Some local Radio Shacks safe -- for now

Radio Shack has already closed its store at 16036 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Electronics retailer Radio Shack filed for bankruptcy earlier this month and announced that it would close hundreds of stores across the country after holding liquidation sales, including several in the south suburbs.

It turns out at least three of the chain's local stores are not closing.

Employees at the Frankfort, Palos Heights and Lansing Radio Shack stores said it was business as usual at their locations, at least for the time being.

A worker at the Lansing store at 16915 S. Torrence Ave. said his store had been holding a clearance sale in advance of it closing, but then those sales ended and new merchandise started coming in to the store.

"As of now, we're staying open, but who knows what may happen," said the worker who asked to remain anonymous.

The Texas-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and said it planned to sell from 1,500 to 2,400 of its stores to its largest shareholder, investment firm Standard General. It plans to close the remainder of its 4,000 locations.

The company, which was founded more than 90 years ago, also plans to open Sprint stores-in-a-store in up to as many as 1,750 of the Radio Shack locations that stay open.

In addition to the stores now holding liquidation sales, the chain recently closed several locations in the south suburbs including its Tinley Park, Homewood, South Holland and Matteson stores. 

Stores slated for closing in the south suburbs include locations in Chicago's Beverly community, Burbank, Dolton, Chicago Heights, Bourbonnais, Joliet, Country Club Hills, Crestwood and Bolingbrook. Also closing is its store in Munster in northwest Indiana.

Also included in the closing is the Oak Lawn store at 4819 W. 95th St. That store reopened in August 2012 after it was seriously damaged in a massive fire in November 2010 that also knocked out Eva's Bridal and Miss Fantasia Boutique.

 “Stores that are closing are expected to sell remaining inventory,” the company said in a news release. Everything is available including shelving and office fixtures and furniture.

Employees at the closing stores said they were not given a timetable for the liquidation sale, which is being handled by Northbrook-based Hilco Merchant Resources along with Gordon Brothers Group and Tiger Capital Group.

Sleepy's opens in Oak Lawn

New York-based mattress retailer Sleepy's, which has been on a major expansion into the Chicago marketplace for more than a year, opened a new store in mid-December at 11010 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn, said Peter Hooper, a mattress professional at the store.

The company, which got its start in 1931 in Brooklyn, opened its first Chicago-area store in June 2013 in Evergreen Park.

For more information, call the store at 708-423-5320.

H&M opens in Southlake Mall

H&M opened its newest story last week at Southlake Mall in Merrillville in northwest Indiana.

Storm pays off for Art Van Furniture customers

Turns out that anybody who bought furniture at an Art Van Furniture store on Jan. 1,2,3 and 17 are big winners.

The Michigan-based retailer held a "Let it Snow" promotion that customers on those dates would be reimbursed for their purchases if more than three inches of snow fell in Chicago on Sunday, Feb. 1.

Mother Nature cooperated and dropped more than 19 inches of snow, which means about 2,000 people who shopped at stores in Bedford Park, Orland Park, Batavia, Chicago and Bolingbrook will be notified by Art Van Furniture that reimbursements will be coming. Art Van will reimburse the cost of the furniture or mattresses along with sales tax and delivery charges.

The tab will be more than $2 million, the company said in a news release.

"We threw out the ultimate pass to our guests, the chance to receive their purchases for free, and thousands of Art Van Furniture shoppers caught these incredible furniture and mattress savings," said Art Van Elslander, founder and chairman of Art Van Furniture. "It's a big win for fans of our stores who found a great reason to cheer, instead of jeer, Sunday's snowstorm."   

The company held similar promotions in Toledo and Fort Wayne and has to pay out even more as those cities also surpassed the three-inch threshold.

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.southlandsavvy.blogspot.com