South Holland Bounce House Business Has its Ups and Downs

Mimi the Clown is one of the party offerings
at Bounce n House in South Holland.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Sandre Crane liked inflatable bounce houses so much that she kept renting them for family parties.

One day she decided to stop renting and bought one.

That fateful decision in January 2009 has turned into a home-based business for the South Holland mother of two that features 15 inflatables, three concession machines (snow cones, cotton candy and popcorn popper), magicians, clowns, face painting and characters such as Elmo, Dora the Explorer, Sponge Bob, Hello Kitty, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

“I got into this because we kept renting one for my niece’s birthday party,” said Crane, who has been known to do some face painting when she’s not studying to be a nurse.

“It’s been pretty good to me,” she said. “It has its ups and downs.”

She now has three employees who drop off and pick up the equipment and a fourth who drops off and picks up as well as cleans the equipment.

“We clean all of the inflatables at least once a week,” she said.

She said the most popular inflatable right now is a two-for-one combo that is a bounce house with a 13-foot-slide.

Storage is not a problem, she said.

“I store all 15 of them in my garage,” she said. “They roll up pretty small.”

She said she will continue the business even after she graduates from nursing school.

For information, call 708-516-4727 or visit Bounce n Houseat Facebook or on the web.

Regus Grand Opening

Regus Orland Executive Pointe will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday at 15255 S. 94^th Avenue in Orland Park.

Mayor Dan McLaughlin is expected to cut the ribbon.

Appetizers and beverages will be served.

RSVP to Joanne Sicher at 708-428-6200 or joanne.sicher@regus.com.

Elite Windows Closes in Mokena

Elite Windows closed recently at 19138 S. 88^th Avenue in Mokena.

Tinley Chamber to Tee Off

The Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual golf outing on Wednesday, July 18, at 8 a.m. at the Odyssey Country Club in Tinley Park. Golf begins with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.

Cost is $125 per golfer for 18 holes of golf, cart, continental breakfast prior to start, complimentary beverages and lunch on the course and dinner buffet with open bar. Dinner only tickets are $40 per 

person.

For information or to reserve a tee time, call the chamber office at 708.532.5700 or email info@tinleychamber.org.

Tinley Hosts GSU Workshop on Starting a Business

CenterPoint at Governors State University is sponsoring a free Starting a Business in Illinois workshops from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 18, at Kallsen Center in the Tinley Park Village Hall.

The workshop will focus on personal, financial and legal aspects of starting a business. Participants will learn what steps to take and what resources are available to assist new business owners succeed.

Dan McAllister, Regional Representative for GSU CenterPoint, will present the program, sponsored by the Village of Tinley Park.

For information, contact CenterPoint at (708) 534-4927.

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.blogspot.com.