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I have more than 40 years in the news business and have successfully evolved into an electronic journalist. Comings & Goings and Southland Savvy track news about businesses in Chicago's Southland.

New York & Co. Open Again in Orland

New York & Company district sales manager Beth Muszynski (left) and store manager Cindy McCollum cut the ribbon to officially reopen the Orland Square Mall store.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Women’s clothing retailer New York & Company is open again at Orland Square Mall in its newly remodeled store on the upper level Sears Court. The store held its official reopening last week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. For information, call (708) 349-2088 or visit New York & Company.

Garden Gallery Grand Opening

Burbank-based Garden Center Services, a not-for-profit agency that supports people with developmental disabilities, will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting from 5-9 p.m. tomorrow at its new Garden Gallery & Studio at 17459 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

The event will feature refreshments, live music and the chance to meet local artists who have artwork on display in the gallery.

Clients of Garden Center Services have been using the studio for art classes since March.

For information, call 708-560-4400 or visit Garden Gallery.

Whitey’s Dairy Palace Open for the Season

Whitey’s Dairy Palace is open again at 16860 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park with a menu of ice cream and hot dogs.

Charter Fitness Offers Free Passes to Military

Orland Park-based Charter Fitness is giving free gym passes to any member of the military on short-term leave from active duty.

The Orland Park-based fitness chain also is waiving joining fees for locally-based members of the military and their spouses and children. This deal also applies to local police and firefighters and their families.

Service personnel home on leave need only present their IDs and leave papers to qualify for the free passes, which are good for the duration of their leave and entitle them to full use of Charter Fitness locations.

For information and locations, visit Charter Fitness.

Marquette Bank Holds 5th Annual Food Drive

Marquette Bank has launched its fifth annual Neighborhood Food Drive and is collecting donations at all 24 bank locations until June 23.

Food and monetary donations will be distributed to local food pantries and neighborhood food banks through the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

“Last year, Marquette Bank donated over 62,500 meals to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Northern Illinois Food Bank,” said Executive Vice President Betty Kosky-Harn. “With the help of our employees, customers and neighbors, we look forward to making this year’s food drive a huge success.”

Donations of non-perishable food items can be placed in food barrels at any of the bank’s 24 locations. Employees also will be spending several days volunteering at the Greater Chicago Food Depository sorting and packing donated food items.

The Limited Opens at Chicago Ridge Mall

The Limited, a women’s clothing store, opened a 5,000-square-foot new concept store last week at Chicago Ridge Mall near Center Court. For information, call 708-346-9120 or visit The Limited.

CUB to Pay Lucky Someone’s April Electric Bill

The Citizens Utility Board announced on Earth Day that one out of every 10 families who sign up for the consumer group’s free online energy bill-cutting service, CUBenergysaver.com, will have their electric bills paid in the month of April, up to $150.

CUBenergysaver.com was launched in June 2010 as a partnership between CUB and New York City-based Efficiency 2.0. Since then, the tool has helped consumers trim their gas and electric bills by an average of $130 a year by recommending hundreds of personalized energy-saving actions.

Efficiency 2.0 has offered to cover the April electric bill, up to $150, for one out of every 10 consumers who join CUB Energy Saver before June 1. Join at www.CUBenergysaver.com/earth.

“Protecting the planet starts at your doorstep,” CUB Executive Director David Kolata said in a release. “CUB Energy Saver proves that there are hundreds of ways to cut costs and reduce energy waste. It’s simple, it’s free, and it’s what Earth Month is all about.”

CUB Energy Saver links to a household's Commonwealth Edison account to track actual reductions in energy waste. It then rewards those reductions with points — two for every kilowatt-hour saved — that can be redeemed for shopping and restaurant discounts. The tool works for all residential electric consumers, including those who have signed up for alternative electric suppliers.

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/.

Baumann’s Bakery Open for Business

Courtesy Palos Patch
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Workmen spent most of Monday repairing the damage caused on Friday when a car accidentally crashed through the front window at Baumann’s Bakery at 12248 S. Harlem Ave. in Palos Heights.

“We’re trying to get it ready for (Tuesday),” owner Cathy Baumann said Monday morning.

They succeeded and the popular bakery, which was closed to customers over the weekend, reopened its doors this morning.

Baumann’s has been a fixture on Harlem Avenue in Palos Heights for the past 28 years.

Back to Bed Opens in New Tinley Location

Chicago-area retailer Back to Bed has just opened a new store at 15970 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park in the former Blockbuster store. The store marks the company’s return to Tinley Park after pulling out of the Brookside Marketplace earlier this year.

For information, call 708-781-4346 or visit Back to Bed.

Plant Sale in Flossmoor

The Flossmoor Farmers Market, which doesn’t officially open until mid-June, is sponsoring its annual Plant Sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday at the Flossmoor Library, 1000 Sterling Ave.

Free Slurpees on Wednesday

Slurpee fans can get free samples from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow when participating 7-Eleven stores will be handing out free 7.11 ounce servings to kick off the chain’s Flavors of Summer promotion and to celebrate the launch of the company’s first sugar-free Slurpee Lite flavor -- Mango. The retailer will do it all again on July 11, when it celebrates its birthday.

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/.

Business As Usual at The Ashford House

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The Ashford House in Tinley Park didn’t let Saturday’s melee keep it down for long.

The Irish-flavored restaurant at 7959 W. 159th St. was the site of a bizarre and brutal attack Saturday afternoon when a group of hooded assailants burst in and started pummeling a group that has been described as white supremacists.

The restaurant was closed for the rest of Saturday as police investigated the incident.

The restaurant was open for business as usual on Sunday and again today, though owner Mike Winston told the Tribune that customers were noticeably absent on Sunday.

I suspect its patrons will return, in no small part to the restaurant’s great deals, good service and friendly staff.

Free Sandwiches Today at Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A in Orland Park will be handing out free chicken sandwiches from 4-8 p.m. today at the eatery’s Original Chicken Sandwich Dinner Party!

Amphitheater to Host Business After Hours

First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre and Live Nation will host a Business After Hours and Open House from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday for members of the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce. RSVP to 312-540-2180 or via email to chicagovip@livenation.com.

RoccoVino’s Grand Opening

RoccoVino’s Italian Restaurant, which opened to the public on May 7, will hold its ribbon cutting and grand opening at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at its new home at 11255 W. 143rd St. For information, call the Orland Park Chamber at 708-349-2972.

Orland Township Job Fair Tomorrow

Orland Township is hosting a free job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at the township activity center, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave. in Orland Park.

Companies scheduled to attend include Western and Southern Financial Group, Home Instead Senior Care, Palos Community Hospital, Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors, Bridgestone Retail Operations, Marquette Bank, Avon, Cintas, Bath & Body Works, Chiro One Wellness Centers, Corn Products International, Plastipak Packaging, Governors State University, Prudential Insurance, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Pace Suburban Bus Company, Express, Primerica, All State Insurance, Rodan and Field Dermotologists and Farmers Insurance Group.

Business attire is required and attendants should bring updated resumes.

For information, visit Orland Township. Employers interested in participating may call 708-403-4222.

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/.