Whole Foods Market Plans Orland Store

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Orland area food shoppers will have a new alternative when Whole Foods Market opens later this year inside the former Borders book store at 15260 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

The Texas-based chain plans to open a natural and organic foods store sometime this fall. The Orland store is one of eight stores Whole Foods plans to add later this year, the company said Wednesday in its first quarter earnings report.

The Orland store at 27,000 square feet is on the small size, especially when compared to a Meijer or Jewel, but Whole Foods prides itself on featuring natural and organic foods that are free of artificial ingredients and hydrogenated fats.

The Orland store will be the chain’s first location in the Southland. Whole Foods has 17 other stores in the North and West Suburbs and 317 worldwide. Whole Foods said the store would bring 150-160 jobs.

The company started in 1980 in Austin and had sales of $10 billion in fiscal 2011.

White Fence Farm Now Open

White Fence Farm, which claims to have the World’s Greatest Chicken, has reopened its Romeoville, Joliet, Downers Grove and Plainfield Crossing locations for the season. The newly remodeled Riverside store won’t open until March. For information, visit them online at http://www.whitefencefarm.com/.

Puppy Store Closes in Mokena

The Puppy Love Boutique closed recently at 19155 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena. The store opened in November 2009.

CarHop Opens in Chicago Heights

CarHop, a car dealer that focuses on helping car buyers with poor or no credit get auto financing, opened its fifth Chicago-area location at 207 Halsted Street in Chicago Heights last month.

“People in the Chicago Heights area who have credit issues will now have an opportunity to get driving again,” District Manager Peter Desouza said in a news release. “And we will do everything we can to get them approved, provide customers with a chance to improve their credit and change their lives for the better.”

CarHop includes an 18-month, 18,000 mile limited warranty on all of its vehicles.

“The Chicago Heights store will help serve our customers’ needs by being in a more convenient location for people who live in that area of Chicago, and people who live near the border of Indiana and Illinois,” store manager Jim Arvia said in the release.

For information, visit http://www.carhop.com/.

Tropical Smoothie Coming to New Lenox

A Tropical Smoothie Cafe is coming to New Lenox.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A Florida-based smoothie restaurant has put up signs that it will be moving this spring into the former Quiznos at 1872 W. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox across the street from Lincoln-Way Central High School.

The Tropical Smoothie Café franchise in Lombard will be relocating to New Lenox soon, according to its Facebook page. The Lombard location’s phone number has already been disconnected, and calls to the Florida corporate offices were not returned.

The restaurant features smoothies, sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads, salads and breakfast, according to its website menu. It also has a kids menu and limited-time specials.

Interestingly, it will around be literally around the corner from a Paradise Smoothie shop.

Pepe’s Closes in Hickory Hills

The Pepe’s Mexican restaurant closed recently at 8128 W. 95th St. in Hickory Hills.

Smokey Barque Open in Frankfort

Smokey Barque, a barbecue smokehouse, opened recently at 20 W. Kansas St. in the former Jenny’s (which moved to 191 South in Mokena) in downtown Frankfort. Hours are Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 9 p.m.

The restaurant will be holding grand opening events on Feb. 24-25. For information, call 815-277-2502 or visit http://www.smokeybarque.com/.

Vitamin Shoppe Opens in Matteson

A Vitamin Shoppe opened last month at 4803 W. Lincoln Highway in Matteson. Store hours are Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call the store at 708-283-7059 or visit its website at http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/.

Pet Hospital Opens in Mokena Petsmart

Banfield Pet Hospital opened recently inside the Petsmart at 21430 Wolf Road in Mokena.

The hospital is hosting a grand opening free Preventive Care Seminar at 6 p.m. on Friday.

For information, call 815-464-3589 or visit http://www.banfield.com/.

Discover Tinley Registration Open

The Tinley Park Community Resources Commission will host the annual Discover Tinley community awareness expo from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 14 at the Convention Center. Businesses and organizations that want to participate can get more info at http://www.tinleypark.org/.

Old Navy Moving to Chicago Ridge Mall

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Old Navy plans to move its Chicago Ridge store from the Commons of Chicago Ridge to a spot inside Chicago Ridge Mall.

Construction of the new store is expected to start in early April, said assistant store manager Tina Rodriguez Bauer.

The new store is expected to cost about $700,000 and will be about 20,000 square feet.

Old Navy is shooting for a mid-June opening, Bauer said.

In September, Old Navy moved a store from Lincoln Mall in Matteson to a new location at Brookside Marketplace in Tinley Park.

Mattress Store Closes in Tinley

Back to Bed mattress store closed recently at 7242 W. 191st St. in Tinley Park but appears to be planning a comeback in the village once the Blockbuster store closes later this month at 15970 S. Harlem Ave.

The mattress company, with 48 locations in the Chicago area, was soliciting bids in December for interior renovations for the Blockbuster location. Calls to the company for more information were not returned.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Eyes 3rd Location

O’Reilly Auto Parts, one of the top aftermarket auto parts chains in the U.S., opened two stores in the Southland last year at 6710 W. 111th St. in Worth and 921 E. 162nd St. in South Holland and plans on a third store in Hickory Hills sometime this summer.

“We’re still looking to do something in Hickory Hills in the second part of this year,” said Mark Merz, O’Reilly’s director of external reporting and investor relations.

The company announced plans last summer for a store in the former McDonald’s at 8715 W. 95th St.

O’Reilly has been on a tear the past year, opening 170 new stores nationwide in 2011 with another 170 expected to open nationwide this year.

Store hours vary by location, said Merz. But generally the store is open seven days a week from about 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from about 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

“O’Reilly Auto Parts caters to the do-it-yourself customer,” said Merz. “But we do half of our business with professional car repair businesses.”

For information, visit the store online at http://www.oreillyauto.com/.

South Suburban Hospital Opens Inpatient Pediatric Unit

Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest opened its new inpatient pediatric unit this week, which will work with Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn to provide services to Southland children and their families. The new unit has 12 beds, accommodations for family, a playroom and a full-time child life specialist.

DeVry Open House on Saturday

There will be an open house on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at DeVry University’s Tinley Park Campus, 18624 West Creek Dr. For information or to register, call 708-342-3200 or visit www.tp.devry.edu/community.html.

Business After Hours Mardi Gras for Together We Cope

Members of the Orland Park Area, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn and Oak Forest-Crestwood chambers of commerce are invited to a Mardi Gras sponsored by BMO Harris Bank and Together We Cope from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at Together We Cope, 17010 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

There will be tours of the Together We Cope facility, door prizes and great food!

RSVP to the Orland Chamber by today at 708-349-2972 or http://www.orlandparkchamber.org/.

New Businesses in South Holland

The following new businesses opened recently in South Holland:

• Accessory City, 629 E. 162nd St.
• Johnsons Cleaning Co., 16417 Evans Ave.
• Johnson Omnimedia, 16417 Evans Ave.
• Molis Dental 2, 16240 Louis Ave.
• Scott Munro Photography, 17050 South Park Ave., Suite D
• SOS Full Maids and Cleaning Service, 16901 Van Dam Road, Suite 603
• Chela Dance Fitness, 705 E. 162nd St.
• Klear Kut Graphics, 16320 Woodlawn East
• Primerica Financial, 15475 South Park Ave., Suite 105

Deal of the Weekend: Free Onion Rings

Burger King restaurants are giving away free value-sized orders of its new style onion rings starting with lunch on Saturday and Sunday. The deal is good while supplies last and there is no purchase necessary. In addition to the onion ring giveaway, if you "like" Burger King on Facebook, you will be entered to win a $10 BK Crown Card.