St. Anne's Gifts downsizes in Orland Park

Red Mango Yogurt & Smoothies opened last month at 11139 W. Lincoln Highway in the Prairie Crossing shopping center (next to Chipotle) in Frankfort. The shop opens daily at 10:30 a.m. and stays open til 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy 

St. Anne’s Gifts, a Catholic based gift shop founded 50 years ago, recently moved into smaller quarters at 15190 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park’s Ravinia Plaza.

The second-generation family owned business went from a 2,270-square-foot space into a 1,490-square-foot space across the parking lot.

“We’re about a third smaller, but everything fit in the new store,” said store manager Mary Harrison, who has been with St. Anne’s for 32 years.

Harrison said the store carries an assortment of religious gifts including greeting cards and figurines by Precious Moments and Foundations by Enesco.

She said the store is now working under its summer hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The store is closed on Sunday.

For more information, call 708-364-7015.

Smokehouse closes in Orland Park

Smokehouse, a restaurant that featured smoked chicken and ribs along with burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches and like fare, shut down recently at 15020 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

Owned by Brian and Mary Yates, Smokehouse closed after it had been open only a year. Brian Yates decided to open the restaurant after retiring from the Evergreen Park Police Department.

At the time, he said he picked Orland Park because of its general appeal.

“I kinda like it out here,” he said. “The area has a little bit of everything.”

This is the message Yates posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page on its final day: “Unfortunately, due to the economy and hard times, I'm so sad to say we are closing down and will no longer be in business. We tried our best, but apparently God has different plans, I want to thank every single person who gave us their time and business, we looked to you as family, wish things could have been different, we will miss you all terribly. Thank you for your constant support and giving us a shot.”

Chester’s Tavern adds gaming machines to its menu Chester’s Tavern and Orsi’s Pizza at 6255 S. Archer Road in Summit is the latest area establishment to add video gaming to its list of offerings. Owner Pete Orsi said the five gaming machines went live a couple of weeks ago and he’s even added early morning hours and treats for his customers. “We are now open every day from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. and I have doughnuts and coffee for early bird customers,” Orsi said. The kitchen still opens daily at 11 a.m. for lunch. Orsi has been busy making improvements. Last year, he bought the building next door and turned it into a grand party room complete with a small bar, pool table and video games. So far, the room has accommodated birthday parties for guests of honor ranging from 1 to 70 years of age.  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.

Sno Daze Tropical Sno to open Saturday

Sno Daze Tropical Snow opens Saturday. All customers will get a free 8-ounce serving.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy


A new business that will help its customers beat the heat is expected to open on Saturday at 7777 S. Harlem Ave. in Bridgeview.

Sno Daze Tropical Sno is owned by Ed and Danielle Reinhart, both of Bridgeview, and features Hawaiian shaved ice that comes in 40 regular flavors, such as apple, watermelon and cantaloupe, and another 40 that can be concocted by mixing flavors.

“One of the most popular mixed flavors is Tiger’s Blood,” said Danielle Reinhart describing a combination of strawberry and coconut.

Reinhart said opening a Tropical Sno franchise had been a dream of her husband’s since 2007 and the opportunity finally presented itself.

She said the shop will be open for carry-outs only and will be open from Saturday through the early fall.

“I anticipate we’ll be open through Columbus Day,” she said.

She said all customers on opening day will receive a free 8-ounce serving.

The seasonal business will be open from 2-10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, from 2-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 2-9 p.m. on Sunday.

Sports Clips opens Friday

Sports Clips will celebrate its grand opening at noon Friday, May 31, at 13133 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

The barber shop features a sports theme and caters to men and boys. The shop is owned by Susan Dust and is located across the street from Sandburg High School.

The shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For information, call 708-448-1600 or visit Sports Clips.

Cloud Tobacco opens in Orland Park

A new tobacco shop called Cloud Tobacco opened its doors recently at 14478 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

The 1,200-square-foot shop sells a long line of tobacco products ranging from cigarettes to hookah pipes, said Mousa Jaber, a sales associate at the store and a member of the Orland Park family that owns the business.

“We have hookah pipes and hookah tobacco,” said Jaber. “Our cigars are kept in a walk-in humidor, and we have loose tobacco and rolling papers.”

Jaber said accessories sold at the shop include lighters and e-cigarettes, which emit a nicotine vapor instead of smoke.

Jaber said the shop is not a smoking lounge so smoking is not permitted inside the store.

Jaber said the shop is open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, call the shop at 708-403-8814 or check out their Facebook page.

Brookfield farmers market starts June 1

The Brookfield farmers market kicks off Saturday, June 1, and will continue from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays through Oct. 26.

The market features fresh roasted coffee, pastries, organic veggies, meats and cheeses.

The market sets up on the west side of the Brookfield Village Hall at 8820 Brookfield Ave.

Another area farmers market is held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays until Oct. 24 in the parking lot behind the LaGrange Village Hall at 53 S. LaGrange Road.

The market features fresh fruits, veggies, and other treats from local farmers and vendors.

Suburban home sales surge in April

Sales of single-family, detached homes in suburban Chicago increased 33.2 percent in April 2013 compared with the same period a year ago, according to statistics released by the Mainstree Organization of Realtors.  

Mainstreet’s region – which includes about 200 communities in DuPage, Lake and suburban Cook counties – experienced notable sales gains last month, as reflected in information provided by Midwest Real Estate Data LLC. 

"Word about the activity in the market is getting around," said Tonya Corder, president of Mainstreet and managing broker of Keller Williams Preferred Realty in Orland Park. "I think people who had been sitting on the sidelines are starting to realize that the market is accelerating. With today's low interest rates and affordable home prices, if you are a buyer, your opportunity is now."

The momentum is expected to continue as the number of detached homes under contract in April grew by 45 percent in those same communities.

The median sale price for detached homes also increased 5.5 percent from the previous April.

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

2 men charged after Hodgkins robbery ends in car chase and crash

Levell Fort

By Desplaines Valley News

Two Chicago men were charged with multiple counts of kidnapping and attempted armed robbery after they tried to rob a cell phone store in Hodgkins last week and crashed their car in Bolingbrook after leading police on a high-speed chase.

Authorities said Levell Fort, 20, and Stephen Jakes, 26, were captured in Bolingbrook Thursday night after leading Illinois State Police, Hodgkins Police, Hickory Hills Police and Bolingbrook Police on a chase on Interstate 55 that topped 100 mph.

Stephen Jakes

The men jumped from the car after it collided with another car at Weber and Boughton roads and headed in two separate directions. Both were found after a brief search. One of them was reportedly hiding in a trash bin behind a Chili’s restaurant.

Police said the incident began when the men entered the AT&T store at 9430 Joliet Road and announced a robbery. The men allegedly put a gun to the manager’s head and ordered five customers and two employees to drop their cell phones and go to the back of the store.

Another customer escaped out a back door and the robbers fled when they couldn’t open the door.

One of the customers saw Fort get into a red Oldsmobile Alero and wrote down the license plate number and alerted police.

Hickory Hills police spotted the car and started the chase that lasted about 30 minutes before ending in the crash. No one was injured when the cars collided.

Fort and Jakes were each charged with seven counts of aggravated kidnapping and attempted armed robbery. Fort also was charged with traffic violations by the Bolingbrook police.

Cook County Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil set bail at $500,000 for both men at a bond hearing. Their next court date was set for Wednesday at the Bridgeview courthouse.