U.S. Cellular shutting down a dozen retail stores in Chicago area

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

As part of the sale last year of the Chicago market and five other Midwest markets to Sprint Nextel for $480 million, U.S. Cellular Corp. will close a dozen retail cell phone stores in the Chicago area.

Stores closing are in Country Club Hills, Countryside, Evergreen Park, Crestwood, Homewood, Chicago, Lansing, Joliet, Olympia Fields, Oak Lawn, Matteson and Orland Park. Two stores in Merrillville and Schererville in northwest Indiana also will close.

The cell phone company will close a total of 70 stores in Illinois and the two stores in northwest Indiana.

The closings will start May 17 and affect more than 100 workers.

U.S. Cellular has said it would remain headquartered in Chicago after the deal closes and intends to retain the naming rights to U.S. Cellular Field, where the White Sox play. That deal is set to run through 2023.

The Great Escape opens pool store in Tinley

The Great Escape has reopened its Tinley Park location at 7787 W. 159^th St. as a pool store selling only pool chemicals and accessories.

The store was turned into an outlet store last year after a new Great Escape opened next to Best Buy at 159^th Street and LaGrange Road in Orland Park and then shut down completely last fall.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, call the store at 708-429-3140 or visit TheGreat Escape online.

Justice garden center approved

A business license was approved last month for Sun & Shade Garden Center, 8500 W. 79^th St. in Justice. The store will carry garden equipment and supplies.

Her Closet Boutique moves to Homewood

A longtime fixture in Flossmoor, Her Closet Boutique announced on its Facebook page this week that the store would open in its new home in Homewood’s Cherry Creek Plaza on Saturday.

Owner Rose Demko shut the shop’s doors in Flossmoor at the beginning of the week after 18 years and moved into new and bigger quarters at 18334 Governors Highway. The shop will also double the size of its inventory.

For information, visit Her Closet Boutique online.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.