Oak Lawn Hooters shows off new look

LIQUIDATION SALE: Grant's Appliances is holding a liquidation sale at its Orland Park location.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Hooters, a restaurant famous for its wings and waitresses who wear tight T-shirts and short shorts, opened its new-look restaurant last week at 9159 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn.

The new Hooters will act as a flagship for Chicago-area locations, according to the Florida-based chain. It was built next to an existing location, which will be torn down and turned into a parking lot for the new building.

The new Hooters has updated furnishings, video gaming and high-definition television, and a new menu with more wing choices, burgers and salads, all part of a revitalization effort for the restaurant that opened 15 years ago and is one of the busiest in the area for the chain.

Car wash reopens

Tornado Car Wash, which closed a couple of years ago, reopened last week at 5735 S. Archer Road in Summit. It has new owners.

Countryside lands Chick-fil-A restaurant

A couple of years ago, fans of Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches had to head south to get their fill.

Now, there are 12 of the restaurants in the Chicago area.

Another new one is slated to open by the end of next year in Countryside's City Center, in the final parcel of the city-sponsored development at Joliet and LaGrange roads.

"Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring or early summer with an opening in the fall," said Countryside City Administrator Gail Paul.

"It's supposed to be a unique location, a prototype," said Paul. The 3/4 acre parcel is smaller than most, she added.

"It's also supposed to be the first with some kind of queuing system in front of the counter," she said. "Right now, you kind of stand there until an order taker is ready."

Paul said the city signed off on redevelopment plans last month, though she does not know if it's a new franchise owner or a second location for one of the locations that has opened in the nearby suburbs over the years.

 

Nearby Chick-fil-A locations are in Chicago Ridge and North Riverside. The first Chick-fil-A in the Chicago-area opened a few years ago in Orland Park.

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.com.

Mondello closes in Palos

Mondello City Grill closed earlier this month in Palos Heights.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy 

Mondello City Grill closed its doors at 13415 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Palos Heights without warning earlier this month.

Managers were told Dec. 3 that the restaurant was closed and they notified workers that the business was shut.

The sudden closing stunned groups that had scheduled Christmas parties, including Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz.

"It caught us off guard and we had to reschedule our Christmas party," said Straz, who is a vice president at CNB bank in Palos Heights. He said the bank moved the party to Francesca's.

Straz said the closing came as a surprise. "They were just advertising for their New Year's Eve party," he said.

A worker at Palos Heights City Hall said Mondello's had not renewed its liquor license, which expires at the end of the year.

"All we know is that they are not planning on reopening," he said.

Owner Mario Mondello said opening the restaurant was his dream come true when he opened in April in the former Limestone City Grill.

Mondello, who lives in Hickory Hills, is the owner of Mario's Salon at 11329 S. Harlem Ave. in Worth. This was his first attempt at running a restaurant. The salon appears to be unaffected by the closing.

Efforts to reach Mondello for comment were unsuccessful.

Big R store coming to Homer Glen

A Big R store has been approved by Homer Glen trustees to fill the former Kmart store at Bell Road and 159th Street.

The new store is expected to open at 15830 S. Bell Road sometime in 2015.

Big R stores cater to owners of small farms, which are still plentiful in the Homer Glen area. The stores carry a wide range of merchandise from clothing and footwear to sporting goods to farm supplies. Most stores also feature rental centers.

The Watseka-based chain has 16 stores; nine in Illinois and seven in Indiana. The closest Illinois store is about 40 miles away in Morris.

The store is expected to have about 50 permanent positions.

The village approved a sales tax sharing agreement with the retailer for the next 10 years as an inducement.

"Getting the former Kmart property back into productive use has been a top priority for economic development," said Mayor Jim Daley in a release on the village website. 

Frankfort burrito joint closes

Mi Burrito closed its doors recently at 21112 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort. The restaurant opened a few years ago as a location of Oak Lawn-based Lucky Burrito, but it changed its name and menu in the summer of 2013.

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.com 

New country and western saloon opens in Oak Forest

Rockin' Horse Saloon opened last month in Oak Forest.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A new watering hole with a definite country feel opened last month in the south suburbs.

Rockin' Horse Saloon and Grill opened Nov. 10 at 5200 W. 159th St. in Oak Forest in the former Oxygen Teen Club.

"It all country themed," said general manager Bob Potokar. "We even have reclaimed barn wood decorating the inside."

Potokar said the three owners decided on a country theme because there was no other country music bar within at least 15 miles of Oak Forest. He said the joint underwent an extensive remodeling to help give it that country vibe.

It appears to be working.

"We have had overwhelmingly great response," Potokar said. "Incredible response."

He said Rockin' Horse features live music on Saturday with a DJ on Friday nights.

"We have line dancing on Mondays and Thursdays," he said.

Karaoke is coming. "Probably after the first of the year," he said.

Helping set Rockin' Horse apart are the baskets of bacon it serves to customers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

"Something to set us apart from others. Every table gets a basket of bacon," Potokar said.

He said the saloon will partner with vendors and country radio stations, such as US99, for special events at least quarterly.

As for the food?

"We don't have total country fare," Potokar said, adding Rockin' Horse smokes its own barbecue cuts.

"We also offer ribbon chips," he said, explaining that it's a potato that is sliced to the size of a ribbon and served in one lengthy piece. "They are very popular."

Potokar said Rockin' Horse will hold a grand opening on Saturday, Dec. 13. 

Hours are from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

For information, call 708-687-4100 or visit Rockin' Horse on Facebook. A website is under construction.

Berkot's opens supermarket in Midlothian

Mokena-based Berkot's Super Foods opened its 16th supermarket last week at 4640 W. 147th St. in Midlothian.

The new Berkot's opened Dec. 4 in the former Sentry Foods store, which closed in March after being open in that location for 22 years.

Berkot's has a history of opening in former supermarkets instead of building new stores.

Hours for the Midlothian location will be from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Harold's opens another chicken shack

Harold's Chicken Shack, which has dishing fried chicken in the suburbs and city neighborhoods since the early 1950s, opened a new restaurant last month in Lansing.

Harold's Chicken Shack No. 6 opened at 3224 Ridge Road in the Lan Ridge Plaza in the former Jimmy K's Pizza, which closed last year.

The Lansing location is one of the newer franchised operations the Homewood-based chain has been switching to from licensed agreements. 

Hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

For information, call 708-474-2000.

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.com