Cycle Gear store for motorcyclists to open Friday in Tinley Park

Cycle Gear will open its 99th store on Friday in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Cycle Gear, a national retailer of motorcycle apparel and accessories, will open its second store in the Chicago area at 10 a.m. Friday at 6905 W. 159^th St. in Tinley Park. The grand opening will be June 28-30.

It will be the second Midwestern location for the retailer, which opened in 1974 and is based in Benicia, Calif., near San Francisco.

“We opened the first Midwestern store in November in Schaumburg,” said Johnny Lin, chief marketing officer. “We wanted to make sure we could sell motorcycle accessories in the winter in Chicago. Our biggest fear was that sales would disappear in the winter months. That didn’t happen.”

Lin said the Tinley store would be about 3,500 square feet, about average for a regular store. The company has some superstores that range from 15,000 square feet in Mesa, Arizona, to 30,000 square feet in Sacramento, Caif.

“We sell everything except the bike itself,” Lin said. “That includes everything from boots to helmets to parts.”

Lin said Cycle Gear carries accessories for all brands of motorcycles except Harleys.

“They have their own chain of retail stores,” Lin said.

Lin said the company is in growth mode and the Tinley store will be the retailer’s 99^th store. The 100^th store will open later this summer in Harrisburg, Penn.

“We’ve opened four stores in the last year,” he said.

Lin said the company will probably open a third Chicago-area store in the future, but he didn’t have a timetable or location for that store.

He said the Tinley store would have a staff of 10-12 team members led by store manager Nycool (pronounced Nicole) Yarnall.

“We’re recruiting team members for both the Tinley and Schaumburg stores,” Lin said. “Just visit the stores or apply at the company website.”

Lin said there would be lots of giveaways for the grand opening weekend in particular as well as for the next month. Raffle prizes will include a GoPro Camera, Shoei Helmet and a Cycle Gear shopping spree. 

“We’ll have a lot of swag to give away,” he said.

The Tinley store will be open seven days a week, which Lin said was unusual for motorcycle shops.

“Most cycle shops are closed on Sunday and a lot are also closed on Monday,” he said. “We pride ourselves on being open seven days a week.”

Hours for the Tinley store will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, visit Cycle Gear online or check out Cycle Gear Tinley Park on Facebook.

Stay of execution for Rand Hallmark stores

Closing of the Rand Hallmark stores in Frankfort, Tinley Park, Orland Hills, Joliet, Lockport and Oswego has been delayed until the end of the month as owner Gary Watland tries to find buyers for the shops, which had been planning on closing Monday night before hitting the auction block Tuesday.

Charter Fitness opens new facility in New Lenox

Charter Fitness has opened its new larger facility at 1325 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox and closed two locations that were former Cardinal Fitness centers at 2465 E. Joliet Highway and 800 Laraway Road.

The new facility has longer hours, more parking and better fitness equipment including cardio exercisers and an outdoor running track. The new gym is also planning free Wi-Fi and child care.

Hours are 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For information, call 815-463-8500 or visit Charter Fitness of New Lenox 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.

Lawn Funeral Home to open new location this summer in Tinley

Lawn Funeral Home is expecting to open in Tinley Park this summer.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Lawn Funeral Home, which is celebrating its 50^th anniversary, is about ready to open its third location in Tinley Park.

The funeral home was founded in Burbank in 1962 by Don Jarka Sr. A second location opened at 7732 W. 159^th St. in Orland Park in 1987. Now a third location is under construction at 179^th Street and 94^th Avenue in Tinley Park.

“We just thought it was a good move,” said Don Jarka Jr. “We’re kind of excited about it.”

Construction started early this year on the 16,000-square-foot funeral home, which should be ready by July, Jarka said.

“Definitely before the summer is over with,” Jarka said. “The guys are out there every day making progress.” 

When completed, the new full-service facility will provide all the same services as Lawn provides at its Burbank and Orland Park locations. The new facility will feature a chapel, viewing rooms and a family lounge.

 For information, call 708-429-3200 or visit Lawn Funeral Homes.

The funeral home construction is being handled by Miller Architects & Builders of St. Cloud, Minn.

J.D. Byrider opens in South Holland

J.D. Byrider, a used car dealer that caters to buyers with iffy credit, opened earlier this year in South Holland and celebrated its grand opening and ribbon cutting recently at 300 W. 162^nd St. 

Roger Swerbit owns the franchise that has a staff of 12. 

The dealership showroom is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The service department is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The dealership is closed on Sunday. 

For information, call 708-232-1740.

Kerry Funeral Home grand opening today

Kerry Funeral Home will hold its grand opening and ribbon cutting from 4:30-7 p.m. today at 7020 W. 127th St. in Palos Heights.

Ribbon cutting for Dollar Does It on Thursday

The Mokena Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon cutting and Business after Hours from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at Dollar Does It at 19826 S. LaGrange Road in Mokena.

RSVP to the chamber office at 708-479-2468.

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.

Ricobene’s closes in Orland Hills

Ricobene's closed June 2 in Orland Hills.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Ricobene’s, which boasted that it was the home of the famous “breaded steak sandwich” since 1946, earlier this month closed its location at 9135 w. 159th St. in Orland Hills after being open for 15 years. 

The company posted a sign on the doors at the Orland Hills location saying the restaurant was closed as of June 2 because of downsizing “in these economic times.”

The sign also said, “The Ricobene family thanks you all for the love and support you have given us over the many years. We look forward to seeing you again.”

Also closed was a location at 51^st and Pulaski in Chicago’s Archer Heights neighborhood. The family posted a note on its Facebook page that the Archer Heights location was closed for good despite a sign in the window stating it was closed for remodeling.

The company said the closings were necessary in order to keep the original location at 252 W. 26^th St. open. Also remaining open, for now, was a location in Bolingbrook.

Calls to the company’s store on 26^th Street were not returned.

Blackhawks store opens in Mokena

One of those pop-up stores that sells team merchandise in cities involved in championships has opened in the parking lot of the Gas-n-Wash at 8810 W. 191^st St. in Mokena. Blackhawks clothes and other memorabilia is available.

Other pop-up stores have been reported at 111^th Street and Ridgeland Avenue, 135^th Street and Ridgeland and Harlem Avenue and Southwest Highway.

Teavana now open at Chicago Ridge Mall

Teavana, a team emporium and tea bar, opened last month at Chicago Ridge Mall in Chicago Ridge.

The store features tea from more than 14 countries.

For more information, call 708-423-5245.

Sears closing South Side stores

Once mighty Sears continues to close longtime stores as the retailer tries to right a sinking ship. The latest closings are locations at 1334 E. 79^th St. and 6153 S. Western Ave., both in Chicago.

Both stores are holding store closing sales.

Sears last week closed its store at the River Oaks Mall in Calumet City, which opened almost 50 years ago. Last year, the retailer closed its store in Lincoln Mall in Matteson.

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.