Pierzynski Shoes closing after more than 100 years on Southwest Side

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A store that shares its name with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski is closing after more than a century of covering feet on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

Pierzynski Shoes, 6910 W. Archer Ave., is holding a going out of business sale. The store was founded by A.J. Perzynski in 1904 but is currently owned by Mike and Mindy Czerniak.

Store hours are Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The sale will last until all merchandise is sold. The phone number is 773-586-1205.

An employee said there is still plenty of footwear available. She attributed the closing to changes in the way people buy shoes.

“Discount shoe stores and the Internet have killed us,” she said.

Chick-fil-A breaks ground in Orland Park

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

Chick-fil-A, a fast-food staple throughout the South, is finally answering the pleas of its Chicagoland fans and is breaking ground this week on the chain’s first two locations near the Windy City.

Ground was broken today at 156th Street and LaGrange Road in Orland Park for what will be the chain’s second restaurant in the Chicago area when it opens in September. A groundbreaking ceremony is set for tomorrow in Aurora at what will be the chain’s first Chicago-area eatery when it opens in August. A third restaurant is planned to open in October in Wheaton.

“Our fans in Chicago have been vocal about wanting Chick-fil-A here,” said Dan Cathy, president and chief operating officer of the chain. “Fans here have even posted videos on YouTube as part of their campaigns for us to open in Chicago.”

Kevin Bulmann, of Cincinnati, who will be the owner/operator of the Orland Park restaurant when it opens, is no stranger to Orland Park.

“I have lots of family in Orland Park,” Bulmann said, pointing out his aunt who attended today’s groundbreaking. “It’s her birthday.”

“I spent most of my summers as a youth in Orland Park,” Bulmann said. “I cut a lot of grass here.”
Bulmann said he will turn over his Cincinnati store to Chick-fil-A when the Orland Park store is ready to open.

“I’m going to move here and be a part of this great community,” he said.

Bulmann said the Orland restaurant would be about 4,600-square-feet, and have 122 indoor seats, half-a-dozen outdoor patio seats, and a playland for children.

The restaurant will bring 60 to 80 jobs to the area, he said. Hiring will begin in early August. “We’ll have a trailer on site for applications,” he said.

Chick-fil-A’s Brenda Green said the chain is planning an aggressive push into the Chicago area in 2011. The chain plans to open 20 to 25 restaurants in the Chicago area over the next five years.

“We’re planning 10 percent of our new restaurants in 2011 will open in the Chicago area,” she said.

The chain is opening 78 restaurants this year and has nearly 1,500 locations in 38 states.

Lika's Restaurant opens in Burbank

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Daci Lika is continuing a family tradition with her new restaurant, Lika’s, at 6814 W. 87th St. in Burbank. It’s located in the former Sagil’s Restaurant.

She is the third generation of her family to operate a restaurant in the Southland. The family has had a restaurant open somewhere in the Southland for more than 30 years.

Restaurant hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Daily specials are posted about 9 p.m. the night before at the restaurant’s Facebook page.

For more information, call 708-599-5452.

Now open
Once Upon A Child opened recently at 9990 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Chicago Ridge. The resale shop specializes in children’s clothing. Owner is Marcia Hite. Store hours are Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Napleton Honda moving
Napleton Honda at 6701 W. 95th St. In Oak Lawn will be moving to the former Napleton Dodge dealership at 5800 W. 95th St. The deal was sealed when the Oak Lawn Village Board approved a sales tax rebate plan with Napleton. For the next decade, Napleton and the village will split sales tax revenue to a maximum of $2 million. The move will follow some renovations at the Dodge dealership.

Napleton Dodge moved last year from Oak Lawn to new digs at the former River Oaks Chrysler dealership at 17225 S. Torrence Ave. In Lansing and is now called Napleton’s River Oaks Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

PSC job fair
Prairie State College will hold a job fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Business and Community Education Center of the college, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights. The event is free and open to the public. Jobseekers should wear business attire and bring plenty of resumes.

Deal of the week
Fatburger at 15110 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park is offering a Medium Fatburger and a Fry for $5 after 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. For more information, call the restaurant at 708-364-8380.