptcy.

Now known as Napleton's River Oaks Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, the dealership's Web site says Jeep and Chrysler models will be available soon. The dealership phone number is 708-636-5800.

Moved
Kitchen Designers moved recently from its Orland Park location to a new spot in a retail strip center at 16703 S. Harlem Ave., Tinley Park. The phone number is 708-429-0777.