Matt’s TV to Hit Milestone this Week

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Matt’s TV at 17236 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park is expected to service its 100,000^th customer this week.

“Based on our typical week, we should hit 100,000 by the end of this week,” said store manager Walter Jones.

Jones said the lucky customer will receive prizes and lots of recognition.

The store has been around for more than 50 years and has been in Tinley Park since 1971. The store has been owned by Jim Fuentes, known as the Mayor of Oak Park Avenue, for the past eight years. He also runs his State Farm Insurance Agency from inside the store.

For information and to maybe be the lucky 100,000^th customer, call 708-532-4626 or visit Matt’s TV & Electronics.

Root Studio Moves

Root Studio in Mokena moved recently from 10100 W. 191^st St. to new digs at 18811 S. 90^th Avenue. For information, call 708-390-2990.

Wireless, Resale Shop Closes

Universal Wireless and Frankfort Resale closed recently at 7222 W. Benton Dr. in Frankfort Square.

Chick-fil-A, Bridge Teen Center to host Car Show

Chick-fil-A in Orland Park and the Bridge Teen Center in Orland Park are teaming up to host a Car Show at the restaurant, 15605 S. LaGrange Road, starting at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25.

Antique and classic cars are expected to fill the restaurant’s parking lot. There is no charge to participate in the show.

Guests are being asked to park in the nearby Lowe’s parking lot.

Guests will be able to vote for their favorite car as well as enjoy music and food. A percentage of the night’s proceeds will go to the Bridge Teen Center to help fund its free programs.

For information, call Rob at 708-532-0500.

Children’s Museum Hosting Business After Hours

The Children’s Museum of Oak Lawn, 5100 Museum Drive, is hosting a multi-chamber Business after Hours from 5:30-8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25. Orland Chamber members can RSVP by today to Tracey at 708-423-6709 Ext. 206 or via email to tracey.barattia@cmoaklawn.org.

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.

New Owners Take Over at Dickey’s Barbecue in Orland Park

Sonny DeWitt (left) and Joe Pirelli prepare ribs at Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Sonny DeWitt and Joe Pirelli have taken over as owners of the Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Orland Park.

DeWitt and Pirelli took ownership of the restaurant at 15110 S. LaGrange Road on July 6. It is the second location for them. They have owned a Dickey’s in Schererville, Ind., for three years.

“He’s a Chicago guy and I’m from northwest Indiana,” he said. “Joe is the meat guy and I take care of the rest of it.”

“We always knew we were going to open another Dickey’s,” said DeWitt, 46, who lives in Highland, Ind. 

“We just didn’t know it would be so soon.”

DeWitt and Pirelli bought the Orland location from brothers John and Joseph Bak, who opened the smokehouse in January. The Texas-based chain is noted for its beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, smoked turkey, smoked ham, ribs and sausage.

“They had decided to sell the restaurant and asked if we wanted to buy it,” said DeWitt. “They closed on Thursday and we opened on Friday. No one even noticed the change it was that smooth.”

DeWitt said he and Pirelli are hands on owners and added customers should expect to see either one of them at the Orland location.

“We will walk the floor and make sure everybody knows who we are and make sure they are having a great experience,” DeWitt said.

DeWitt said while he is concentrating efforts on the Orland location, he knows the Schererville location is in good hands: his cousin’s.

DeWitt, who also is Midwest Area Manager for the Texas-based chain, said one of his jobs is talking with prospective franchisees about Dickey’s.

“That’s how I got to know the Bak brothers,” he said.

Hours will remain the same from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and the food will meet Dickey’s highest standards, DeWitt said. The Orland location has seating for about 55 people.

For information on the Orland location, call the restaurant at 708-226-3090 or visit its Facebook page. For information on Dickey’s, visit the company’s website Dickey’s Barbecue Pit.

Family Fun Night at Odyssey

Members of the Mokena, Orland Park and Tinley Park chambers of commerce are invited to a multi-chamber Family Fun Night from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, at Odyssey Fun World, 19111 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park. For information, call 708-429-3800. Members should RSVP to their respective chambers.

Library Names New Director

Oak Lawn resident Jim Deiters took over this month as new director of the Oak Lawn Public Library replacing longtime director James Casey, who retired on June 29.

Deiters was appointed to the post last month and moved over from a similar position at the Blue Island Public Library.

Deiters has a Master of Library and Information Science degree from Dominican University and has worked in public libraries for the past 16 years.

Jump Zone Opens

Jump Zone, an 11,000-square-foot indoor party and play center, has opened at 10140 Virginia Ave. in Chicago Ridge. For information, call 708-572-0155 or visit Jump Zone.

Credit Union 1 Opens

Lombard-based Credit Union 1 has opened a branch at 5535 W. 95^th St.

The credit union began in 1958 as the Chanute Military Credit Union at Chanute Air Force Base in downstate Rantoul. It changed its name in 1982 after the Air Force closed the base. In 1999, it merged with Paysaver Credit Union.

The credit union has more than 87,000 members, mostly in Illinois and Indiana.

For information, call 708-422-0124 or 800-252-6950 or visit Credit Union 1.

Special of the Weekend

You can save $3 off each adult brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday at 94 West Steak & Seafood in Orland Park if you mention you saw their ad in an email on Friday.

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.

Graystone Golf Course to Close

Graystone Golf Course in Tinley Park will close at the end of the season.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

If you’re a fan of Graystone Golf Course at 7600 W. 191^st St. in Tinley Park, you better make your tee times soon.

The nine-hole layout will end its run as a golf course at the end of its current season.

Owners of the course, which was built by Jim Gray and opened in 1995, want to turn the 48-acre site into either a sod farm or soybean farm. Odds favor a sod farm as there is already an irrigation system in place to water the grounds.

Karen Gray, one of three owners and the person who has operated the course since Mr. Gray’s death in 2009, did not return phone calls.

Village records indicate the course has been for sale since Mr. Gray died but there has been little real interest in buying the land, which is zoned for office and restricted industrial use.

The village board has to approve a special use permit to allow the farming, but that shouldn’t be a problem. There are farms all around the course and the Plan Commission has endorsed the permit.

As part of the special use permit, the folks who own the course have to keep trying to sell the land.

That’s no problem. The site is currently being advertised – as a former golf course – with the price listed as negotiable.

Wrestling Show at Convention Center

Purely Obsessed Wrestling World is bringing pro wrestling to the Tinley Park Convention Center on Saturday, July 21.

Former WWE stars “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn and Bob “Hardcore” Holly highlight the night’s action.

Doors open at 5 p.m. for a meet and greet with Gunn and Holly. General admission starts at 6 p.m. and the action starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

For information, visit POWWEntertainment.

Oak Ridge Family Dental Grows

Dr. Meghan E. Gaffney recently joined the staff at Oak Ridge Family Dental, 4445 W. 95^th St.

Dr. Gaffney grew up in Lemont and graduated cum laude in 2008 from Creighton University in Omaha with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. In 2012, Dr. Gaffney graduated with a Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Creighton’s School of Dentistry. She is an active member of the American Dental Association, the Illinois Dental Society and the Chicago Dental Society.

While living in Nebraska, Dr. Gaffney was a dance instructor at Craio na Tire Studio of Irish Dance.

Bookworm Café Drops Expansion

Plans have been dropped for the Bookworm Café to open a second location inside the New Lenox Public Library, but it remains business as usual for the location inside the Oak Lawn Public Library, which celebrated its first anniversary in May.

The café is located on the library’s first floor near the Raymond Avenue entrance. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1-4 p.m.

The café offers free wireless Internet access.

For information on daily specials, call 708-357-9676.

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.