U.S. Cellular shutting down a dozen retail stores in Chicago area

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

As part of the sale last year of the Chicago market and five other Midwest markets to Sprint Nextel for $480 million, U.S. Cellular Corp. will close a dozen retail cell phone stores in the Chicago area.

Stores closing are in Country Club Hills, Countryside, Evergreen Park, Crestwood, Homewood, Chicago, Lansing, Joliet, Olympia Fields, Oak Lawn, Matteson and Orland Park. Two stores in Merrillville and Schererville in northwest Indiana also will close.

The cell phone company will close a total of 70 stores in Illinois and the two stores in northwest Indiana.

The closings will start May 17 and affect more than 100 workers.

U.S. Cellular has said it would remain headquartered in Chicago after the deal closes and intends to retain the naming rights to U.S. Cellular Field, where the White Sox play. That deal is set to run through 2023.

The Great Escape opens pool store in Tinley

The Great Escape has reopened its Tinley Park location at 7787 W. 159^th St. as a pool store selling only pool chemicals and accessories.

The store was turned into an outlet store last year after a new Great Escape opened next to Best Buy at 159^th Street and LaGrange Road in Orland Park and then shut down completely last fall.

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, call the store at 708-429-3140 or visit TheGreat Escape online.

Justice garden center approved

A business license was approved last month for Sun & Shade Garden Center, 8500 W. 79^th St. in Justice. The store will carry garden equipment and supplies.

Her Closet Boutique moves to Homewood

A longtime fixture in Flossmoor, Her Closet Boutique announced on its Facebook page this week that the store would open in its new home in Homewood’s Cherry Creek Plaza on Saturday.

Owner Rose Demko shut the shop’s doors in Flossmoor at the beginning of the week after 18 years and moved into new and bigger quarters at 18334 Governors Highway. The shop will also double the size of its inventory.

For information, visit Her Closet Boutique online.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

Menards to open Tuesday in Evergreen

Menards will open Tuesday in Evergreen Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy


The first store in the economic redevelopment of the former Evergreen Country Club at 9100 S. Western Ave. will arrive Tuesday morning whe n the long-awaited Menards finally opens its doors as part of a soft opening (no fanfare).

The store is about 200,000 square feet in size and employs about 150 workers.

A nine-day grand opening celebration will be announced a little later.

For a more complete report, check out this story from ourfriends at the Oak Lawn Patch.

Szarotka’s adds gaming machines to menu

Szarotka’s, a restaurant at 8100 S. Roberts Road in Justice that specializes in traditional Polish and ethnic European cuisine such as potato pancakes, cabbage rolls and pierogi, recently added video gaming to its menu.

The establishment (known by locals as Szarotka’s Hideaway) installed five of the video gaming terminals, which is the state limit, and they are operated by Accel Entertainment Gaming LLC in Bolingbrook.

According to Wally, one of the co-owners who declined to give his last name, the machines have been well received.

“So far, they are doing good,” he said.

State law imposes a 30 percent tax on gaming revenues and 5 percent of that goes to the local municipality.

Szarotka’s is the sixth establishment in Justice to carry video gaming terminals (basically video poker games).

Other businesses with the machines and their tax contribution to the village for February include Chino’s Pizzeria, $1,125; Davern’s Tavern & Lounge, $1,874; Duett Bar, $2,108; Melody Lounge, $637. The village’s total take for February was $5,743.

Walmart rolls back gas prices

Now through July 7, Walmart is helping customers save money on fuel purchases through its Great Gas Rollback program in 21 states including Illinois.

Walmart customers using a Walmart gift card will receive a 10 cent per gallon discount; customers who use a Walmart MoneyCard or Walmart Credit Card will save 15 cents per gallon on their fuel purchase.

Stations participating include those at: Bridgeview, 10260 S. Harlem Ave., Bedford Park, 7050 S. Cicero Ave., Hodgkins, 9450 Joliet Road, McCook, 42nd Street and Hinsdale Avenue.

Lansing Chamber grand opening

The Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. at its new office at 3330 181^st Place Suite 103 in the Clock Tower office building.

Barry Bergstrom & Associates, Paul Smit & Associates and Kotecki-Turek-Shanahan Agency are  hosting a Business after Hours for the chamber from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

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.

Atlas Oil to hold Earth Market grand opening in Frankfort on Monday

Earth Market convenience stores will offer
amenities such as leather chairs and Wi-Fi.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Atlas Oil, a Michigan-based company that provides gasoline to more than 400 stations including several it owns in the Southland, will launch its new convenience store concept called Earth Market with a grand opening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, April 22, at its Frankfort store at U.S. 30 and LaGrange Road in the BP station. That’s also Earth Day. 

“We wanted to market a destination,” said Mike Evans, vice president of retail and real estate for Taylor, Mich.-based Atlas Oil. “The market has changed so much and we needed to change with it.” 

Earth Market is also a cause as well as a brand, Evans said. 

“We will offer discounts to customers who bring back their coffee cups and water bottles,” he said explaining Atlas’ commitment to recycling. 

Earth Markets are designed to be family friendly, he said. 

"Besides having great Eco-Earth Coffee, Earth Markets will have a common theme and a common look with the same amenities from station to station,” he said. 

Amenities will include a café style area with lime green leather chairs, TVs, a fireplace and Wi-Fi access. 

“We want the stores to be a convenient meeting place for friends, family or students to gather,” Evans said. 

The company has rolled out the Earth Market concept at five stores including the one in Frankfort and additional stations at LaGrange Road and 191^st Street in Mokena, at 7993 W. 95^th St. in Hickory Hills, at 12230 S. Cicero Ave. in Alsip and Oswego. 

“We have another 19 locations interested in adopting the Earth Market concept,” Evans said. “We will have in excess of 30 Earth Market locations by the end of the year. 

“We are offering the Earth Market franchise to any of the stations that we supply,” he said. 

“We anticipate Earth Market will be a successful brand.” 

Bombshell Boutique grand opening 

Bombshell Boutique Salon, which opened last summer, will hold its ribbon cutting and grand opening at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 23, at 9031 W. 151^st St. Suite 205 in Orland Park. Owner is Katrina Hegeduis. For information, call 708-768-1089. 

Tattoo parlor opens in Justice 

The Spot Tattoo opened last month as a tattoo and body piercing studio at 8646 S. Roberts Road in Justice. For information, call 708-233-6348 or visit The Spot Tattoo on Facebook. 

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 follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.