About Me

My photo
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.

Avon calling in Frankfort Square

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Cathy Shea and Vicky Earley (pictured from left) are not your typical Avon representatives.

Oh, they carry the usual Avon products such as soap and perfume, but these two ladies don't sell door-to-door or through parties at your neighbor's house. Shea and Earley are co-owners of an Avon store that is open to the public.

The partners opened their Avon retail outlet on Monday at 7212 W. Benton Drive in Frankfort Square (at the corner of Benton Drive and Harlem Avenue).

Their business is also a licensed Avon beauty center, which means they can train women, and men, to be Avon representatives. "We offer classes that help people get started in the business," says Earley, of Mokena.

"We lead a team of about 200 representatives," says Earley, who has been selling Avon for 10 years. "I like this so much it's my full-time job."

Shea, of Monee, has been selling Avon for about three years. She got started after approaching Earley at a demonstration.

Neither woman thinks this is a bad time to be starting a retail operation.

"Avon has been around 124 years," says Earley. "It survived the Great Depression. I think it will survive the current economy.

"Besides, women still want to wear their lipstick and makeup, and we have that at great prices."

As for men selling Avon?

"We have a lot of husband-wife teams," says Earley. "It's a great job for a couple."

Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. For more information on becoming a representative or to buy Avon products, call 815-464-0352.

Earley and Shea said customers will get 10 percent off of their first purchase, if they mention they read about the new store in Comings & Goings, which makes them the deal of the week. Just tell them, Bob sent me.

Cam Golf in Lansing to close

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Lansing's Cam Golf, which has been outfitting Southland duffers since 1972, is in the midst of a going-out-of-business sale at 17851 S. Torrence Ave.

Manager Kitty Mishevich said the sale started right after Thanksgiving and a lot of merchandise has already been sold. "By the looks of what's left," she said, "I think we'll be here through mid-January."

Mishevich said everything is marked 20 percent off but the owners will negotiate with anybody for anything in the store. "We might come down 40 percent on some items," she said.

Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays.

Owners Wayne Schaap and Paul Sutkowski bought the store from its original owners in 1991.

A second location in Orland Park closed several years ago.

For more information, call 708-895-2030.

Cam is the second golf store to close in Lansing this year. R&R Discount closed its Ridge Road location at the end of the summer.

Bob and Jack's closed
East Side eatery Bob and Jack's Pizza has closed at 10244 S. Ewing Ave. in Chicago, though the location in Dyer, Ind., is still open at 1933 Hart Street.

Dozeli Pizza vacates Frankfort
Dozeli Pizzeria, which opened a few months ago at 7818 W. Lincoln Highway behind All-Star Sports Bar in Frankfort, has already pulled the plug. The Steger location is still open. A new pizza joint, called Luigi's is going to take over the operation but an employee at All-Star said she didn't know when that would happen.

Grow with us! Join the MarketSavvy program and talk to your customers

What is MarketSavvy?

Through MarketSavvy, you can tell your story directly to our readers. Want to announce special deals or new products? Do you want to introduce people to a new face in your business, someone they should get to know? Do you want to tell your story within the context of a credible news environment?

Through 100 and 200-word customized messages, you can deliver your words, your way. We'll help you put the marketing  message together and we'll burst it out to all of our readers, including our e-mail subscribers. Every person who views SouthlandSavvy through an RSS reader will see your message, too.

MarketSavvy represents a new model for delivering your message to your customers. Through MarketSavvy, you can offer your unfiltered view. And the more you want to say, the better our rates get. Your message is always clearly labeled as a message from your business, too.

Want to participate? Contact us at ads@southlandsavvy.com.




Jenny McCarthy helps Santa again

Mother McAuley alum Jenny McCarthy (Class of 69) is playing Santa's helper. Again. The actress and autism activist reprises the role of St. Nick's daughter in "Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe," a new ABC Family sequel to a 2006 comedy-fantasy movie. Debuting Sunday, Dec. 13, the tale takes New York businesswoman Mary Class (McCarthy) back to the North Pole when her dad (Paul Sorvino) decides to step down from his usual yuletide duties. Test link, test copy.

El Cortez now open in Mokena

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Fans of El Cortez, the popular Mexican restaurant chain originally based in Blue Island, can now get their fill of tacos, fajitas and cerveza fria at the new location at 10128 W. 191st St. in Mokena.

New owners at Shannon's Landing

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Shannon's Landing, the Irish pub and restaurant at 3280 Glenwood-Lansing Road inside the Lansing Municipal Airport in Lansing, changed hands a few weeks ago. The pub had been owned by Steve and Janet Nemitz, who also own the Northwoods restaurant at the Coyote Run Golf Course in Flossmoor and the Fifth Quarter and Press Room eatery in Homewood.

Aside from a new phone number -- 708-895-3100 -- and a new Web site -- http://www.shannonslanding.net/, which is not yet up and running -- there are few changes. The old cook has remained and the menu is the same.

Now open
MetroSouth has opened a community outreach health center at 12246 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip. The facility has two family practice physicians, Dr. Brian McCollough and Dr. Miranda Huffman. These physicians provide services in family medicine including women’s health (including obstetrics), pediatrics, preventive healthcare, chronic illness management, geriatrics and sports physicals.

Southern Comforts Cafe moves
Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe has moved to 6501 W. 79th St. in Burbank. It had been just down the street, at 5557 W. 79th St. Chef Chuck Pine specializes in Cajun, Mexican and barbecue dishes and learned his craft from award-winning chef Rick Bayless.

Pine opened the Burbank restaurant in 1998 as Chuck's BBQ. For more information, call (708) 229-8700.

MoJoe's to close
Mojoe's Rockhouse has had its last local show and the music venue at 15750 S. Harlem Ave., Orland Park, will close Dec. 12. Mojoe's moved from Tinley Park into the former Riddles Comedy Club about a year ago.

A sweet Christmas idea
Looking for something unique for that certain someone? Try the Chocolate Peppermint Brown Sugar Scrub at Chic Salon and Spa, 13035 S. LaGrange Road in Palos Park. The sweet rubdown goes for $50 but will not add a single calorie. For more information, call 708-923-1100.

Bears special of the week
White Horse Inn, 348 W. Maple St., New Lenox, has $10 buckets of domestic beer for $10 and free food at halftime during all Bears games. The White Horse also serves free pizza from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, and free snacks from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.

Italian Villa pizza at 191 South

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Mokena area fans of Joe's Italian Villa Pizza, 8807 S. Harlem Ave., Bridgeview, can now get their fill at 191 South, 10160 W. 191st St. in Mokena.

Italian Villa pizza and other menu items are now being served daily after 4 p.m. at 191 South. Pizzas are available for pickup only on Mondays and Tuesdays, but Wednesday through Sunday the dining room is turned over to Italian Villa. Pizzas are also available in the lounge.

191 South joined forces with Italian Villa on Nov. 29 in an arrangement similar to the one between Chef Paul's and Angelino's farther east on 191st in Mokena. Earlier this year, those restaurants joined forces in the Angelino's building.

This is the second location for Joe's Italian Villa, which was founded in Bridgeview in 1947.

For more information, call 191 South at 708-478-6873.