Gatto's to open in Orland Park

Brothers Frank and Chuck Gatto are hoping to open their fourth restaurant by mid-April in the Riviera Country Club in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Brothers Frank and Chuck Gatto are hoping to open their fourth restaurant by mid-April in the Riviera Country Club in Orland Park

The restaurant at 8801 W. 143rd St. would offer the same menu as the existing Gatto's locations but the Orland location would also be a first for the chain.

"The Orland location would have a rooftop deck overlooking the pool," said co-owner Frank Gatto. "It's definitely something we haven't done before."

"In addition to being a full service restaurant, we would feature a casual menu for people at the pool," he said.

Gatto said the brothers weren't looking for a fourth location for their restaurant chain, but decided to expand after checking out the location.

"The owner of the country club said the space would be a good fit for us and he was right," said Gatto. "It has some interesting dynamics."

Gatto said the new location would have a main dining room with seating for 140, a party room that could seat 80 and the rooftop deck that could handle at least 60 people.

"The Orland location kind of gives us a chance to focus on the north Orland area and Palos area," Gatto said.

He said the kitchen staff for the Orland location would begin training this week and they were now taking applications for servers, at any of the three existing locations.

"We try to design the line the same from restaurant to restaurant so a staffer would find everything the same whatever restaurant they happened to be working at," he said.

He said the new location would start out by borrowing staff from the existing restaurants so the new restaurant would be able to provide the same service and food as the established sites. 

He said hours haven't been determined yet, but would be close to the hours at the other three locations.

"We'll see what the country club needs and work with them on the hours," he said.

Gatto's will be the third restaurant in the space in recent years. R.C. Mulligan's closed a few years ago and was replaced by Pompei Pizza, which changed its name to Ralph's Pizza late last year and then closed in early January.

Gatto said the brothers opened their first restaurant in Tinley Park in 2000 and opened the New Lenox location in 2006 and the Downers Grove location a short time later.

"Being that there's two of us, we won't be spreading ourselves too thin," he said.

Gatto said the menu would be the same as at the other three locations, which features Italian specialties including some recipes contributed by their mother.

"Mom is a great cook and she provided some of the recipes that we use," said Gatto. "We started out with the basics and now we have 70 things on the menu."

For information, check out their website at http://gattosrestaurant.com. They also have a Facebook page.

Forget paczki, Tuesday is National Pancake Day

Who needs to buy paczki when IHOP restaurants across the country will celebrate Fat Tuesday on March 4 by giving away free short stacks of pancakes in honor of National Pancake Day.

IHOP guests will be asked to make a contribution to benefit the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago before digging into a free stack of pancakes.

Summer jobs at Tinley venue

High school or college students looking for a summer job should check out First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, which is hiring teens to fill 200 part-time seasonal positions.

The venue hosts a couple of dozen shows each summer and is looking for applicants with availability most evenings and weekends. Pay depends on the position and starts at $8.25 per hour. Applicants must be at least 16.

The deadline to apply is March 15. Applications are available online only. 

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.com.

Siam Marina shooting for March opening in Tinley Park

Siam Marina erected a sign last week in front of the business at 16846 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy 

An upscale Thai restaurant is moving in to the former Casto's Italian restaurant at 16846 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park and co-owner Sam Chung is hoping for a late March opening. 

"We are about 90 percent done with the remodeling," Chung said, adding signage with the restaurant's name just went up in front of the building last week.

"Construction has taken a lot longer than we expected," he said. Chung and Tinley officials have been in discussions over the new restaurant for more than a year.

"Part of the problem is that the Village of Tinley Park has thousands of projects going on, but only two or three inspectors," Chung said. "You schedule an inspection and they can't get to you for a couple of weeks."

Chung said fans of the popular Siam Marina, which was located in Calumet City for years until closing last summer, can visit his other restaurant, Asparagus, which is located in Merrillville, Ind. 

Chung said the menu will consist of Thai cuisine and Vietnamese specialties created by his wife and partner executive chef Tammy Pham, who grew up in Saigon. Other offerings will include Asian Fusion, seafood, vegan and vegetarian dishes.

Chung said the exact opening date will depend on the weather as well as getting inspectors to the restaurant. He said grand opening information will be included in the restaurant's monthly newsletter as well as posted on its Facebook page and at Siam Marina.

