New market to open in Tinley Park

Angelo's Fresh Market hopes to finally open this weekend at 7150 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Angelo's Fresh Market was a logical extension for the family meat-cutting business, says owner Carla Bolin.

"We cut meat for white table cloth restaurants across the country and our family and friends were always asking us for steaks or a roast, so we decided to open a retail store (1044 Sterling Ave. in Flossmoor) last July," said Bolin.

The focal point of the new Angelo's Fresh Market, which is expected to open this weekend after unexpected delays at 7150 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park, will be its meat case.

"We will have a prime grade meat case," Bolin said. "A steak you buy here will be the same kind you would get at Michael Jordan's restaurant."

"The thing most people say after trying our meat is that they forgot what good meat tastes like," she said. "If you shop here, you are going to get restaurant quality meat."

Steaks, however, are not what the store is known for at its first location in Flossmoor, which opened in July 2013.

"The meatballs are our most popular serving," Bolin said. "They are traditional Italian meatballs made with beef, veal and pork and they were a big hit from the beginning."

Angelo's will also feature a full deli line, she said, which is not available at the Flossmoor location.

"We will carry homemade pastas, sauces and flavored olive oils," she said. "The menu will offer 14 different sandwiches, both hot and cold."

The store will also offer artisan cheeses and breads and milk-fed veal.

Bolin said she settled on the Tinley Park location in part because it was a former restaurant, a Quizno's sandwich shop.

"We heard good things about Tinley Park and it did not require a lot of remodeling because it already had refrigeration," she said.

She said Angelo's will continue to look for new locations.

"I'm thinking we'll open four or five new stores," she said. "Our next location will be somewhere in northwest Indiana."

The Tinley Park store is about 1,800 square feet and Bolin said she had already hired four people to work the new store.

Hours will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

She said the grand opening on Saturday hinges on village inspections and if the remaining equipment arrives on time and undamaged. A meat case that will be a focal point of the new store arrived with one its glass sides smashed and had to be replaced.

For information, visit Angelo's Fresh Market or check out their Facebook page.

Mimi’s Café pulls out of Illinois

Mimi’s Café, a restaurant that prided itself on bringing a taste of France to the Southland, has closed its only two locations in Illinois.

The Orland location closed before Memorial Day at 16154 S. LaGrange Road and the Naperville location shut its doors Saturday.

A manager at Mimi’s Café in Orland Park said the California-based chain decided earlier this month to close both locations May 31 but Orland was closed early because cooks and wait staff stopped coming to work once they were informed of the impending closing.

The manager said the company had decided that even though the Orland location was busy it was too difficult operating in Illinois with only two locations. This closings were part of a corporate strategy to pull out of limited markets.

Since the chain was purchased last year by LeDuff America from Bob Evans Farms for $50 million it has closed several stores, including about a dozen in May.

A sign on the front door simply said the Orland Park location was closed. All of its locations are corporate owned.

The Orland restaurant opened in 2007.

Cafe closes in Mokena

Nevada Cafe closed last month at 19845 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena. 

The restaurant had been placed into receivership and the building is listed for sale at $799,000, which is subject to court approval.

Nevada was the third restaurant to try its luck at that location. Kingsberry closed years ago and its successor Golden Oak fared no better. 

 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