Caribou Coffee Closes Tinley Location

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Caribou Coffee abandoned the Southland when it closed its Tinley Park location on Sunday with little notice. 

The company closed its shop in Homewood last month in much the same way. 

The closest locations for the nation’s second largest coffee chain are now Willowbrook and LaGrange.

Calls and an email to the company offices in Minnesota were not returned but speculation has been that the locations were closed because neither one had a drive-up window.

Calls to the management team at the Tinley Park Plaza shopping center also were not returned.

A few years ago, Starbucks closed a nearby similar retail strip location after opening a new location – with a drive-up window – across the street.  

Sears opens Scrubology store in Orland Square Mall

Sears has opened a Scrubology store inside of the retailer’s anchor store at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park and Chicago Ridge Mall in Chicago Ridge.

Scrubology stores specialize in work apparel and uniforms for professionals in the industrial, service and health-care fields.

The retailer now has 91 Scrubology stores in Sears and Kmart stores nationwide.

For information, visit Scrubology.

Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A in Orland Park is again offering free meals to customers of all ages who dress up like a cow on Friday, July 13. You can find detailed plans for cow costumes and otherinformation at Cow Appreciation Day.

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.blogspot.com.

Red Mango Yogurt Coming to Orland Park

Red Mango Yogurt is coming to Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Red Mango Yogurt is coming to Orland Park this summer.

The Texas-based smoothie and frozen yogurt chain will be opening next month at 31 Orland Square Drive in the Shops of Orland Square near Orland Square Mall.

Red Mango has more than a dozen locations in the Chicago area, but it will be the chain’s first location in the Southland.

The Orland Park store will be the fourth Red Mango location for owners Trisha and Jeff Fendt, who opened their first store just more than a year ago in LaGrange. They also have a Red Mango in Chicago and will open one in McHenry on July 14.

“What we really love is the product,” said Trisha Fendt. “We love the taste and the health benefits.”

“Orland Park is a perfect fit for us because I grew up around there and know the area,” she said.

Fendt said she and her husband opted for Red Mango because they were both changing careers. She had been a social worker and her husband had been a union plumber.

“We opened our first store in June 2011 in LaGrange and it exceeded our expectations,” she said.

Fendt said the Orland location will be about 1,300 square feet, which will be the biggest one for them, so far.

She said the store will be managed by her brother, Travis Toumey, and will have from 12 to 15 employees.

She said they are hoping for a mid-August opening.

She also said they were looking for more locations.

“We sure do plan for new stores,” she said without divulging where they might be looking.

Red Mango has more than 180 locations and features more than 50 flavors of frozen yogurt. For information, visit the company’s website at Red Mango Yogurt.

Chicago Ridge Mall Dumps Westfield Name

Now that the deal has closed for Starwood Capital Group to purchase Chicago Ridge Mall from Australian-based Westfield Group, the mall has officially dropped the word Westfield from its title.  Not that many people around here ever called it anything but Chicago Ridge Mall anyway.

Connecticut-based Starwood paid $1 billion to buy seven malls from Westfield, including Louis Joliet Mall in Joliet. Westfield will retain a 10 percent stake and continue to manage the 838,608-square-foot mall at 95^th Street and Ridgeland Avenue.

Gyros Express Closes in Tinley

Gyros Express closed recently at 7108 W. 171^st St. in Tinley Park. The restaurant specialized in Middle Easter cuisine and opened last fall. Its website is still active though its Facebook page has been taken down. There is a “for lease” sign in the window.

Techno Wizard to Address Southland Chamber

Howard Tullman, who is the face and mind behind Chicago-based Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, possibly the most ultra-techno-wizard college anywhere, will headline the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce Regional Consensus Luncheon on Monday, July 9, at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive, at 11:30 a.m.

Tullman will discuss “Current Trends and New Technology Developments in Social Media.”

Tickets for the lunch and program are $30 for members and $40 for non-members. Reservations can be made at the chamber website, www.ChicagoSouthland.com, in person at 920 W. 175th St., Homewood, or by telephone, (708) 957-6950.

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.blogspot.com.

Tinley Hotels Finish Major Renovations

Comfort Inn and Suites in Tinley Park recently renovated its rooms.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Comfort Inn & Suites and the Sleep Inn, both in Tinley Park’s hotel complex near Interstate 80 and Harlem Avenue, each recently completed $750,000 in renovations.

Comfort Inn’s renovation included an update of the interior of the building at 18400 Spring Creek Dr. with a more modern style. Visitors will also find a variety of upgraded amenities including free wi-fi in guest rooms and throughout the hotel, LCD televisions, miniature refrigerators and microwave ovens.

Comfort Inn offers 65 rooms with 17 suites including one Jacuzzi suite. The hotel offers an indoor heated swimming pool, business center, fitness center, and a complimentary shuttle within five miles.

Sleep Inn’s renovation also updated the interior of the building at 18420 Spring Creek Dr. with a more modern style. Visitors will also find a variety of upgraded amenities including free wi-fi in guest rooms and throughout the hotel, LCD televisions, miniature refrigerators and microwave ovens.

The Sleep Inn has 73 rooms with a variety of double, queen and king beds. The hotel offers a business center, fitness center, and a complimentary shuttle within five miles.

“Significant renovations have had great impact in helping us give the feel of luxury at an economical price to our guests" said Karla Ruzich, general manager of both hotels. “Our visitors notice the improvements and appreciate the work to create a warm and inviting atmosphere where they feel comfortable.”

Fringe Boutique Moves in Frankfort

The Fringe Boutique is closed while the clothing store makes its move from its original home at 20529 S. LaGrange Road in Frankfort to its new home at 27 Ash St. in downtown Frankfort.

The store is scheduled to reopen in its new digs on Thursday.

For information, call (815) 469-0607 or visit the store’s Facebookpage.

Party City Now Open in Mokena

Party City opened last month at 11375 W. Lincoln Highway in Mokena, next to the J.C.Penney store.

The store, which carries party and seasonal supplies, is open Monday to Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call the store at 815-464-0970.

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.blogspot.com.