The Great Escape Opens First Superstore in Orland Park

The Great Escape has opened its first superstore in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Home leisure retailer The Great Escape has opened its first superstore in the former Linens-n-Things at 15854 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

“It’s a soft opening because we’re not 100 percent complete,” store manager Jason Swinson said last week. “We’ll have our grand opening in a couple of weeks, but we wanted to be open in time for Mother’s Day.”

Swinson said the new store also is home to Chicago Home Fitness boutique, which moved from its former location at 14934 S. LaGrange Road. Swinson said The Great Escape acquired the fitness chain last year and is integrating those stores into its Great Escape locations.

Also new to the Orland store, Swinson said, is a concept store within a store for Jacuzzi spas.

Swinson said the store also has cutting edge technology for backyard planning.

“We have a Tropitone Design Center that uses a computer to design a backyard layout based on your particulars,” he said. “It plans everything down to the fabric and colors.”

In addition, the store has a huge selection of grills, pools and patio sets, he said.

“We have 150 patio sets on display,” Swinson said. “A regular store might have 40 sets on display. We also have three pools on display.”

The Great Escape store at 7787 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park will remain open as a closeout store and pool chemical store, Swinson said.

For information, call 708-403-2160 or visit The Great Escape or Chicago Home Fitness.

Law Office Opens in Tinley

The Law Office of Krydnski & Frigo, 18311 N. Creek Drive, Suite G, Tinley Park, will host an open house and ribbon cutting for the Tinley Park and Orland Park chambers of commerce starting at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 15. The ribbon cutting will take place at 5 p.m. Let's Do Lunch will provide refreshments.

Vein Clinics Open House

Vein Clinics of America will hold an open house from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, to celebrate the opening of its new Orland Park office at 14225 S. 95th Avenue, Suite 45S.

Sbarro Opens in Lincoln Oasis

Sbarro, a fast-food Italian restaurant usually found in shopping mall food courts has opened in the Lincoln Oasis in South Holland on the Illinois Tollway (Interstates 80/294). The restaurant features Italian entrees, pasta, salads and pizza. It is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

GNC Opens in New Lenox

GNC opened a health store recently at 2532 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox in the former Elizabeth Jade Salon. Hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. It’s the retailer’s 16th store in the Southland. For information, call 815- 462-0092 or visit GNC.

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.

Star Flyer Roller Rink Closes

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

A roller skating tradition ended recently with the closing of the Star Flyer Roller Rink at 3241 E. End Ave. in South Chicago Heights. The roller rink had been open for more than 30 years.

iFix Opens at Chicago Ridge Mall

iFixandRepair, a store that promises to be able to fix broken iPhones, iPods, iPads, cell phones, and Mac or PC computers, opened recently at Chicago Ridge Mall. Hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

For information, call 708-320-1349 or visit iFix.

Native Plant Sale at Irons Oaks

A large variety of native plants such as Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Wild Ginger and Columbine will be available at this year’s Native Plant Sale from 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow at Irons Oaks, 20000 S. Western Ave. in Olympia Fields. For information, call 708-481-2330.

Marquette Bank Hosts Free Family Party

Marquette Bank will host a free Family Party from 2-4 p.m. tomorrow at its branch at 17865 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park. For information, call 708-873-8170.

Double Dip for Oak Lawn Chamber Next Week

The Oak Lawn Chamber will host a breakfast for prospective members from 8-9 a.m. Wednesday, May 16, at Jason’s Deli, 6260 W. 95th St. Breakfast is free for new and prospective members and $5 for current members. RSVP to the chamber.

That same day, Standard Bank, 4001 W. 95th St., will host a Business After Hours from 5:30-7:30 p.m. There will be appetizers and beverages. RSVP to Jean Fornal at the bank at 708-499-2062.

Whitley to Address Southland Chamber

Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Doug Whitley will tackle key commerce topics as he headlines the Chicago Southland Chamber's Regional Consensus Luncheon on Monday, May 14, at 11:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive.

Whitley will discuss the importance of a chamber membership, what we can do to improve the business environment and Gov. Pat Quinn's job creation policies. A question and answer period will follow.

Chamber officials also will announce the names of the four outstanding high school seniors, sons and daughters of chamber members, who have been chosen to receive Chamber Foundation scholarships of $2,000 each.

The cost is $40 for non-members, $30 for members, and reservations can be made on the chamber website, http://www.chicagosouthland.com/, via e-mail at info@ChicagoSouthland.com or by telephone, 708-957-6950.

Mrs. Fields Taste Test

Mrs. Fields is holding a cookie taste test Monday and Tuesday afternoon at its store inside Orland Square Mall. For information, call 708-364-0123.

