Office Depot to Close in Orland Park

Office Depot is closing in Orland Park on Dec. 12.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Office Depot will be closing its store at Orland Park Place on Dec. 12 and is expected to move sometime in 2013 into a much smaller space across the street in Ravinia Plaza.

The move is part of the office supply retailer’s move away from larger stores into much smaller stores.

“During the past few years, Office Depot has been focused on improving the in-store shopping experience for our customers by remodeling stores into a smaller format, which makes them more intimate and easier to navigate,” Office Depot communications manager Julianne Carelli said in an email. “The current store is nearly 22,000 square feet and does not fit in with our new format plans. 

“The relocated, smaller format store will be about 7,000 square feet and is anticipated to open in the near future at a convenient area location,” Carelli wrote.

Office Depot is seeking bids for a location at 15202 S. LaGrange Road, according to bidclerk.com.

The company said it would continue to serve its customers through retail stores in Chicago Ridge and Frankfort or online at Office Depot. 

New Cowboy Bar in Town

Country and western music fans have a new place to wet their whistler now that The Saloon at Bourbon Street has opened at 3359 W. 115^th St. in Merrionette Park.

Bourbon Street turned its former Nightclub into The Saloon last week and will feature live country acts, country DJs, dance hits and line dance lessons on Thursday nights.

For information, call 708-388-8881 or visit The Saloon on Facebook.

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.

UPDATE: Fairplay Foods Now Open in Oak Lawn

Fairplay Foods may open as soon as this week at 87th and Cicero in Oak Lawn.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Editor's Note: Fairplay opened on Sunday and its official grand opening will be Thursday.

Though the company says no opening date has been set for the new Fairplay Foods store at 87^th Street and Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn, employees say they have been working inside the store this week and were told the store will hold a soft opening starting Thursday, Oct. 11, with the official grand opening to occur a week later on Thursday, Oct. 18.

Employees could be seen entering and leaving the store and working inside on Tuesday, so it looks as if the opening is imminent.

Charter Fitness Moves in Mokena

The Charter Fitness health club on 191^st Street in Mokena moved last week into its new digs in the village at 19816 S. LaGrange Road next to the Brookhaven grocery store.

The phone number will remain unchanged at 708-479-4477. For information, visit them online at Charter Fitness Mokena.

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.

Tribes Alehouse Opens Today in Tinley

Tribes Alehouse officially opened its Tinley Park location today.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Tribes Alehouse officially opened its Tinley Park location at 5 p.m. today at 171^st Street and LaGrange Road in the former Charley Horse sports pub.

Owner Niall Freyne, who opened Tribes Alehouse at 11220 Lincoln Highway in Mokena in November 2009, said he gutted the interior and started from scratch.

"I went against the rules and made the space inside smaller," he said. "But we are doubling the size of the bar and will have seating for 135."

"We'll start with 50 beers on tap and I hope to add a few as we go along."

Over the winter, Freyne hinted at his intentions in a message to followers on Twitter that said a Tinley Tribes would be nice.

Tribes Alehouse also has a full bar and an American-style Brasserie menu. 

For information, visit their Facebook page.

Miroballi Plaza Now Open

Miroballi Shoes is now open in its own plaza at 144^th Place and LaGrange Road in Orland Park. The store was one of the businesses forced to relocate with the closing of Orland Plaza earlier this year.

Owners Dan, Tony and Perry Miroballi decided to build their own retail center, with space for additional tenants.

The store has been a fixture in Orland Park for more than 40 years after moving from its original home in Chicago’s Beverly community. There also is a store in Wheaton.

It’s Greek to Me No More

It’s Greek to Me closed recently at 13119 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park. The restaurant opened in March 2010. Its website is shut down and the phone number is disconnected.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bob@chicago-patch.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com.