South Side's St. Leo High School home to 'a gathering and a mission'

The Southland is full of St. Leo High School alumni, some of whom head back to the old neighborhood to check up on the school and its teams. Chicago News Cooperative sports writer Dan McGrath highlights such a moment in his piece "At Leo High, a Gathering and a Mission."

A full house of 800 turned out for Friday’s Catholic League showdown with Brother Rice. The makeup of the crowd was as remarkable as its size — it included about 200 white folks, Leo graduates on an alumni outing, most of them bused in from a Knights of Columbus Hall in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood roughly six miles away, probably as many whites as have been inside the school since the 1980s.

Over the last 40-odd years, Bob Foster has made it his "life's mission" to keep St. Leo open. Check out McGrath's take on the lifelong venture.

Just A Pizza opens in Tinley Park

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Just A Pizza Chicago Style, which opened Jan. 24 at 7108 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park, is a family affair. The pizzeria is owned by three siblings – Tony Rojas, Al Rojas and Rose Siegel – and Siegel provided all of the recipes.

Tony Rojas, of Worth, said food has been the family business for a while.

“My brother owned a beef stand in Wisconsin for years, and my sister used to sell homemade cheesecakes online,” said Tony Rojas, adding he’s been in the business with his brother for the past six years.

Rojas said the siblings chose Tinley Park for their venture because “it’s a growing community and the people are outgoing.”

Just A Pizza serves thin crust, stuffed and deep dish pizza, wings, sandwiches, some pasta dishes and Eli’s cheesecake.

The restaurant offers carryout and delivery to the Tinley Park area. Hours are Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The phone number is 708-429-0400.

Southland hookah bars snuffed out

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Hookah lounges, which allowed patrons to smoke flavored tobaccos through waterpipes, have closed in the past few weeks in Worth and Palos Hills. In Worth, Friends Café and Lounge at 11015 S. Harlem Ave. and Havana Café at 7011 W. 111th St. closed after the village approved stricter smoking restrictions on businesses. In Palos Hills, Royale Lounge closed last month at 7205 W. 103rd St.

Yarning in Frankfort
Yarns to Dye For & More has opened at 19 S. Ash St. in downtown Frankfort. The shop features specialty yarns, jewelry and artwork. The shop also offers knitting and crocheting classes. There is no Web site. For more information, call 815-469-4906.

Doctor is out
TV Doctor, a shop that serviced and sold televisions, has closed after being open only a short time at 16745 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

Wine out of style
WineStyles has closed at 7301 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park. The shops are franchised and aim to educate people about wine. They have wine clubs and offer tastings. Not to worry wine aficionados, a WineStyles store is still open at 20290 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort. That store’s number is 815-469-9994.

Now open
Wise Buys Resale opened recently at 14205 S. Bell Road in Homer Glen. The shop carries men's, women's and childrens’ clothing, antiques, jewelry, books and collectibles. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

For more information, call the shop at (708) 645-7200.