Dry Goods Coming to Orland Park

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

Iowa-based Von Maur Inc. announced Monday it will open a 4,500-square-foot Dry Goods specialty store at Orland Square Mall in the fall.

The Orland store will be the women’s specialty store chain’s third location in the Chicago area and only the seventh Dry Goods store as it builds the brand. The other Chicago-area stores are at Fox Valley and Woodfield malls.

Dry Goods offers the latest in contemporary women’s clothing and accessories and features products from brands such as Free People, Hudson, Jessica Simpson, Joe’s Jeans and Silver. The store also offers an interest-free credit card for its customers.

The store will be located on the second level of the northwest wing and will feature the chain’s turn-of-the-century look.

Von Maur said the opening is part of its strategic growth plan for Dry Goods by selecting markets in which the 140-year-old company has yet to establish a presence.

"The success and volume of business at our current Chicagoland locations has been tremendous, leaving us confident that our newest location in Orland Park will yield similar results," said Jim von Maur, president of Von Maur, in a release. "With Orland Square Mall's prominent demographic of female shoppers, coupled with our exciting mix of contemporary fashion and quality service, Dry Goods will undoubtedly be well received by shoppers."

Orland Square Mall also announced two more tenants on Monday.

Flip Flop Shoes, which offers the hottest brands and latest styles of flip flops and sandals, is expected to open this summer while Love Culture, a store that sells affordable women’s fashions and accessories, is expected to open in August.

Westfield Sells Chicago Ridge, Joliet Malls

Australian-based Westfield Group announced last week that it was selling 90 percent stakes in its Chicago Ridge and Louis Joliet malls as part of a $1 billion deal with Starwood Capital Group.

Westfield will retain a 10 percent stake in the 838,608 square foot Chicago Ridge Mall and the 971,025 square foot Louis Joliet Mall and continue to manage them, the company said in a news release.

Connecticut-based Starwood also purchased majority stakes in five other Westfield-owned malls in the United States. An additional Westfield property was sold to another buyer in a separate transaction.

Westfield retains ownership of Old Orchard Mall in Skokie, Fox Valley Mall in Aurora and Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills.

Warehouse Sells for $64 Million

CB Richard Ellis Realty Trust announced last week that it paid $64.3 million for a 1.35 million square foot warehouse in University Park. The warehouse at 2400 Dralle Road is leased by Clorox.

Bath House Closes

The Bath House, a bath and kitchen remodeling company, closed its business and showroom recently at 4811 W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn.

Bank to Host ID Theft Seminar

Standard Bank and Trust will host a free community seminar to protect residents against identity theft from 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 24, at the Evergreen Park location at 2400 W. 95th St. RSVP to Julie Partacz at 708-499-2000 Ext. 60110.

The same branch is holding a free neighborhood shredding event on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to noon. Residents can bring four banker boxes of items per household to be shredded.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com.

Two Restaurants Remodeling in Orland Park, Tinley Park

Olympic Star in Tinley Park is closed for remodeling.
 The restaurant should reopen by Mother's Day.

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

Two popular and longtime restaurants in Orland Park and Tinley Park have closed for remodeling.

Pop’s at 14279 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park is closed for remodeling that a sign in front of the restaurant says will take two weeks.

Olympic Star at 7100 W. 171st St. in Tinley Park is also closed for remodeling. A sign in front of the building says the restaurant will be back in business by Mother’s Day.

The Olympic Star remodeling is well overdue. I think the décor and furniture at the 24-hour Greek diner is the same as it was when I first ate there 25 years ago after moving to the area. It may not have changed since the restaurant opened in 1978.

Can’t wait to see its fresh new look.

Tinley Brew and Vine Fest is Saturday

The third annual Tinley Park Brew and Vine Festival will take place from 2-11 p.m. on Saturday at the Tinley Park Convention Center at 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue.

Sample beer, wine and food from local vendors and enjoy live entertainment. You can also visit with former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas, who will be on hand from 2-4 p.m. hawking his new The Big Hurt brand of suds.

Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the chamber office, 17316 S. Oak Park Ave., or online at http://www.tinleyparkbrewandvinefest.com/.

Join the Fox Team

Fox Head, which is opening its first Chicago-area store in June, is hosting a job fair starting at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday at Center Court at Orland Square Mall.

The chain made its name with a worldwide brand of motocross apparel and has since branched out into other performance sports.

The mall said the store will be moving into part of the space being vacated by Bath & Body Works, which is downsizing and moving across the way.

The company was started as Fox Racing in 1974 in Campbell, Calif.

For information, visit the company’s website at http://www.foxhead.com/us/.

Orland Rotary Seeks Host Families

The Orland Park Rotary Club is looking for International Exchange Student Host Families within the borders of Sandburg High School for a student who will be living in Orland Park from the fall of 2012 until the summer of 2013. Host families provide a safe and loving environment for approximately three months.

Students have health insurance as well as an allowance from Orland Park Rotary. Contact Debra Baker at 708-362-1058 for information.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings at www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com.

Frank Thomas to Promote Big Hurt Beer at Durbin's, Beer and Vine Fest

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

Former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas will be visiting Durbin’s locations this week and the Tinley Park Beer and Vine Fest on Saturday to promote his Big Hurt Beer.

Thomas, who was known as the Big Hurt while a player, will be at the Tinley Park location tonight at 6:30 p.m. and at the Midlothian Durbin’s at 8 p.m., the Palos Hills Durbin’s at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the Evergreen Park Durbin’s at 6:30 p.m. Friday and the Burbank location at 8 p.m. Friday, and the Frankfort Durbin’s at 7 p.m. Saturday. He’ll be at the Beer and Vine Fest in Tinley Park from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday.

Tenant Found for Tinley Distribution Center

Bedford Park-based M. Block & Sons, which is the leading distributor of consumer products to retailers throughout the United States, according to its website, will be moving in to the Tinley Park Corporate Center at Oak Park Avenue and Prosperi Drive in Tinley Park.

The 915,000 square foot distribution center has never been occupied since it was built back in 2008.

The deal was announced last week by commercial real estate firm CBRE Group.

Tinley Economic Development Director Ivan Baker said some tenant build out would be required because the building was never finished in 2008.

As part of the deal, Tinley Park is going to prohibit parking on Prosperi Drive east of Oak Park Avenue so trucks using the warehouse will not have to negotiate parked cars.

CBRE said M. Block & Sons would be moving in sometime in June.

M. Block said its vendor partners include Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and their Keurig single serve coffee division, Proctor & Gamble, Kraft, Sensio, Tristar Products Inc., Applica Inc., Jarden Consumer Solutions, Blue Avocado, and Arc International. Major retail accounts include Bed Bath and Beyond, Walmart, Target, JC Penney, Macy's, Costco, Kohl's and other leading home retailers. M. Block manages distribution centers in Redlands, Calif., and Bedford Park.

Cicero Avenue Construction Projects

The Illinois Department of Transportation has started resurfacing Cicero Avenue from 95th Street to 127th Street and from 147th Street to 175th Street.

Milling and resurfacing work began Monday and is scheduled to end on Sept. 7. There will be intermittent lane closures in Oak Lawn, Alsip, Midlothian, Oak Forest and Country Club Hills.

Cicero already is reduced to one lane in each direction for bridge work at the Cal-Sag Channel just south of 127th Street. That project is expected to last through August.

There will be additional lane closures when work begins later this spring on the CSX Railroad overpass just south of 115th Street. That project is expected to last until mid-July.

IDOT reminds motorists to anticipate delays and allow extra time for trips through these areas.

Dunkin’ is Hiring in Indiana

Dunkin’ Donuts is holding a Career Fair tomorrow from 1-4 p.m. at its Merrillville, Ind., location at 2050 W. 81st Avenue.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at http://www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com/.