IHOP opens in New Lenox

An International House of Pancakes, home of the all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, opened in late December at 411 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox.

The restaurant is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.

For information, call the store at 815-717-6373.

Freebie of the Week: Mokena Chamber Business Expo

The Mokena Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Community Business Expo and Health Fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Mokena Park District's Oaks Recreation and Fitness Center, 10847 LaPorte Road.

Visitors will be able to find a dentist, a plumber, sports team, dance classes, home repair services, gift shops, bank, restaurants, insurance agent, practically everything your family needs to live, work and play.

Visitors will be able to get free blood pressure tests, be screened for diabetes and discover your body fat ratio.

Admission is free.

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.com.

J.D. Byrider opens in Bridgeview; Happy Hyundai takes Oak Lawn spot

J.D. Byrider has moved into new digs in Bridgeview.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

J.D. Byrider, a franchised used car dealership, opened in its new digs at 9150 S. Harlem Ave. in Bridgeview last month after moving 77 cars from its Oak Lawn location over the weekend.

General Manager Nicole Martin said the staff spent several hours driving its inventory of cars from Oak Lawn to Bridgeview in the middle of the night.

Martin said the dealership moved from its original location at 9121 S. Cicero Ave. because the Bridgeview site was a better fit.

"We thought it would be a better location, and after only a week we know our hunch was right," she said. "In Oak Lawn, we had lots of drive-bys, but here we're getting a lot more people actually stopping." 

She said the Bridgeview location, which was a former auto service center, has better frontage for the dealership.

"We were able to repurpose the building," she said. "My office was a former quick lube bay. We were also able to make the building look more like a traditional J.D. Byrider location."

"Being next to Menards also helps," said Martin, who has been GM at the store since it opened in a former Saturn dealership in March 2012.

Martin said J.D. Byrider sold the Cicero location to Happy Hyundai, which moved down the street from its previous site at 89th Street and Cicero after remodeling the showroom.

"They are happy," Martin said. "They're getting a bigger location and they will own the site rather than lease."

“We are a specialty dealership that tries to help people with no credit or bad credit re-establish their credit and drive away with a car,” said Martin.

The Bridgeview location is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All Illinois dealerships are closed on Sunday.

For information, call 708-422-9100 or visit J.D. Byrider.

J.D. Byrider was established in 1989 in Carmel, Ind. The company has a dozen locations in Illinois and 145 in 30 states.

Pronto Pizza grand opening

Pronto Pizza, one of the new build-your-own pizza places that are popping up, held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 15222 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park's Ravinia Plaza.

The pizzeria, which features 45 toppings one can choose from, opened in December and prides itself on being able to cook a pizza (10-inch personal size pies) in less than five minutes. It also offers build-your-own salads as well as signature pizzas and salads.

Pronto Pizza Kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and offers dine-in or carryout. It has beer and wine bar service.

For information, call 708-966-0010 or visit Pronto Pizza Kitchen.

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.com.

Thai restaurants open in Orland Park

The Joy of Thai opened in November in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Orland Park diners with a hankering for Thai food have two new restaurant choices to choose from with the recent openings of The Joy of Thai and Indra's Thai Restaurant.

Indra's opened  in early November at 15880 S. Wolf Road in the former Chicago Taste Gyros in the County West Plaza Shopping Center.

The 2,200-square-foot restaurant is a full service eatery with a bar, patron seating, carry out and delivery options. 

Its owner is Thai native Chaiyut Puangkham, of Tinley Park, who said the restaurant features Thai specialties "but not all Thai dishes are spicy." 

Puangkham made the move to open his own eatery after years as a chef at a south suburban hibachi restaurant.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, from noon to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is closed Mondays. 

For information, call 708-942-8088 or visit Indras Thai.

The Joy of Thai opened in mid-November at 11013 W. 179th St. in a strip mall near Wolf Road. 

Attempts to reach its owners were unsuccessful, but its website says the eatery features Thai cuisine including curries, salads and soups.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

For information, call 708-995-1232 or visit Joy of Thai.

Pet rescue center to open at Alsip Nursery

Alsip Home & Nursery, which recently announced it would stop selling dogs and cats and transform its pet center into an adoption center for rescued animals, will hold a grand opening for the rescue centers at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, at its Frankfort location and Saturday, Feb. 22, at its St. John, Ind., location.

