About Me

My photo
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.

Rizza Adds GMC to Tinley Dealership

Rizza has added GMC to its offerings at its Tinley Park dealership.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Rizza Cars, Chicagoland Automotive Group, has added a GMC franchise to its Tinley Park location at 8425 W. 159th St. GMC joins Buick and Cadillac at the dealership.

GMC models include SUVs such as Acadia, Terrain and Yukon, as well as Sierra and Canyon trucks.

Rizza also sells Acura, Ford, Kia, Porsche and Saab at dealerships in Orland Park and North Riverside.

 For more information, visit Rizza Cars.

Journeys Backyard Barbecue Hits Orland Park
Motocross meets music when Journeys Backyard Barbecue hits Orland Square Mall from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Metal Mulisha freestyle motocross team will perform three times (12:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.) as it shows off by doing can-cans, black flips and the kiss of death. 

Osiris has a team of skateboard pros that will perform at 1:15 p.m. and 4 p.m. on a 48-foot-wide Super Mini Ramp. Performers include Corey Duffel, Chad Bartie, Caswell Berry, JT Aultz, Kellen James and Pierre-Luc Gagnon. They will hold autograph sessions after each performance.

After a battle of the bands, musical performers will include Hit the Lights at 4:40 p.m. and Never Shout Never from 6-6:45 p.m.


For more information, visit Journeys Backyard Barbecue.

Marquette Bank Holds Appreciation Week
Marquette Bank will be holding its annual Customer and Neighbor Appreciation Week from June 16-23 at branches in the Southland.

The bank will kick off the week by holding a Free Family Party featuring Jim Nesci’s Cold Blooded Creatures on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Orland Park branch at 7560 W. 159th St.

Customers and neighbors are invited to come see Jim Nesci’s Cold Blooded Creatures show featuring alligators and snakes, enjoy refreshments and participate in fun activities.

Saturday is also Switch to Neighborhood Banking Day at all Marquette locations.  Neighbors are encouraged to join the movement toward local banking and strengthening our local economy.  Stop in at any Marquette Bank location for new customer specials and free credit history reports. 

Bank branches also will offer free financial services such as estate planning, retirement checkup, home financing review, and an online bill pay demonstration. 

Marquette will offer free document shredding on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at 6316 S. Western Ave. in Chicago, 5700 W. 159th St. in Oak Forest and 17865 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park. Shredding will be offered on Saturday, June 23, from 10 a.m. to noon at branches in Bolingbrook, New Lenox and 8855 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Oak Lawn.

Marquette Bank’s Customer and Neighbor Appreciation Week will also feature Free On-site Document Shredding at several of its locations on Saturday, June 16 and Saturday, June 23.  Customers can help prevent identity theft by shredding old statements, bills and documents.  Document Shredding will be available at the following locations:
For information, call 1-888-254-9500 or visit www.emarquettebank.com.

Mackey’s Pub Opens in Orland
John Mackey, who has owned Ryan’s Pub in Frankfort since 1997, has opened a new bar and restaurant called, aptly enough, Mackey’s Pub at 9400 W. 143rd St. in Orland Park.

Mackey’s Pub opened last month and features a full bar, specialty martinis and a menu that includes the family’s famous fried chicken.

John and his wife, Maureen, first got started in the bar business when they opened Paddy B’s in 1983 in Orland Park. They sold it in 1997 shortly before buying Ryan’s Pub.

Walt’s Celebrates 75th Anniversary
Walt’s Foods is celebrating its 75th anniversary this week with gift certificate giveaways – just register at any store – and a Hot Dog Stand on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. where you can get a hot dog, chips and a pop for $1.

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.

AMC Theatres Opens MacGuffin’s Bar in Chicago Ridge Mall

AMC Theatres has put in new seats and screens
and opened MacGuffin's Bar
inside Chicago Ridge Mall.
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

 Moviegoers who see a show at Chicago Ridge Mall can now enjoy a cold one while catching a flick.

