By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
The owners of the Ivory Rose piano bar at 17 Old Frankfort Way in Frankfort have a nice business plan.
“We are bringing downtown Chicago to Frankfort just without the prices,” says co-owner Bill, who along with business partner Jim, prefer to just use their first names.
Ivory Rose opened earlier this week but is having a grand opening weekend starting at 5 p.m. Friday.
“Friday we have Greg Rini who does a nice tribute to Dean Martin,” says Bill. “Then on Saturday Peter Oprisko will do a Frank Sinatra tribute.”
Bill says Ivory Rose will serve higher end appetizers such as Italian meat plates and flatbreads. “We’ll have an Italian feel,” says Bill.
The bar will serve an extensive selection of martinis and wines.
Bill says they did a lot of changes to put their own mark on the former Bella Martini bar.
Ivory Rose hours are 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The piano bar is dark Sundays and Mondays.
Creamery to open in ManhattanThe Frankfort-based Creamery chain will open its newest location at 11 a.m. Friday at 525 W. North St. in Manhattan. Creamery locations serve fast food sandwiches, ice cream, the Original Rainbow Cones, 99-cent hot dogs on Weenie Wednesdays and 99-cent shakes on Milkshake Mondays. For more information, visit http://www.mycreamery.com/
Mexico Chiquito opens in Chicago HeightsA new Mexican restaurant, Mexico Chiquito, opened recently at 2316 Chicago Road in Chicago Heights. The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The phone number is 708-755-9750. The restaurant offers 99-cent tacos on Mondays.
About Me
- Bob Bong
- 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.
DeSoto Villa Pizza closes in Tinley Park
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
DeSoto Villa Pizza at 17801 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park, which for years was known as Serio's Italian Villa Pizza, has closed and the building has a "for sale" sign posted over the restaurant's name.
The pizzeria's phone has a message that the restaurant is closed but it promises to reopen in the future. I wish them the best but the track record is not good for businesses that promise to reopen.
Budnik's closes in Lemont
Budnik's convenience store closed last week at 400 Main St. in Lemont. The former pharmacy had been a convenience store and lottery outlet for the past two decades, but the state recently cut the store out of its lottery network. Owner Sue Little told the Lemont Reporter she was not planning on selling the building and would be seeking a tenant. The pharmacy opened in 1922 and moved to its Main Street location in 1927.
Insurance agency to open in Hickory Hills
The Mark Skorusa Insurance Agency is expected to open Saturday at 7667 W. 95th St. in Hickory Hills. Skorusa is moving from Palos Heights. He is a Country Insurance agent. The phone number will be 708-598-3030. The website is www.1800getmark.com/
Derby Day deal
This offer is strictly for the ladies. All three Charley Horse restaurants in Tinley Park, New Lenox and Munster, Ind., are offering free meals from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday to ladies who show up wearing a Derby Day Bonnet. Saturday is the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The Race for the Roses will start about 5:25 p.m. CST. The race will be televised on Channel 5. Now, ladies, to qualify your chapeaux has to be something special. A Sox baseball cap just won't cut it.
Southland Savvy
DeSoto Villa Pizza at 17801 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park, which for years was known as Serio's Italian Villa Pizza, has closed and the building has a "for sale" sign posted over the restaurant's name.
The pizzeria's phone has a message that the restaurant is closed but it promises to reopen in the future. I wish them the best but the track record is not good for businesses that promise to reopen.
Budnik's closes in Lemont
Budnik's convenience store closed last week at 400 Main St. in Lemont. The former pharmacy had been a convenience store and lottery outlet for the past two decades, but the state recently cut the store out of its lottery network. Owner Sue Little told the Lemont Reporter she was not planning on selling the building and would be seeking a tenant. The pharmacy opened in 1922 and moved to its Main Street location in 1927.
Insurance agency to open in Hickory Hills
The Mark Skorusa Insurance Agency is expected to open Saturday at 7667 W. 95th St. in Hickory Hills. Skorusa is moving from Palos Heights. He is a Country Insurance agent. The phone number will be 708-598-3030. The website is www.1800getmark.com/
Derby Day deal
This offer is strictly for the ladies. All three Charley Horse restaurants in Tinley Park, New Lenox and Munster, Ind., are offering free meals from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday to ladies who show up wearing a Derby Day Bonnet. Saturday is the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The Race for the Roses will start about 5:25 p.m. CST. The race will be televised on Channel 5. Now, ladies, to qualify your chapeaux has to be something special. A Sox baseball cap just won't cut it.
