Businesses begin to recover after last week's fire in Oak Lawn



Oak Lawn firefighters battle the blaze on 95th Street. Photo courtesy of Oak Lawn Patch

 By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

One week after an extra-alarm blaze destroyed Eva’s Bridals and Radio Shack and damaged three other businesses in the 4800 block of 95th Street in Oak Lawn, the businesses are bouncing back.

Eva’s, which was where the fire started late that afternoon, has reopened in a former Men’s Wearhouse at 6101 W. 95th St. The phone number remains the same – 708-422-5599 – and the website has more information at http://www.evasbridalsofoaklawn.com/.

The Bedding Experts, 4803 W. 95th St., sustained smoke damage from the fire but reopened on Saturday.

Advantage Chiropractic, 4809 W. 95th St., is next door to Eva’s and sustained heavy damage. A message on the company’s answering machine says the owner is looking to open a satellite office in Oak Lawn until the 95th Street office is ready to reopen.

Radio Shack, also next door to Eva’s, also sustained heavy damage and remains closed. A call to the corporate office in Texas was not returned.

Miss Fantasia Boutique, 4823 W. 95th St., also remains closed. The store was on the corner of the block and missed any structural damage but did sustain smoke damage. Its phone number is constantly busy, but the company’s website http://www.missfantasiaboutique.com/ appears to be up and running.

Dekker Lighting to close in LansingDekker Lighting, a fixture at 18230 S. Torrence Ave. for the past 40 years, is closing its doors with hopes of reopening along U.S. 30 in northwest Indiana in the future.

“If we do well enough with the closing sale, we hope to reopen in northwest Indiana,” says Jeff Dekker.

In the meantime, prices on lighting are slashed 50 percent in the Lansing showroom. Everything in the store is for sale, says Dekker. He expects the sale to last through December and possibly into January.

The phone number is 708-474-9800, and their website is http://www.dekkerlighting.com/.

Kris Kringle Haus back in OrlandA holiday tradition for 20 years, Kris Kringle Haus has returned to Orland Park.

The store, which features Christmas decorations and is only around for a few weeks before Christmas, opened last month at 15210 S. LaGrange Road in the Ravinia Plaza.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The phone number is 708-364-9860. Their website is http://www.kriskringlehaus.com/.

Learning store opens in OrlandLakeshore Learning Store has opened at 15780 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park. Its phone number is 708-403-6300. It has a website at http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/.

Sissy’s Home Décor closing in FrankfortSissy’s Home Décor is closing at 20867 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort in the Walt’s Plaza. The phone number is 815-469-5339.

Deal of the week at Ed and Joe’sEd and Joe’s Pizza is offering $5 off any size thin crust pizza from Friday to Sunday at either its Tinley Park or Mokena locations. Offer is valid on dine-in, delivery or carry-out orders. The restaurant also is offering $50 in promotional certificates if you buy $100 in gift cards from Friday to Sunday.

Pickwick Society Tearoom has new home

Cindy Vassell poses in the new location for the Pickwick Sociey Tearoom in Frankfort.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The Pickwick Society Tearoom, a downtown Frankfort gem since it opened in 2004, moved recently from its original home to new digs at 122 W. Kansas St.

“This building was the first hotel in town,” says owner Cindy Vassell explaining that the move was forced on her when she lost her lease.

“New owners bought the building we were in,” she says. “And they plan on turning our former location into a gift shop.

“We had looked at this location before and it was still available when we were told we had to move, so here we are.”

The new location is bigger than the original tearoom, 1,600 square feet compared to 900 square feet, and being a former hotel instead of a house, its layout is different. But little else has changed, says Vassell.

“We have 39 kinds of tea,” she says. “We bake all of our goods each morning and still have sandwiches, soups and salads.”

Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday and closed on Monday.

For more information and menu selections, visit their website at http://www.pickwicktearoom.com/.

Lansing VFW ClosesLansing VFW Post 7660 closed earlier this month at 2433 Ridge Road the victim of the poor economy and a declining membership.

Village Farmstands closeThe Village Farmstand and Garden Center closed recently at 1 W. Sibley Blvd. in South Holland as did the Village Farmstand at 147 River Oaks Drive in Calumet City.

Bears deal at Ed and Joe’sEd and Joe’s Pizza is offering $7 off any 16-inch thin crust family pizza for tonight’s Bears game against the Miami Dolphins. The offer is good for delivery, take-out and dine-in at both the Tinley Park and Mokena locations. The limit is five pizzas. Gametime is 7:20 p.m. The phone number in Tinley Park is 708-532-3051 and Mokena is 708-478-7171.

Gold shop opens in Frankfort Square

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A resale shop called Gold and More opened recently at 7220 W. Benton Drive in Frankfort Square.

“We are looking for anything of value,” says Andrew, a sales clerk who declined to give his last name. “But what we really are looking for is gold.”

“We’re not a pawn shop,” says Andrew. “We don’t make loans. We buy and sell items, especially gold ones.”

The store will accept just about anything except firearms. “We won’t even talk to someone who tries to bring in a real gun,” says Andrew.

The store is filled with musical instruments including a drum set, electronics such as laptops and an extensive collection of DVDs. There’s also an interesting fur coat tucked in the corner behind the counter.

The store is open seven days a week and has a website www.gold-and-pawn.com. The phone number is 815-277-2592. Their e-mail address is goldpawninc@gmail.com.

Sun sets in Lincoln-WaySun-Times Media announced this week that it will be discontinuing publication of its Lincoln-Way Sun and Homer Sun weekly newspapers in December. The papers are delivered by mail and contain mostly stories recycled from its other publications. The two Suns are among 10 free weeklies the Sun-Times is shutting down.

South Holland Motor Bank closesMB Financial shut down its South Holland Motorbank at 16340 South Park Ave. on Oct. 23. The bank combined operations at the Motor Bank with its branch at 475 E. 162nd St., which had its drive-up lanes remodeled in preparation for the move.

New name for Gift BarnFrankfort’s Gift Barn, 22155 S. 104th Avenue, has changed its name to Gift Barn Emporium. The shop, which sells antiques, collectibles and country crafts, is still open seven days a week. Its phone number is 815-603-7506.

Yankee Candle opens inside HallmarkA Yankee Candle store within a store opened last week inside Rand’s Hallmark Gold Crown store at 7344 W. 191st St. in the Brookside Marketplace in Tinley Park.

Funeral home opens new locationCurley & Sons Funeral Home has opened at 6116 W. 111th St., Chicago Ridge, and is hosting an open house from 1-5 p.m. tomorrow. For information, contact Tom Curley at 708-422-2700. This is the former Mr. G’s Furniture store, which has consolidated its operations at its store at 17500 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park.

Bears Deal of the weekendEl Cortez offers a free taco buffet at its Mokena location at 10128 W. 191st St. during halftime of Bears games.

Mokena Chamber issues fraud warning

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The Mokena Chamber of Commerce issued a fraud warning today to its members after its president-elect Lee Kaz received two phone calls from a company called Octothorpe asking for financial information.

"They called the wrong person," Kaz told the Mokena Patch. "I'm the president-elect. I know for a fact they don't work for the chamber."

Kaz told the Patch that when he questioned the caller's credentials, the caller hung up. A few minutes later, Kaz received a call from the same number. This time, a woman's voice was on the other line. She claimed to be from the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Kaz once again questioned the validity of the caller's identity, and once again, the caller hung up.

The calls originated from 202-540-5120.

For the complete story, visit http://www.mokenapatch.com/.