BP Station Coming to Tinley Park

An artist's rendering of the planned BP station in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

In case you haven’t noticed, work has begun on the former Clark gas station at 159th Street and 80th Avenue in Tinley Park.

The corner has been fenced off and the building and pumps have been removed as site preparation has begun on a BP gas station that will also have a convenience store and a car wash in the back of the store.

The site plan has been approved, said Assistant Village Manager Michael Mertens.

Calls to property owner George Zervos were not returned.

Pita Wrapped
The Pita Wrap restaurant and an adjoining Verizon store closed recently in a strip mall at 6905 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park.

Orland Chamber Holiday Open House
The Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce is holding a Holiday Open House at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at McCord Gallery and Cultural Center, 9602 Creek Road in Palos Park. The seventh annual Holiday Shoppe will feature unique, handcrafted articles from some of the finest artists and craftsmen in this area. You will be able to choose from pottery, jewelry, fused glass, toys, scarves, wooden boxes, ornaments and much, much more. A portion of your purchases are tax deductible. RSVP to 708-349-2972 or online at http://www.orlandparkchamber.org/.

Rudolph to Rock at Rock Bottom
The Orland Park Prairie and Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant are teaming up again to help Orland Township families and organizations this holiday season. Through Dec. 14, Rock Bottom's house red ale will be renamed Rudolph the Prairie Red with 25 cents of each glass ordered going to a fund to purchase presents for families in Orland Township's Holiday Program 2011.

Tinley Holiday Market
The annual Tinley Park Holiday Market will be held Dec. 2-4 at Zabrocki Plaza and the Oak Park Avenue Metra Station. For a complete list of events, including parades and visits by Santa, go online to http://www.tinleypark.org/.

 

Rock Bottom Hosts Rudolph Party

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The public is invited to a Rudolph the Prairie Red Party from 6-8 p.m. tonight at Rock Bottom, 16156 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

Anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy (donated to Toy Box Connection's Operation Homefront Illinois project) or three canned food items (donated to the Orland Township Food Pantry) will receive a free glass of Rudolph the Prairie Red.

Commemorative $5 glasses will also be available, with the majority of the proceeds benefiting a fund to purchase presents for Orland Township families participating in the Orland Township's Holiday Program 2011.

A special appetizer created by Chef Jose Torres will also be available for purchase.

For information, call 708-226-0021 or 708-326-9170.

Sapporo Closes in Mokena

Sapporo closed over the Labor Day weekend in Mokena.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The restaurant scene in Mokena has changed quite a bit in recent weeks.

The biggest change was the abrupt closing of Sapporo Japanese restaurant, 19031 Old LaGrange Road, when the owner just walked away from the restaurant over the Labor Day weekend.

“She pulled a midnight move,” said Jim Burke, who owns the plaza where Sapporo was located. “They took everything out including hibachi grills and kitchen fixtures that were permanently affixed.”

Well, not quite everything.

“We did find rotten food in one of the freezers,” said Burke. “The maintenance guy had to wear a respirator when he cleaned up the mess, it was that bad.”

“We knew things were bad because they were so far behind in their rent,” said Burke. “We had heard they were going to leave on July 12 but we stopped them. Then we weren’t watching so closely over Labor Day and they snuck out in the middle of the night.”

“We had offered the owner the chance to just walk away and we would try to find a new operator for the restaurant, but she said she could turn things around.”

Burke said the same thing happened at a Sapporo restaurant she owned in Plainfield, which has also closed.

Burke said he has retained a law firm and plans to file a lawsuit.

Efforts to reach Sapporo Inc., of Plainfield, for comment were unsuccessful as all phone numbers for the restaurants have been disconnected and two addresses listed for the owner in Mokena have been foreclosed upon in the past year.

Another restaurant to bite the dust was the Mokena Family Restaurant, 11133 W. 191st St., which also closed abruptly a few weeks ago. This one sounds like a dispute with the landlord as there are notices on the windows that the locks have been rekeyed.

On a brighter note, Jenny’s Steakhouse, which had been operating in downtown Frankfort, moved a couple of weeks ago into the restaurant space at 191 South, 10160 W. 191st St. Jenny’s displaced Joe’s Italian Villa, but Italian Villa pizzas are still available. Jenny’s is open for lunch and dinner.

For information and hours, call 708-479-6873 or visit http://jennyssteakhouse.com/.