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I have more than 40 years in the news business and have successfully evolved into an electronic journalist. Comings & Goings and Southland Savvy track news about businesses in Chicago's Southland.

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

Lincoln-Way Community Bank opens a new branch in Mokena

Lincoln-Way Community Bank has opened a second office at 191st Street and 88th Avenue in Mokena.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

New Lenox-based Lincoln-Way Community Bank has opened its second office at 19102 S. 88th Avenue in Mokena.

The bank was formed several years ago but had only one office in New Lenox to go along with a number of ATM locations.

The new office has been home to a few banks, but has been vacant for a number of years.

Lobby and drive-up hours for the new branch are from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. 

For information, visit the bank website at www.lwcbank.com.

Craft beer bar to open in Orland Park

The Brass Tap, a Florida-based bar chain franchise that features 300 craft beers, was scheduled to open to the public Monday at 14225 S. 95th Avenue in Orland Park's Orland Crossing shopping center after an invitation-only opening Friday night.

The bar would be the first in Illinois for the chain, which has 17 locations in Florida, Texas, Arizona and Ohio with another 10 due to open soon.

The bar will feature 60 beers on tap, including options from local craft brewers, as part of its 300 beer assortment. It offers a club for anyone who wants to try to drink all 300 varieties. It will also offer beer in growlers.

The Brass Tap also has a wine list and a limited menu.

Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday.

For information, visit The Brass Tap Orland Park on Facebook or www. brasstapbeerbar.com.

Dania holds liquidation sale in Orland Park

California-based Dania, a furniture chain with four locations in Illinois, is holding a liquidation sale ahead of what the retailer is calling a major rebranding in 2015.

The company plans to close all four Illinois stores, at 14830 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park, 1001 Skokie Blvd. in Northbrook, 515 W. Roosevelt in Lombard and 1621 S. Randall Road in Algonquin, this year while the company rebrands itself.

What that rebranding would include remains unclear as calls for comment were not returned.

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

Oak Lawn Hooters shows off new look

LIQUIDATION SALE: Grant's Appliances is holding a liquidation sale at its Orland Park location.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Hooters, a restaurant famous for its wings and waitresses who wear tight T-shirts and short shorts, opened its new-look restaurant last week at 9159 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn.

The new Hooters will act as a flagship for Chicago-area locations, according to the Florida-based chain. It was built next to an existing location, which will be torn down and turned into a parking lot for the new building.

The new Hooters has updated furnishings, video gaming and high-definition television, and a new menu with more wing choices, burgers and salads, all part of a revitalization effort for the restaurant that opened 15 years ago and is one of the busiest in the area for the chain.

Car wash reopens

Tornado Car Wash, which closed a couple of years ago, reopened last week at 5735 S. Archer Road in Summit. It has new owners.

Countryside lands Chick-fil-A restaurant

A couple of years ago, fans of Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches had to head south to get their fill.

Now, there are 12 of the restaurants in the Chicago area.

Another new one is slated to open by the end of next year in Countryside's City Center, in the final parcel of the city-sponsored development at Joliet and LaGrange roads.

"Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring or early summer with an opening in the fall," said Countryside City Administrator Gail Paul.

"It's supposed to be a unique location, a prototype," said Paul. The 3/4 acre parcel is smaller than most, she added.

"It's also supposed to be the first with some kind of queuing system in front of the counter," she said. "Right now, you kind of stand there until an order taker is ready."

Paul said the city signed off on redevelopment plans last month, though she does not know if it's a new franchise owner or a second location for one of the locations that has opened in the nearby suburbs over the years.
 
Nearby Chick-fil-A locations are in Chicago Ridge and North Riverside. The first Chick-fil-A in the Chicago-area opened a few years ago in Orland Park.

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.