Lansing, Frankfort insurance agencies merge
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
Kotecki-Turek insurance agency in Lansing has merged with Shanahan insurance agency in Frankfort in what Dick Turek called a “win-win situation” for both offices.
Turek said the April 1 merger essentially doubles the marketplace for the agencies, which will be known as Kotecki-Turek-Shanahan Agency.
Kotecki-Turek has been selling insurance in Lansing since 1962. Its office will remain at 3330 E. 181st Place in the Clock Tower Building. Its phone number remains 708-895-0300.
Shanahan has been selling insurance in Frankfort since 1917. Its office remains at 237 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort. Its phone number remains 815-469-4545. Its website is www.sldins.com
Dragon Inn moves to Dyer
Dragon Inn, a Chinese restaurant specializing in Mandarin cuisine, moved recently from its longtime home at 18431 S. Halsted St. in Glenwood to new digs at 275 Joliet St. in Dyer, Ind.
When the restaurant opened 46 years ago it was the only Mandarin restaurant on Chicago’s South Side.
Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Monday. The new phone number is 219-864-3400 and toll free 888-699-1013. Its website is www.dragoninndyer.com
The new delivery area is Munster, Dyer and Schererville in Indiana and Crete, Lynwood and Lansing in Illinois.
Gumption Gifts closes
A retail store operated by the CARC to give developmentally disabled people a chance to get retail experience has closed after 3 ½ years at 1814 W. 103rd St. on Chicago’s Southwest Side. The economy doomed the store, which started out with eight employees but had been reduced to two when it closed last week.
Horton’s opens in Orland
Hortons Lighting Outlet has opened its newest store at 15846 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and closed on Monday. The phone number is 708-403-9172. Its website is www.hortonshome.com
To celebrate its grand opening, the store is giving away $25 gift cards to restaurant.com for every purchase of $50.
New showroom open
Granite Transformations has opened a new showroom at 15890 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park. The phone number is 708-444-8350. Its website is www.granitetransformations.com
Ice cream deal of the week
Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlors are serving 31-cent scoops (limit of three 2.5-ounce scoops) from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, and the corporation is making a $100,000 donation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlors can be found throughout the Southland. To find the one closest to you, visit www.baskinrobbins.com
Southland Savvy
Kotecki-Turek insurance agency in Lansing has merged with Shanahan insurance agency in Frankfort in what Dick Turek called a “win-win situation” for both offices.
Turek said the April 1 merger essentially doubles the marketplace for the agencies, which will be known as Kotecki-Turek-Shanahan Agency.
Kotecki-Turek has been selling insurance in Lansing since 1962. Its office will remain at 3330 E. 181st Place in the Clock Tower Building. Its phone number remains 708-895-0300.
Shanahan has been selling insurance in Frankfort since 1917. Its office remains at 237 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort. Its phone number remains 815-469-4545. Its website is www.sldins.com
Dragon Inn moves to Dyer
Dragon Inn, a Chinese restaurant specializing in Mandarin cuisine, moved recently from its longtime home at 18431 S. Halsted St. in Glenwood to new digs at 275 Joliet St. in Dyer, Ind.
When the restaurant opened 46 years ago it was the only Mandarin restaurant on Chicago’s South Side.
Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Monday. The new phone number is 219-864-3400 and toll free 888-699-1013. Its website is www.dragoninndyer.com
The new delivery area is Munster, Dyer and Schererville in Indiana and Crete, Lynwood and Lansing in Illinois.
Gumption Gifts closes
A retail store operated by the CARC to give developmentally disabled people a chance to get retail experience has closed after 3 ½ years at 1814 W. 103rd St. on Chicago’s Southwest Side. The economy doomed the store, which started out with eight employees but had been reduced to two when it closed last week.
Horton’s opens in Orland
Hortons Lighting Outlet has opened its newest store at 15846 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday and closed on Monday. The phone number is 708-403-9172. Its website is www.hortonshome.com
To celebrate its grand opening, the store is giving away $25 gift cards to restaurant.com for every purchase of $50.
New showroom open
Granite Transformations has opened a new showroom at 15890 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park. The phone number is 708-444-8350. Its website is www.granitetransformations.com
Ice cream deal of the week
Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlors are serving 31-cent scoops (limit of three 2.5-ounce scoops) from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, and the corporation is making a $100,000 donation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlors can be found throughout the Southland. To find the one closest to you, visit www.baskinrobbins.com
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