By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
Famous Dave’s barbecue is trying a
new concept with the restaurant it is opening today at 2851 W. 95th
St. in Evergreen Park.
“It will be 3,600 square feet with
seating for 104,” said manager Andre Pleasance. The eatery will be the chain’s
eighth location in the Chicago area, all of them corporate owned.
“That’s about half the size of a
traditional Famous Dave’s,” he said. “It will be the first counter service
Famous Dave’s in Chicago.”
Customers will place their order and
get a number for their table and the food will be brought out. Famous Dave’s
other Chicago-area locations are full service.
Pleasance said the Minnesota-based
chain is testing the smaller concept in Evergreen Park, and, if successful, may
use it in other urban areas.
“The closer you get to the city, the
more carryout and delivery orders you get and fewer dine-in customers,” he
said.
Though it may be smaller, the
restaurant will feature Famous Dave’s customer service, Pleasance said.
“We are so over the top for
service,” he said. “We should do well with our customers who will not be
treated better anywhere else.”
The restaurant will start out with a
staff of 60-70 employees and a limited delivery area for local businesses.
“We’ll deliver locally to businesses
at first,” he said anticipating delivery to residences to start in January.
Pleasance said the Evergreen
location will open at 11 a.m. Monday with a traditional bringing in of the
embers for the barbecue pit.
Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The restaurant will be able to sell wine and beer.
The chain operates more than 170 restaurants in the United States. The
nearest one is in Orland Park.
For information, call 708-423-5546 or visit Famous Dave’s online.
Hibachi Grill Opens
in Orland Park
Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet opened last week at 7260
W. 159th St. in Orland Park in the Home Depot plaza.
The restaurant, which features Chinese, Japanese and American
cuisine, is the third buffet for owner Jacky Chen. He also owns locations in
Matteson and Forest Park.
“Business has very good, so far,” said Chen.
Hours are Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday
and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
For buffet prices and information, call the restaurant at
708-802-8989.
Hostess outlet stores
close
Even in the likely event that someone comes along and buys
the rights and recipes to keep making and selling Hostess Twinkies, Ho-Hos and
Cupcakes, gone forever will be the Hostess outlet stores, which used to be
paradise for bargain hunters looking to stock up on discounted Wonder bread,
fruit pies and boxes of Twinkies and Ding-Dongs.
Employees at Hostess outlet stores in Richton Park and
Burbank both said that while the cake line was likely to be acquired as soon as
the bankruptcy judge gives the OK this week, their stores would be closed for
good by Tuesday at the latest.
“We’re history,” said an employee at the store in Richton
Park. “The cake line will be bought up by someone and they’ll still be sold in
stores. But we’re done. First it was Sara Lee and now us.”
An employee at the store in Burbank echoed those comments.
“We’re not going to reopen,” she said.
Other Chicago-area stores that will be shutting down this
week are located in Hazel Crest, Dolton, Munster, Ind., Bourbonnais and
Merrillville, Ind.
Seattle Sutton opens
in Palos
Seattle Sutton
Healthy Eating opened recently at 7202 W. College Drive in Tiffany
Square Plaza in Palos Heights. For information, call 708- 361-1314.
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.blogspot.com.
