Orland Berkot’s to Open on Thursday

Berkot's Super Foods will open its newest store in Orland Park on Thursday,

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Berkot’s Super Foods will open its newest store at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 21, at 11333 W. 159^th St. in Orland Park’s Wolf Crossing Plaza.

The 40,000-square-foot store will be the Mokena-based chain’s largest and will feature its highly regarded meat department, produce department, deli and bakery.

Grand opening events will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday to Sunday. The first 100 customers each day will receive a free bag of groceries.

Each day, Berkot’s will play “Check-out Bingo” every 15 minutes and the winner will receive a $10 gift card for their next visit and a chance to spin the Prize Wheel with prizes ranging from appliances to movie passes to a $1,000 shopping spree grand prize.

On Friday, former Black Hawks star Dennis Savard will be at the store from 6-7:30 p.m. promoting Savy’s Pizza. On Saturday, former Bears star Richard Dent will be on hand from 2-4 p.m. to promote MillerCoors.

Berkot’s opened its first store in Mokena in 1990 and has 12 other locations in the Southwest Suburbs.

Cleaners Closes in Orland

AmeriClean Cleaners recently shut its doors at 11021 W. 179th St. in Orland Park.

Odyssey Sweet Spot Hosts Chamber

Odyssey Sweet Spot sports bar and driving range at 19110 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park will show off its new beer garden while hosting a Business After Hours for the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday.

Aladdin’s Cave Resale Shop Opens

A resale shop called Aladdin’s Cave opened recently at 509 E. 45^th Avenue in Griffith, Ind.

The store specializes in vintage items and antiques.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays.

For information, call 219- 972–1715.

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.

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. 159^th 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. 159^th 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. 159^th 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. 143^rd 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 75^th Anniversary

Walt’s Foods is celebrating its 75^th 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. 159^th 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.