New business review: Half Price Books in Orland Park

By Chuck Ingwersen
Southland Savvy
My wife and I love book stores, so we spent part of our Saturday checking out Half Price Books, which opened May 13 in Orland Park (as announced by Savvy's own Bob Bong). The Half Price Books moniker is a bit misleading, since the store sells not only books but CDs, vinyl albums, DVDs, video games, board games and more. Plus, there are many items than go for considerably less than half the original retail price. There's a selection of paperback books for a buck, and a good-size clearance section of both fiction and non-fiction books for $2 and $3.

We brought about a dozen of our own old books to trade in, and got a receipt for $24 that could be used as store credit or could be cashed out. I had hoped to get a better price for our books, but wasn't too surprised by the offer. To be sure, a few of the books we brought in were real clunkers. We bought six books and a DVD ("The Graduate") that totaled $22.54, so we left with cool new merch and a bonus $1.46 to boot.

We were surprised the store is so big and the selection so wide ranging. Can't help but wonder how many customers of the nearby Borders and Barnes and Noble will make Half Price Books their first stop. I plan to continue shopping all three, because each offers its own unique bargains, and each has inventory that can't be found in the competitors.

Half Price Books is located at 31 Orland Square Drive (just off LaGrange Rd.). Store hours after this weekend will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Click Half Price Books, Orland Park for the website.

Half Price Books opens in Orland Park

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
Half Price Books opened its sixth Chicago-area store Thursday at 31 Orland Square Drive in Orland Park.

The 8,580-square-foot store is celebrating the opening by offering free tote bags and $5 gift cards to the first 100 customers Saturday and Sunday.

As an added bonus, “One of the first 100 shoppers each day will find a $100 gift card in the tote bag,” says Rebekah Gannaway, public relations specialist for Half Price Books.

The store carries new and used books, magazines, comics, records, cassettes, videos, DVDs, CDs and collectibles. The store also buys the same materials from shoppers who can take store credit or cash.

Store hours after this weekend will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.

The phone number is 708-403-4589. Its website is http://www.halfpricebooks.com/

New management
The Dunkin’ Donuts at 20551 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort is under new management and is hiring. For more information, call 815-469-3303.

Quick Mart closes
The Vollmer Quick Mart and Deli closed recently at 5605 Vollmer Road in Matteson.

Boz closes in Lynwood
The Boz Hot Dogs restaurant at 20513 S. Torrence Ave. in Lynwood closed recently after the owners lost their lease. A second store remains open at 2513 Ridge Road in Lansing.

Quiznos opens in Orland Park
The Quiznos sandwich shop reopened recently at 11247 W. 143rd St. in Orland Park. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Orland Baby’s coming soon
A Baby’s Steak and Lemonade franchise is opening soon in the former Long John Silver’s/A&W Root Beer restaurant at 15828 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

New gas stations in Bridgeview
A Citgo gas station opened in mid-April at 8301 S. Harlem Ave. in Bridgeview and a Marathon sister station is expected to open next week across the street at 8258 S. Harlem Ave. Both stations have car washes and convenience stores.

Peavy in Frankfort
White Sox hurler Jake Peavy will sign autographs from noon to 1 p.m. June 5 at Phillips Chevrolet in Frankfort. There also will be registration for the chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the July 30 Sox vs. Oakland A’s game. The winning name will be drawn July 17 at the dealership. For more information, visit the Phillips fan page at Facebook.

Deal of the week
Popolano’s at 17940 S. Torrence Ave. in Lansing and 225 S. Calumet in Chesterton, Ind., is offering half-price pizza for dine-in customers on Tuesdays.

Mobility Mart closes store in Frankfort, will remain an online business

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

Alan Villani has closed the Mobility Mart store at 7234 W. Benton Drive in Frankfort Square but will continue to sell scooters, powerchairs and lift chairs through his website at http://www.mobilitymartinc.com/.

“We closed last week after a year,” Villani said. “But I still have six scooters and ramps and other equipment available.”

Villani said that without the cost of a storefront, he would be able to offer even bigger discounts.

Villani’s phone number remains 815-469-3800.

Wendi’s House of Balloons opens
Wendy Boston-Robinson has turned her home-based balloon business into a full-fledged gift shop with the opening last week of Wendi’s House of Balloons at 7236 W. Benton Drive in Frankfort Square.

Boston-Robinson said she had been selling balloons out of her Matteson home and decided it was time to open a store.

“I added party supplies, cards and gifts because I figured if someone was buying balloons they might need party supplies as well.”

Wendi’s House carries air-filled and helium balloons for every occasion in latex and Mylar.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday. The phone number is 815-277-2380. A website at www.windisballoons.com is under construction.

Unemployed group to meet at St. Peter’s
Frankfort Square resident Dennis Gravitt has formed a support group for unemployed and underemployed men and women.

The group will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 12 W. Sauk Trail in Frankfort. Future meetings will be on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.

For more information, call Gravitt at 815-469-7249.

Deal of the week
El Famous Mexican restaurants with locations in Orland Park, Tinley Park and Summit are now offering $1 tacos on Mondays and Tuesdays.

On-Time Design opens in Mokena
Below, Mokena village officials, Mokena Chamber members and company officials take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony April 1 for On-Time Design Inc., 9400 Bormet Drive in Mokena.