Southland hookah bars snuffed out

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Hookah lounges, which allowed patrons to smoke flavored tobaccos through waterpipes, have closed in the past few weeks in Worth and Palos Hills. In Worth, Friends Café and Lounge at 11015 S. Harlem Ave. and Havana Café at 7011 W. 111th St. closed after the village approved stricter smoking restrictions on businesses. In Palos Hills, Royale Lounge closed last month at 7205 W. 103rd St.

Yarning in Frankfort
Yarns to Dye For & More has opened at 19 S. Ash St. in downtown Frankfort. The shop features specialty yarns, jewelry and artwork. The shop also offers knitting and crocheting classes. There is no Web site. For more information, call 815-469-4906.

Doctor is out
TV Doctor, a shop that serviced and sold televisions, has closed after being open only a short time at 16745 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

Wine out of style
WineStyles has closed at 7301 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park. The shops are franchised and aim to educate people about wine. They have wine clubs and offer tastings. Not to worry wine aficionados, a WineStyles store is still open at 20290 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort. That store’s number is 815-469-9994.

Now open
Wise Buys Resale opened recently at 14205 S. Bell Road in Homer Glen. The shop carries men's, women's and childrens’ clothing, antiques, jewelry, books and collectibles. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, call the shop at (708) 645-7200.

Southeast Side to see more jobs

By Kevin Lee
Illinois Statehouse News

The Ford assembly plant on the Southeast Side will see 1,200 new car manufacturing jobs this year. Ford wants a second shift of Chicago union workers to help construct new Ford Explorers. The automobile company also plans to invest $400 million in the manufacturing facilities.

Ford has selected Illinois for new investment partly as a result of a new tax credit. Lawmakers passed and Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law last year a tax credit for auto manufacturers.

Mark Fields with Ford Motor Company says the new jobs will be implemented this year.

Fields adds that the production of the new Explorers in Chicago is scheduled to begin by the end of this year.

Contact Kevin Lee at 217-528-9604. Illinois Statehouse News is a non-profit journalism organization committed to writing for the betterment of society.

More news about Ford's finances from CNBC.

Casablanca's Steak House closes

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Casablanca Steak House, 17344 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park, became the latest restaurant casualty of the economy when it closed on Jan. 1.

The former Bogart's Charhouse was renamed Casablanca after it was reacquired by the Nolan family in February 2009.

A manager at Bogart's Charhouse, 18225 Dixie Highway in Homewood, said the Tinley location "just wasn't doing enough business to keep it open."

Bogart's in Homewood remains open for anyone wanting to try their luck at the Bogie Sirloin AKA "The Big One."

The corner at 173rd and Oak Park Avenue will also soon be losing My Bike of Tinley Park, which shared the building with Casablanca.

Owner Brian Poncin said he's moving four blocks south to 17747 Oak Park Ave. Poncin said it was time to move.

"We're paying three times the rent we should," Poncin said. "The landlord didn't want to work with us, so we decided to leave. I'll be paying half as much in rent and have 1,000 more square feet of space."

Poncin said he's working on renovating the new location, which used to be home to Rosemary's Garden, a flower shop that relocated to 171st Street.

"We're in limbo for the next couple of months," Poncin said. "We'll be going back and forth." He suggests customers call first to make sure someone is around.

Poncin said he's contemplating a name change, as well. "I may change the name to My Bike Tinley Schwinn. We sell a lot of Schwinns and it might make sense to incorporate that into our name."

For more information, call Poncin at 708-444-2453 or visit My Bike Tinley.