Justice Tobacco Mart to open July 1

Justice Tobacco Mart owner Moe Zeidn helps put up the sign on his new store.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Trustees in Justice voted this week to approve a new convenience store for 8400 S. Roberts Road.

 

Justice Tobacco Mart was granted a business license though its owners can't use the building's marquee sign until it's brought up to code.

Owner Moe Zeidn said the store would open on July 1.

Trustees earlier this year turned down plans for the same business.

"It was approved this time because they changed their business plan," said Village Clerk Kathy Svoboda. "They are now going to be more of a convenience store with a section for tobacco products instead of being only a tobacco store."

Svoboda said part of the delay in granting the license was the amount of work needed for the building.

"It took some time readying the property for occupancy," she said.

Trustees also approved a deal with Classic Truck & Trailer to accept a piece of the company's property at 8650 W. 82nd Place that was part of a local detention area.

"That way they don't have to pay taxes on a piece of property that they can't use," she said.

Qdoba to close Southland locations

The Qdoba Mexican Grill chain is closing both of its locations in the Southland on Friday as part of a 67-store closing the company is planning to help grow the brand and improve customer satisfaction.

The store at 5141 W. 95^th St. in Oak Lawn and in a LaGrange Road outlot at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park will both close by 3 p.m. The chain will also close 16 more stores in the Chicago area on Friday.

The chain, which is owned by Jack in the Box, will keep four Chicago-area locations open, at least for now, in Wheaton, Schaumburg, Lincoln Park and the Loop.

For a complete list of closing locations, visit Qdoba Closings.

The company said in a news release that despite the 67 closings it plans to open 70-75 new locations this year and 60-70 more next year.

Applebee’s shuts down complete

AppleIllinois LLC, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April, this week completed the sale of 15 of its 33 Illinois Applebee’s restaurants and closed 18 others, including locations in Homewood, Mokena, Matteson and Tinley Park.

AppleIllinois sold the restaurants for $2.4 million to RMH Illinois LLC as part of an auction supervised by the U.S. bankruptcy court. 

Remaining open in the Chicago area are Applebee’s in Calumet City, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Hodgkins, Evergreen Park, in Chicago at 7519 S. Cicero Ave. and 6656 Grand Ave., in Joliet at 2795 Plainfield Road and 2400 W. Jefferson. 

Other locations remaining open are in Bradley, DeKalb, Elgin, McHenry, Peru and Zion.

Applebee’s has 2,000 U.S. restaurants, of which all but two dozen are owned by independent business owners.

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 follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.