Advance Auto Parts, Charter Fitness Under Construction in Mokena

Advance Auto Sales in building a new store on LaGrange Road in Mokena.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Virginia-based Advance Auto Parts is building an after-market auto store in the last remaining outlot at the Mokena Town Square shopping center at LaGrange and LaPorte roads in Mokena, said Mokena Economic Development Director Alan Zordan.

The store, which will be next to the A&W Root Beer and KFC restaurant, will be the company’s 11th in the Chicago Southland.

For information, visit Advance Auto Parts.

In a related development, Orland Park-based Charter Fitness is remodeling the shopping center’s former Carpetland USA space for its Mokena health club, which will be moving from its present location at 9418 W. 191st St.

The new location is expected to be ready by this fall.

For information, visit Charter Fitness.

Cosi Leaving Orland Park

Cosi, 15139 S. LaGrange Road, seems to be on its way out of Orland Park. Emails to the company were not answered and Inland Real Estate Corp., which owns Orland Park Place, did not return phone calls, but the company lists the 3,000-square-foot Cosi space as “coming available” on its Orland Park Place site plan.

The Deerfield-based chain is in trouble and has seen its stock price plummet 85 percent in the past five years.

Mom’s Night Out at Orland Square Mall

Mom’s can enjoy a night out being pampered by vendors at Orland Square Mall’s third annual Mom’s Night Out from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, May 10.

Some of this year’s vendors include Dove, Little Black Dress Vodka, Silver Cross Hospital, Cabot Cheese, Sunshine Yoga Studio, Macy’s, Bare Escentuals and Scentsy.

For information, call Gayle Gleespen at 708-349-1647.

Tinley Chamber Doings

The Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce has two events this week – one before work and one after.

Chamber members have been invited to a school-business summit from 8-9:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 9, at Andrew High School, 9100 W. 171st St. Call Marcia Gustavson at 708-342-5811 to reserve a spot.

Chamber members are also invited to an Ice Cream Social Open House from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, May 10, to celebrate Jay Walsh’s anniversary with Edward Jones at 7915 W. 171st St.

RSVP to the chamber or by calling 708-532-5700.

White Sox Closer to Sign at Triple Threat Sports New Frankfort Location

Triple Threat Sports, a full service sports apparel and novelties store, moved last month from its longtime home in Mokena to new digs at 19925 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort, next to Play It Again Sports in the Hickory Creek Marketplace.

To help celebrate the move, Triple Threat will have a ticketed autograph session with White Sox closer Hector Santiago from 7-8 p.m. Thursday. Advance pricing is $10 for any item or two items for $15.

For information or tickets, call 815-806-8875 or 708-478-6090 or visit Triple Threat Sports or its Facebook page.

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/.

BMW of Orland Park Has New Home

BMW of Orland Park opened in its new digs over the weekend.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

BMW of Orland Park opened the doors Saturday of its new home at 159th Street and Wolf Road in Orland Park and will hold its ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The dealership on Friday moved from its longtime home at 8470 W. 159th St. That space will be used by the adjacent Mercedes-Benz of Orland Park. Both dealerships are owned by the same Pennsylvania-based auto group.

The new 60,000-square-foot dealership has a tax-sharing agreement with the village for sales tax generated by the new store for the next 10 years as well as a property tax abatement agreement.

For information, visit BMW of Orland Park or its Facebook page.

Burrito Loco Changes Name


El Burrito Loco at 8005 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park was sold recently and it now goes by the name Los 3 Burritos. Everything else remains the same including the hours, menu, quality of the food and its phone number, 708-429-4195.

CSCVB Celebrates National Tourism Day

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau will host a Business After Hours to observe National Tourism Day on Wednesday, May 9, from 5-7 p.m. at the CSCVB Offices, 2304 E. 173rd St. in Lansing, with a celebration of tourism's benefits to the local, regional and state economy.

In addition, CSCVB will host a silent auction with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Sertoma Centre, 4343 W. 123rd St. in Alsip, a training and job placement center for disabled adults.

For information, call Elizabeth at 708-895-8200.

Veterans Business Boot Camp

Governors State University will host its annual Veterans Entrepreneurial Boot Camp on Wednesday, May 9.

The daylong event includes speakers, seminars, expert panel discussions designed to promote veteran business start-up and growth and development of existing veteran-owned businesses.

Seminar topics include Marketing Your Business on a Shoestring Budget, Veteran Financing Opportunities Through the SBA and a Variety of Lenders, Military Friendly Franchising Opportunities, Your Internet Presence, Planning Your New Business, Business Plans Why?, Biz Plan Financials, Government Contracting - How to get my business Certified MBE, WBE, SDVOSB 8(a), Export Opportunities the "Law and Order of Entrepreneurship," Business Killers, Develop a Referral Mindset and Perception - what are they thinking?

The event is free to veterans. A complimentary breakfast and full lunch will be provided.

All presentation material and other helpful tools will be provided free to attendees on a dog tag-style flash drive.

Cost is $25 for business partners of veterans and family members (due at registration).

For information, call Bob Rakstang at 708-534-8390.

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/.

Tasty Buffet Coming To Frankfort

The owners of New Work Chinese Restaurant in Frankfort will soon be opening Tasty Buffet.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

New Wok Chinese Restaurant in Frankfort’s Walt’s plaza closed recently but its owners are planning to open Tasty Buffet, an Asian buffet restaurant, in the former Mary Todd’s space on the other side of the plaza.

The New Wok website is still up and its phone number is still connected, so I’m guessing those will be updated when the new location opens.

Construction on the new location delayed its planned April opening and the owners now hope to open later this month.

VA Opens Bigger Clinic in Oak Lawn

Edward Hines VA Hospital recently opened a bigger and better outpatient clinic at 10201 S. Cicero Ave.

The new clinic is about a mile away from the old clinic but it has almost three times as much clinical space and much more parking. The Department of Veterans Affairs opened the clinic a decade ago to serve veterans who can’t make the trip to Hines in Maywood. The clinic serves more than 5,400 patients per year.

"VA is committed to providing our veterans with top quality health care as close to their homes as possible,” Peter Dancy, Acting Director of the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, said in a release. “We are always looking for better ways to serve our veterans.

“This new location in Oak Lawn allows us to expand our services to veterans in areas like mental health and social work, women’s health, nutrition, pharmacy, etc. We are thrilled to provide our top quality health care to veterans in this area in a brand new state-of-the-art clinic location.”

For information, call 708-499-3675.

Deal of the Week: Free Comic Books

Amazing Fantasy Books and Comics is again taking part in the annual Free Comic Book Day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at all four locations (no purchase necessary).

Each location is having its own special appearances, signings, raffles and food. For example, Darth Vader and some Imperial Storm Troopers are expected to descend on the Frankfort location from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. So check with each location for its particulars.

AF Books locations are:

• Calumet City, 582 Torrence Ave., 708-891-2260
• Frankfort, 20523 S. LaGrange Road, 815-469-5092
• Lockport, 1128 S. State St., 815-834-1658
• Tinley Park, 15948 S. Harlem Ave.,708-633-0837

For information, visit AF Books website or http://www.freecomicbookday.com/.

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 and read past colunms at http://www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com/.