Smoothie Rox Closes in Orland Park

Smoothie Rox closed recently in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Smoothie Rox, a coffee and fruit smoothie shop, has closed its doors at 13133 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

The shop is part of a company that franchises Smoothie Rox and Paradise Smoothie shops in Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

No word from owners Terry and Laura Kelly on what happened. The shop opened in May 2009.

Arthur Custom Homes closes
Home builder and remodeler Arthur Custom Homes appears to have closed. Its phone number is disconnected and its showroom has closed at 7657 St. Francis Road in Frankfort Square. The Village of Peotone is finding contractors to finish work on a subdivision that Arthur said on its website it was developing in that town.

Bettenhausen adds Fiat
Bettenhausen Auto Group has been growing like crazy since Chrysler almost went under a couple of years ago. The latest addition for the Tinley Park dealership is Fiat, which acquired the carmaker a couple of years ago.

Bettenhausen now sells Fiats at its longstanding location at 17514 S. Oak Park Ave. in downtown Tinley Park. So far, only Fiat 500s are in stock at the dealership, but more models are coming. It’s the only Fiat store in the Southland and one of only a handful in the Midwest. Also coming sometime in the future will be Alpha Romeos, another brand owned by Fiat.

Bettenhausen also moved its Dodge and Ram truck operations to the former Saturn dealership at 8355 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park.

It sells Chryslers and Jeeps from its location at 15941 S. 94th Avenue in Orland Park. There also is a used car lot south of the Fiat store on Oak Park Avenue.

Free Lego Mini-Models
Children from 6-14 can get free Lego mini-models on the first Tuesday of the month at the Orland Square Mall store. On Aug. 2, Lego is giving away Adirondack Chair models at 5 p.m. Free while supplies last.

Going Out of Business Sales at Borders, Sid’s Greenhouse

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

There are bargains to be had starting today in Orland Park and Palos Hills as Borders and Sid’s Greenhouse have each started going out of business sales.

Sid’s Greenhouse has been a fixture at 10926 Southwest Highway in Palos Hills for 50 years. The company announced earlier this week it would close its retail nursery and garden center locations in Palos and Bolingbrook because of the weak economy. More than 100 employees will lose their jobs when the stores close.

Liquidation discounts of 30-50 percent off regular prices are now being offered at both stores. Sid’s Reward Bucks are still redeemable for up to 50 percent of the regular price. Sid’s will be accepting cash, checks, credit cards, gift cards and gift certificates during the inventory closeout.

At Borders, 15620 S. LaGrange Road, discounts are starting at 40 percent of the original price. The book store is accepting gift cards throughout the liquidation sale, but Borders Bucks will expire on July 31.Borders Rewards Plus members will enjoy additional discounts for a week longer.

The retailer said Friday that up to 35 stores may reopen as Books-a-Million locations, but did not indicate which stores might be saved or how soon a deal could be reached.

Farewell for Randy’s Market
The community is invited to Randy’s Market at 14250 S. Ravinia (143rd Street and LaGrange Road) in Orland Park at 10 a.m. tomorrow for a Prayer of Thanksgiving by All Saints Lutheran Church Pastor Don Borling. The store will end its 25-year run at 6 p.m. to make way for the village’s Main Street Triangle project.

Orland Borders Open as Usual

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The last remaining Borders bookstore in the Southland at 15620 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park is open and doing business as usual, until Thursday. That's when the retailer will ask the U.S. bankruptcy court to approve liquidation of the chain's remaing 399 stores.

On Thursday, the court is expected to sign off on the plan to shutter the stores by the end of September.

A manager at the Orland store said Tuesday that details will emerge after Thursday's court hearing but what she has heard so far is that gift cards will be redeemed throughout the liquidation and rewards will be accepted for at least the first two weeks of the liquidation.

"It sounds like rewards won't be accepted after the first two weeks," said the manager, who declined to give her name.

She also said customers were pouring into the store on Tuesday.

"It's been busier today than the past three days combined," she said. "I think it's people wanting to use up their gift cards. But we've been told gift cards will be accepted until the end."