T.J. Maxx to open at Brookside Marketplace in Tinley Park

T.J. Maxx is going in at Brookside Marketplace in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

T.J. Maxx has signed a lease to open a new 23,000-square-foot store in a retail building at Brookside Marketplace in Tinley Park that was home to the Lane Bryant store, where five women were murdered in 2008.

Ohio-based DDR Corp. owns and manages the retail center at 191^st Street and Harlem Avenue.

One business in the building, Massage Envy, relocated into a 3,500-square-foot storefront at the north end as part of a reconfiguration of the space to allow T.J. Maxx to occupy the center of the building. Massage Envy opened in its new space on May 15.

Other tenants in the building include Cici Nails, Sally Beauty Supply and Performance Dental, who occupy space on the south end. There are two vacancies.

That part of Brookside Marketplace has lagged behind the rest of the development since February 2008, when a gunman killed five women inside the Lane Bryant store during a robbery gone wrong. The gunman has not been caught.

Matt Schuler, a spokesman for DDR, confirmed that T.J. Maxx signed a lease but had no details on when the new store would be opening.

TJX Companies, which owns T.J. Maxx, also operates a HomeGoods store at Brookside Marketplace.

The new T.J. Maxx is not the only new store coming to that part of Brookside Marketplace.

The new T.J. Maxx store will be the second location in Tinley Park, at least temporarily.

The discount retailer already operates a 32,000-square-foot T.J. Maxx in Tinley Park Plaza at 159^th Street and Harlem Avenue.

T.J. Maxx employees said the store would be moving out of Tinley Park Plaza into a new location within the village and the mall’s site plan indicated that location would be available in February 2015.

TJX officials declined to comment on whether the new store opening was related to the existing store’s closing.

“At this time, we have not made any announcements about Tinley Park,” Doreen Thompson, vice president of corporate communications for TJX Companies, said in an email.

Ale House Grill now open in Orland Park

Remodeling has been completed at the Ale House Grill in the former Jordan’s Pub at 13500 S. Harlem Ave. in Orland Park.

The establishment, which is surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves, now has a main dining area on the first floor, an outdoor patio and an upstairs sports bar.

Jordan’s closed for renovations right after the Super Bowl in February and reopened earlier this month.

The new menu features American cuisine including Angus beef filets, burgers, pizza and seafood. There are daily specials and late-night and gluten-free menus.

Ale House offers dozens of televisions throughout the building so fans can follow their favorite team.

The main dining room is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday and from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday. The sports bar is open daily from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.

For information, call 708-460-8330, visit Ale House Grill online or check out its Facebook page.

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 follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.

New Summit SD 104 board president says budget is top priority

New School District 104 board members were sworn in by state Rep. Silvana Tabares.

By Bob Bong
Desplaines Valley News

New Summit School District 104 Board of Education president Joe Kaput says his first priority will be to start easing the burden on district taxpayers.

"We have to start working on the bottom line," he said. "We'll start by tightening the purse strings."

Kaput said he is most concerned with a $34 million outstanding bond issue.

"I think it's ridiculous that a district our size has that kind of outstanding bond debt," he said. "That is way too high for the district."

Kaput said he would stop the previous board's policy of routinely asking for a 4.95 percent tax increase, the maximum allowed without asking for voter approval.

"That poses too great a burden for taxpayers," he said.

Kaput said one thing he has going for him was his experience as a school board member and president at St. Patricia Catholic School in Hickory Hills.

Kaput said he had an ally in his thrifty ways in Supt. Dr. Troy Whelan, who was hired last year.

"(He) has already saved us some money," Kaput said.

"We have been running $800,000 to $1 million under budget this year," Kaput said. "That's a really good start."

Kaput said he would try to save more money in negotiations with teachers on a new contract. 

"The contract is up at the end of June and we are in negotiations," he said.

He did say school closings were not likely to be a part of his cost consciousness.

"I don't know if that's feasible because of the number of students we have," he said. The district now operates five schools with an enrollment of more than 1,700 students.

Kaput also said he hoped curriculum changes would start improving test scores and help the students.

"It's all about the kids," he said. "We hired a curriculum coordinator to make sure all of the schools are teaching the same things so all of the kids are on the same page. That hasn't always been the case."

That will also eliminate having to teach some of the same things from year to year, he said.

Kaput downplayed the April election, which saw three independent newcomer candidates knock off three incumbents in a bitterly contested election.

"We're all going to work together," he said. "I think we have a very good board."

Joining Kaput as a school board leader was newly elected board member Sergio Garcia, who was elected vice president of the new board.

A crowd of about 100 was on hand to witness state Rep. Silvana Tabares swear in the new board members earlier this month.

American Legion posts to hold Memorial Day services on Monday

By Bob Bong
Desplaines Valley News

Argo-Summit American Legion Post 735 will conduct a Memorial Day service at 9 a.m. Monday at the Justice Veterans Memorial at Commissioners Park at 7701 Oak Grove Ave.

Post and Auxiliary members will then head to Summit Park at 5700 S. Archer Road for a service at 10 a.m. near the Summit Police Station at 5810 S. Archer Road.

There will also be a service at 11 a.m. at the post, 6050 S. Harlem Ave. Doughnuts and coffee will be served afterward.

Post 735 and Auxiliary members also will be distributing poppies in the Argo-Summit area from today through Sunday.

"The idea of the poppy as a memorial flower to those who died in WWI arose as naturally as did the little wild red flowers that grew in the fields of France and Flanders, one bit of beauty that survived the awful destruction of war. The poppy came to be seen by soldiers as the living symbol of the sacrifices made by those soldiers who had died in the war," explained Auxiliary member Judith G. Pollick.

"Donations will be used for veterans hospitalized or in nursing homes," Pollick said.

For more information, call the post at 708-458-0735.

Robert E. Coulter Jr. American Legion Post 1941 in LaGrange will conduct services on Monday in Indian Head Park, Countryside, Hodgkins, LaGrange and LaGrange Park.

The day begins with a memorial ceremony at Lyons Township High School North Campus at 8:30 a.m. There will be a ceremonial bell ringing honoring area residents who gave their lives in service to our country from the Civil War to the present time.  Following this service, there will brief memorial services at the following locations (times approximate): Parkholm Cemetery at 9:15 a.m. Lyonsville Cemetery at 10 a.m. St. John's Cemetery at 10:45 a.m. Hodgkins Veterans Memorial at Lyons Street and Wenz Avenue at 11 a.m. Countryside Memorial Park at 55th Street and Plainfield Road at 11:45 a.m.

The final ceremony will be at the American Legion Post Home located at 900 S. LaGrange Road at approximately noon. There will be a guest speaker from the Illinois Army National Guard. Coulter Post members will be remembered at that time.  Refreshments will be served immediately following this service. All ceremonies are open to the public.  For more information, call 708-354-3300.

Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty and other village officials will join Emil Sheive American Legion Post 699 at the annual Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. in front of the Eternal Flame Memorial Site, 7826 Ogden Ave. in Lyons.

"Once a year, we pause to remember those who have given their lives in conflict and those who have served to defend this great country. I'm proud to be able to participate in that commemoration of the service and the sacrifices of our veterans this Memorial Day," Getty said.

"While it is just one day, and one weekend, it's one of the most important commemoration we can make. I hope the public will join us this holiday weekend to remember the great sacrifices and the courage that so many in our country have shown to defend this nation."

The Memorial Day commemoration ceremony is a valued tradition in Lyons, Getty added.

"Everyone is welcome to attend," he said.