AMC Theatres, which is in the midst of a major renovation at the mall and has already finished updating the seats and screens at two of the six theaters it operates inside the mall, opened MacGuffin’s Bar and a new concession stand on June 1.

The bar offers beer, wine and cocktails to patrons 21 and older who can meet before a show, recap a movie they have just seen or take their drink of choice into the theater to enjoy while watching a film.

Opening MacGuffin’s is part of AMC’s plan to expand food and drink options at locations nationwide. The chain also has opened MacGuffin’s at AMC Showplace Village Crossing 18 in Skokie and AMC Randhurst 12 in Mount Prospect. 

The name of the bar is an homage to famed director Alfred Hitchcock who used the term to describe a plot device that drives the story.

The other four AMC screens and seats at Chicago Ridge Mall are expected to be fully updated by next month.

For more information about the theatre or to order tickets, visit AMC Theatres Chicago Ridge.

Share Your Soles Needs New Home
Alsip-based Share Your Soles Foundation, a non-profit organization that has been bringing shoes to desperately impoverished people throughout the world for the past 12 years, has to vacate its warehouse by the end of June and is looking for a new home.

Founder Mona Purdy is looking for a vacant warehouse that the group can use. You can contact her at 708-448-4469 or via email at info@shareyoursoles.org.

Rent-a-Center Opens in Tinley
Rent-a-Center, a household appliance rent-to-own company, is now open at 17101 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park in the former Hollywood Video location in the Jewel-Osco plaza. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed on Sundays. For information, call 708-263-6225 or visit Rent-a-Center.

Pittsburg Paints Closes
The Pittsburg Paints store closed recently at 9212 W. 159th St. in Orland Park’s Park Hill Plaza.

Gas Station Switches Brand
Has anyone noticed that the gas station at 19301 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena has changed over to Mobil? It used to be some kind of cut-rate gas station and was a Clark station years ago.

Dad’s Deal of the Week
Ed and Joe’s in Tinley Park has a deal for Father’s Day. Purchase a $25 gift card for Dad and you get a certificate good for one free 16-inch pizza with one topping in July. Offer is good through Sunday, June 17.

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.


Bank Acquires Sam Maguire’s

State Bank of Countryside last week acquired the former Sam Maguire's Irish Pub at auction.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

State Bank of Countryside is the new owner of the former Sam Maguire’s Irish Pub, which closed in Orland Park without warning in early January.

The bank was the only bidder for the property at 39 Orland Square Drive, which was auctioned off on Friday.

A foreclosure lawsuit was filed by the bank in September 2011 against the popular Orland Park restaurant seeking more than $2.2 million from restaurant owners Michael Wilke, Marian Wilke and MTT Investments LLC.

“All the parties involved wanted to move this sale along,” said Michael Coughlin, an attorney with Burke & Handley, who handled the case.

The sale will become final after it is approved by a foreclosure judge in Cook County.

Sam Maguire’s had been for sale for months before it closed with an asking price of $2.7 million. The property is still listed at online realty websites as being for sale with an asking price of $2.2 million.

Torrid Reopens in Orland Square

Torrid, a clothing store for plus-size women, has reopened in its new location in the upper level JCPenney Court at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park. The new store is next to The Body Shop. For information, call 708-226-1860 or visit Torrid Orland Square Mall.

Brannigan Chiropractic Hosts BAH

Brannigan Chiropractic, 1400 Ravinia Place in Orland Park, will celebrate its 10th anniversary by hosting a Business after Hours for the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

For information or to RSVP, call the chamber at 708- 349-2972 or visit Orland Park Chamber.

Garrett to Address Oak Lawn Chamber

Jim Garrett from the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau will be guest speaker at the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce’s monthly meeting at 11:30 a.m. June 12 at the Hilton Oak Lawn, 9333 S. Cicero Ave.
After the lunch, Laura Urban of Globus Family of Brands will have a travel presentation.

Cost is $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

For information, call 708-424-8300 or visit the Oak Lawn Chamber.

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/.