Plush Horse Now Open in Tinley

The Plush Horse in Tinley Park is now open.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The second location for the Plush Horse ice cream parlor opened a couple of weeks ago at 7903 W. 171st St. in the Tinley Downs Plaza in Tinley Park.

“Business has been pretty good,” said Mary Ellen Rydberg, whose husband Steve is the son of Ann Rydberg, who owns the original Plush Horse in Palos Park.

“We have cupcakes and a sweet section in front of the store, with carmel corn and gummi candy,” said Rydberg. “Our ice cream cupcakes, pies and cakes have been pretty popular, so far.”

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, but that may change. “We’ll probably extend our hours to 10 p.m. for the summer,” she said.

For information, call 708-444-1800.

Tollway Director to Address Chamber

Kristi Lafleur, executive director of the Illinois Tollway Authority, will be the guest speaker at the monthly Regional Consensus Luncheon of the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, on Monday, April 9, at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive.

Lafleur will give an update on the tollway including the Tri-State Tollway Interstate 294/Interstate 57 interchange project.

The luncheon runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is open to the public. Tickets are $30 for members and $40 for non-members. For information and reservations, call the chamber at 708-957-6950 or visit http://www.chicagosouthland.com/.

Boutique Hotel Planned for Homewood

Claude Gendreau, who acquired the Ravisloe Country Club in Homewood in 2009, has announced plans to turn a branch of Great Lakes Bank into what he called a “boutique hotel” to service guests attending wedding receptions at the country club and other corporate clients.

Plans call for Gendreau to acquire the bank branch at Ridge Road and Martin Avenue in downtown Homewood and to spend as much as $4 million to convert the building into a hotel with 35-45 rooms. The new hotel is expected to be open for business by the fall of 2013.

The bank branch will close in June and operations there and its seven employees would be consolidated at its other Great Lakes Bank branch in the village, which would be renovated.

99-cent Iced Tea at Dunkin

Participating Dunkin’ Donut locations are offering any size iced tea for 99 cents through the month of April.