Help Grow Flossmoor

May is the Flossmoor Business Association's "Help Grow Flossmoor" month. Consumers are encouraged to collect and save receipts from participating FBA members during the entire month of May. Anyone who spends money in at least three FBA members' locations is eligible for entry into a raffle for one of three gift baskets. For information, visit the Flossmoor Business Association.

CUB Issues Electricity Choice Primer

Responding to reports of customer confusion and potential power scams, the Citizens Utility Board has released a one-page primer on what the electric choices are for consumers in hundreds of communities that have passed “municipal aggregation” referendums and are beginning to negotiate electricity prices on behalf of their residents.

CUB’s primer — “What are my electricity choices?” — can be found at http://www.citizensutilityboard.org/. It is designed to give consumers a two-minute overview of Illinois’ suddenly complicated electricity market so they can avoid bad deals. For decades, residents didn’t have a choice for their electric supplier. But in the last two years alternative companies have flooded the market.

Adding to the complexity, on March 20, more than 240 Illinois communities passed referendums allowing local governments to negotiate residential prices with certain Commonwealth Edison competitors.

Now, those communities have reported a surge in consumer questions and complaints regarding door-to-door, phone and mail solicitations from energy suppliers. As communities finalize “municipal aggregation” contracts on behalf of residents, the window for alternative electricity suppliers to sign up individual customers in those communities is closing. That could be fertile ground for high-pressure sales tactics and consumer confusion, CUB Executive Director David Kolata said.

“Like no other time in the history of Illinois’ electricity market, consumers need education to avoid bad deals,” Kolata said. “If you have any questions about an offer, check with CUB and community leaders before signing up.”

Mom’s Eat Free at Chick-fil-A

Mom’s can eat for free from 8:30-10:30 a.m. tomorrow at the Orland Park Chick-fil-A on LaGrange Road.

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.

Flying Dragon Grounded in Tinley

Flying Dragon closed recently in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy

Flying Dragon, formerly known as Red Dragon Chinese restaurant, appears to be closed. The restaurant at 16651 S. 80th Avenue in Tinley Park, has been dark on several recent days and the phone number goes unanswered during business hours. There is no Flying Dragon website and the website for Red Dragon has been taken down.

Eva’s Bridals Bounces Back

Six months after reopening in its new location at 5269 W. 95th St., Eva’s Bridals has about put the memory of a devastating fire behind it.

“We’re slowly getting there,” said third generation owner Ronia Ghusein on Tuesday. “People are still coming in and congratulating us on surviving.”

As for the new home?

“We love it,” she said with a laugh. “It feels like we’ve been here for 100 years. I thought it would take a lot longer to make the new location feel like home.”

Eva’s even managed to expand during their desperate times by opening a shop in Tinley Park.

“It’s a smaller store so we made it more of a couture shop,” Ghusein said. “We weren’t sure how it would be received. But business has been so good we decided to keep the Tinley salon open.”

Business is almost back to normal at the Oak Lawn shop and that includes three trunk shows in the next two weeks.

“This is a busy season for brides,” Ghusein said. “Couples get engaged over the holidays and then they spend January, February, March and April planning for a summer wedding.”

The trunk shows are by appointment only (call 708-422-5599) and start Friday with a show by wedding designer Jim Hjelm. His gown collection will be on display from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Mother’s Day.

Also up this weekend is the Sottero and Midgley Trunk Show featuring its Spring Collection. That shows runs all day Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The James Clifford Trunk Show rolls into town next weekend featuring his couture gown collection. That show runs all day on Friday, May 18, Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20.

For information, call Eva’s or visit Eva's Bridals of Oak Lawn.

New Lenox French Market Returns Saturday

The New Lenox French Market returns this weekend in the south parking lot of Village Hall, 1 Veterans Parkway. The market runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday until Oct. 6.

This week, the New Lenox Fire Department will be on hand with its Touch a Truck program and the New Lenox School District 122 Foundation will have a face painting table.

Mother, Daughter Shopping Spree

The Downtown Homewood Business Association is again hosting its Mother and Daughter Shopping Spree on Friday and Saturday in Homewood. There will be special discounts offered as well as raffle prizes.

On Saturday, mothers and daughters can create a beautiful spring bouquet by receiving a flower from each participating merchant:

• Bella Vita
• Art 4 Soul
• Farmer's Insurance
• Nathalie's Interiors
• Global Fusion
• Suzie's Hallmark
• Homewood Florist

Tony’s Villa Rosa Pizza Closes in Mokena

After two years in business at its Front Street location in Mokena, Tony's Villa Rosa Pizza closed its doors last week because of what its manager said was a refusal by the new landlord – Great Lakes Bank – to renew the pizzeria’s lease.

The manager said the pizzeria, which has another location in Frankfort and related businesses in Chicago Heights, intends to reopen soon at a new location in Mokena.

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.