Savers to Open Next Week in Orland Park

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Savers will be opening its Orland Park thrift store at 15625 S. 94^th Avenue with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16.

As part of the opening celebration, Savers is working with the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago. Donations to the store will directly benefit the Foundation.

The company was founded in 1954 and has alliances with more than 140 nonprofit organizations and charities.

The Bellevue, Wash.-based retailer has been expanding its presence for the past few years and plans on opening more than 100 new stores in the next couple of years. The chain has more than 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Savers will be opening three stores in the Chicago area that day including locations in Carol Stream and Arlington Heights. They will join three stores already open in Downers Grove, Naperville and St. Charles.

For information, visit them online at Savers.

Pizza Eating Contest at Durbin’s

Durbin’s is celebrating its 25^th anniversary with a pizza eating contest at 7 p.m. Wednesday at its Tinley Park location with the winner getting free pizza for life. For information, call 708-429-1000.

Calling for Business Champions

The Economic Development Council for the Southwest Suburbs is seeking nominations for its 2012 Business Champion Awards.

Nominations are being accepted in five categories:

• Training and Development
• Sustainability
• Excellence in Government
• Philanthropy
• Best Place to Work

Eligible individuals or businesses must be clients of Moraine Valley Community College’s Corporate, Community and Continuing Education subdivision or be located in or provide services in one of the 26 communities in the college’s district.

Nominees can enter as many categories for which they qualify, but they can only win once. Entries must include a nomination form and a brief description of the business or individual. Self-nominations are accepted. 

The awards will be presented at the 18th annual Business Champion Awards Banquet on Thursday, Nov. 1.

For information, call Eda Schrimple, Economic Development Council for the Southwest Suburbs coordinator, at 708-974-5714.   

Lynnie Ques Closes Thornton Shop

Lansing-based Lynnie Ques restaurant has closed its Thornton location after 18 months. The Lansing eatery remains open at 19267 Burnham Ave. For information, call 708-474-7837 or visit them onlineat Lynnie Ques.

Bimba Acquires Minnesota Company

University Park-based Bimba Manufacturing Co. closed on its deal last week to acquire Pneumadyne Inc. in Plymouth, Minn. The companies provide pneumatic, hydraulic and electric solutions and components.

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.

Jamaica Jerk Choice Opens in Tinley

Jamaican Jerk Choice opened in July in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Jamaican Jerk Choice, which offers Caribbean cuisine including jerk chicken and curry goat, opened earlier this month at 15910 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park.

The 1,200-square-foot restaurant has a sister store in Calumet City.

Hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, and Sundays from noon to 9 p.m.

For information, check out the menu at Jamaica Jerk Choice.

Justice Adding Brothers at Orland Store

Justice, a clothing store aimed at girls from ages 7 to 14, is opening the door to boys at some of its outlets including one at Orland Park Place mall in Orland Park.

The Ohio-based chain plans to open 10 Justice & Brothers stores, including the one in Orland Park, by the end of the summer.

The Orland Park Place store reopened this week after being closed for remodeling and the addition of the Brothers store within a store.

The chain’s store in Orland Square Mall is open and will remain a Justice store for girls.

Durbin’s to Open Monday in Plainfield

Durbin’s will open its seventh location in Plainfield at 11 a.m. Monday in the former Pom Poms All-American Bar & Grill at 16031 S. Lincoln Highway.

The family-owned chain, which also has locations in Burbank, Evergreen Park, Midlothian, Tinley Park, 

Palos Hills and Frankfort, is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this month. Durbin’s is noted for its pizza, ribs, burgers and homemade doughnut holes.

Renovations to the building included a 4,000-square-foot enclosed beer garden.

Mirror Image Salon Opens

Mirror Image Salon held its grand opening this week at 17722 Oak Park Ave. in downtown Tinley Park.

Marquette Bank, Charter Fitness Seek School Supplies

Marquette Bank and Charter Fitness are holding school supply drives in August.

Marquette Bank is holding its annual drive through Friday, Aug. 10. Customers, employees, neighbors and businesses can donate school supplies at any of the bank’s 23 locations. For information, call 1-888-254-9500.

Charter Fitness is hosting its annual drive through Sunday, Aug. 19.  Brand-new school supplies may be dropped off at any participating locations.  The donations will benefit local students and schools in each of the communities Charter Fitness serves. 

For information, ask at your local center or visit CharterFitness.

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.

Flip Flop Shop Opens in Orland Park

The first Flip Flop Shop in Illinois opened last month at Orland Square Mall. -- Orland Square Mall photo

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Orland Park is now home to the first Flip Flop Shop in Illinois, which opened July 20 at Orland Square Mall.

These aren’t the inexpensive, rubbery kind of flip flops you may be accustomed to, said store manager Cathie Roth, who lives in a nearby suburb.

The store carries two dozen brands of flip flops, sandals and street shoes ranging from $22 to more than $100, she said. Top selling brands include Sanuk, Cobian, OluKai and Reef.

“We have brands that no one else in the mall has,” said Roth adding there are plenty of them. “I have more than 1,000 pairs of sandals on the wall.”

The store offers child and adult sizes. “We carry men’s sandals up to size 14 and can order larger sizes.”

She said the company recently outfitted the Los Angeles Lakers in flip flops.

“People have been really, really excited to see us open,” she said. “Maybe they saw one of our stores in an airport somewhere and were hoping we’d come to the Midwest. Now we have.”

What about Chicago’s infamous winters?

“We may carry boots,” Roth said. “But we’re here for someone looking for sandals when they are heading to Florida on vacation in November or December.”

Roth said the store will have regular promotions, such as buy one pair and get a free T-shirt.

She said the store is franchised and has five part-time team members.

For more information, visit Flip Flop Shops Chicago on Facebook.

Work Under Way at Planet Fitness

Work has finally started on the Planet Fitness center at 9503 S. Cicero Ave. in the Green Oak Shopping Center.

“They started working on it a few weeks ago, and workers are in there every day now,” said Steve Kant, vice president of Robin Realty, the company that owns and manages the mall.

Kant said he didn’t know when the 17,400-square-foot fitness center would be opening.

An email to the marketing department at Planet Fitness was not answered.

Planet Fitness operates more than 500 fitness centers in 46 states and the vast majority of them are franchised operations.

The chain, which prides itself for being a Judgment Free Zone and holds monthly pizza nights and gives away 

Tootsie Rolls to clients, seems to be in an expansion mode in Illinois. New locations recently opened in Champaign, Montgomery and at 4327 S. Pulaski Road in Chicago.

For information, visit Planet Fitness online or on Facebook.

Evergreen Chamber Hosts Golf Outing

The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual golf outing and barbecue lunch at noon on Friday, Aug. 3, at Fountain Hills Golf Course in Alsip. Registration starts at noon with a 1 p.m. shotgun start.  For information, call the chamber at 708-423-1118 or Outing Chairman Tom Ollenburger at 708-424-7850.

Mokena Hearing Center Grand Opening

Mokena Hearing Center, 11041 Front St., will celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Parcels Express Opens in Alsip

Parcels Express has opened a newer, larger store at 12005 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip. The new location has gifts, cards and Yankee Candles in addition to 24-hour access post office boxes. For information, call 708-388-3800.

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.