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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.

Last hurrah for Kris Kringle Haus holiday store in Orland Park

Jim Gierucki stands next to a giant Nutcracker in Kris Kringle Haus. (Photo by Bob Bong)
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A 25-year Christmas tradition will be ending after this holiday season when Kris Kringle Haus finishes one last go round as Orland Park's pre-eminent Christmas store.

Co-owner Jim Gierucki has decided to hang up the Christmas stockings for good when the shop closes in January at 9500 W. 143rd St. in Orland Park Crossing, in the former Coldwater Creek store.

Gierucki and his wife, Cleo, have operated Kris Kringle Haus for a quarter of a century. For the first 16 years, the shop was operated year-round in Geneva. The Palos Park couple closed that shop in 2006 and opted for a season store that would operate from the beginning of October to early January.

The first year the store was in Palos Heights, but the couple have been in Orland Park ever since always in a storefront somewhere on or near LaGrange Road.

"This is the nicest space we've ever had since we went to a seasonal store," said Gierucki.
The store opened earlier this month and will remain open until Jan. 9.

"We'll have a retirement party that day," Gierucki said. "We'll have a cake and cookies and mulled cider."

Until then, the store will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

"Everything is for sale," Gierucki said. "Everything is 20 percent off and we have never had anything on sale this early before."

The decision has been well received by his customers, Gierucki said.

"Regulars have been coming in and buying heavy. Hopefully, we won't have anything left by Jan. 9."

As for Jim and Cleo, "We'll take things a little easier. Next Christmas we'll put up our own Christmas tree in our house. We've been so busy we haven't had one up for the last 25 years."

New name, new location for Frankfort gift shop

Cottage Creations Gift Shop, which first opened in 2000 as an Irish, German, Austrian import shop  in Mokena, has now opened as Isabel's Journey in its newest location at 28 Kansas St. in historic, downtown Frankfort.

 “We felt we’ve been on a journey since first opening in August 2000," Liz Connolly, who owns the business with her husband Marty, said in a release.

She said they decided to change the name party because the new location is their fourth since moving from Mokena.

"We thought a name change to match our journey fit well. I’ve always loved the name and feel along the way we were watched by a guardian angel that I, of course, named Isabel," she said.

When they first moved to downtown Frankfort four years ago, the couple discontinued the imports and have evolved into a more general gift shop striving to offer an eclectic mix of products with a priority of service and friendliness.

“We have had the good fortune of a very loyal customer base that followed our relocations and remained with us on our journey," she said. "Over the 15 years, we’ve also been blessed with having so many of those customers become wonderful friends.”

The new location is more than twice as big as their previous location. Because of the extra space, the couple plans to add unique and different gift items, many one of a kind, along with an expanded offering of prepackaged food items.

They said they will have a retail food license and the room to create a hospitality area with complimentary beverage and product samplings to enhance the shopping experience.

They will continue offering their popular Nora Fleming serving ware, cutwork and embroidered table cloths and tea light luminary shades.

For information, call 815-464-5240 or visit them at Isabel's Journey.

Outriggers closes in Countryside

Outriggers Flame, a seafood restaurant that opened in early 2014 in the former Flame steakhouse at 803 Joliet Road in Countryside, appears to have closed.

The restaurant has had a closed sign on the door for a couple of weeks and its website has been taken down. Calls to the phone number go unanswered.

The closing came about two and a half years after the same restaurant abruptly closed its doors at 15917 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park.

 At that time, a manager said the restaurant lost its lease but promised the Greek seafood eatery would be back soon.

 “We won’t be gone for too long,” said Dimitri, a manager who declined to give his last name. “We don’t want our customers to forget us.”

Outriggers, which had other south suburban locations over the years including a restaurant a block north in Orland Park, had been in the Tinley location for several years.

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 at www.southlandbusinessnews.com 

Doughs Guys Bakery now open in Palos Heights

Store manager Annette Cramer stands in the new Doughs Guys bakery location in Palos Heights.
(Photo by Bob Bong)
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy 

Although it took about a month longer than expected, Doughs Guys Bakery has finally reopened at 12248 S. Harlem Ave. in Palos Heights.

The bakery opened Sept. 12 in the former Baumann Bakery after closing its former location on 111th Street in Chicago Ridge where they had been for two and a half years.

"We anticipated two weeks and it ended up being six," said owner Sharon O'Neill who was happy the bakery was finally back in business.

"it is definitely busier at this location," she said. "We've doubled or tripled the number of customers compared to the Chicago Ridge site.

"In general, Palos people were used to having a good bakery at Baumann's and we intend to be as good a bakery."

Based on comments from customers there on a recent morning, local residents agree.

O'Neill said Doughs Guys moved because of the lease terms demanded by the landlord and "they raised our rent 37 percent."

She said the new site is much better. "The layout works a lot better for us."

O'Neill said there are four bakers and three cake decorators on staff at Doughs Guys.

"We make everything from doughnuts to wedding cakes."

Winter hours are in effect, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

For information, call 708-931-5199 or visit Doughs Guys.

Convenience store closes in Tinley

The Tinley Park Food Mart convenience store closed suddenly last  month at 16701 S. 80th Avenue in Tinley Park.

Speedway closes for face-lift

The Speedway gas station at 103rd Street and Roberts Road in Palos Hills recently closed to undergo a remodeling project, according to a sign on a construction fence surrounding the property. The nearest open Speedway stations are at Roberts and 95th Street and 80th Avenue and 95th in Hickory Hills.

Cafe au Parc opens in Orland

A new cafe and wine bar opened recently in the Ninety 7 Fifth apartment complex at 9450 Crescent Park Circle in Orland Park.

Cafe au Parc is owned by Kevin Gawlinski and Nathalie Baranyk.

The cafe is open for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to  2 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. It is open as a wine bar from 6 p.m. to midnight Monday to Saturday.

For information, call 708-645-4874 or visit Cafe au Parc.

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 at www.southlandbusinessnews.com