The Frankfort Animal Clinic opened in December inside the Frankfort location at 20601 S. LaGrange Road, which was the first step in transitioning from a pet store into a rescue center.

Dr. John Coyne opened the clinic after operating a similar clinic for the past year in Alsip's store in St. John, Ind.

The walk-in clinic offers routine exams, spays and neuters, microchips and X-rays.

The clinic is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 

For more information, call the clinic at 779-324-5239.

Gayety's reopens Schererville location

Gayety's Chocolates and Ice Cream Co., which closed its store in Schererville, Ind., last month, has reopened as a "sister" store under family ownership at 36 U.S. 41 in the Town Square shopping center.

Co-owner Beth Flessor said she was pleased with the corporate expansion.

"(Husband) Jim (Flessor) and I are happy to announce the grand reopening of our Schererville location. It will have everything it had before and more," she said.

The Schererville location had been operated by an independent owner since October 2011. 

Gayety's location in downtown Lansing at 3306 Ridge Road, meanwhile, is continuing its 93-year-old tradition of making the best hand-dipped chocolates and homemade ice cream. 

Gayety's was established in 1920 in the South Chicago community.

For information, call 708-418-0062 or 800-491-0755, or visit Gayety's on Facebook and online at Gayety's Lansing. 

Italio's grand opening

Fast-casual Italian restaurant Italio, which opened last month at 15139 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park, will hold its grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. Come out and meet the staff.

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.com.

Dotty's, Stella's gambling cafes popping up across Southland

A Dotty's gambling cafe opened recently on Harlem Avenue in Worth.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
 

Nine video gaming cafes with friendly names like Stella's Place and Dotty's have opened in the last several weeks in south suburbs from Oak Lawn to Matteson.

These cafes are essentially mini-casinos each with the state limit of five video gaming machines. 

Des Plaines-based Stella’s Place is owned by Laredo Hospitality Ventures, and opened locations last month at Hickory Palos Square mall, 8067 W. 95th St., Hickory Hills, and 8759 S. Ridgeland Avenue, Oak Lawn. A location opened in November at Chicago Ridge Commons. All are open daily from 8 a.m. to  2 a.m.

Dotty's is based in Naperville and in recent weeks has opened at 11015 S. Harlem Ave. in Worth, 6070 W. 159th St. in Oak Forest, 13555 S. Cicero Ave. in Crestwood,  14714 S. Cicero Ave. in Midlothian, and 4740 Lincoln Highway in Matteson. Another location opened last fall at 1066 State St. in Lemont. All are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Dotty’s also is working on locations in Homer Glen, Alsip, Country Club Hills, Blue Island, Joliet, Dolton, Romeoville and Lyons. 

Dotty’s, which got its start in 1992 in Nevada, has big plans for Illinois.

Dotty's CEO Dan Fischer plans to open at least 150 “warm, cozy and inviting cafes” equipped with video gaming machines as opposed to dark bars that are the usual location for machines in Illinois.

“We cater to women,” he said. “They like to play at Dotty’s because of the atmosphere. It’s nothing like a regular bar. Our locations are small, about 1,500 square feet,” he said. “They will have liquor licenses but our emphasis will be more grandma’s kitchen than tavern.”

Fischer, who hails from Minnesota, last year moved his base of operations to Naperville from Las Vegas.

“I’m a Midwesterner,” he said. “We’re negotiating another 75-80 leases,” he said. “I come in and tell the town fathers, ‘We don’t compete with any businesses in your town. We’re a new niche’.”

Big Lots now Hostess outlet store

The new owner of Hostess Twinkies, Cup Cakes and Ding-Dongs has decided to bring back the popular thrift stores, in a manner of speaking.

Instead of being small outlet stores tucked in strip centers, the new Hostess thrift store will be found in Big Lots.

The Ohio-based chain with about three dozen stores in the Chicago area has started carrying the Hostess snack cake products in a kind of store-within-a-store. 

Just like the popular Hostess stores, Big Lots will get Hostess products that have a couple of weeks of shelf life left in them before expiring. And just like the Hostess stores, the goodies at Big Lots will be deeply discounted, as much as 40 percent off.

The Hostess products will be displayed at the front of the stores and new stock will arrive daily, a Big Lots spokesman said in a release.

Hostess bread products were purchased by a separate company and are not included in this deal with Big Lots.

Al's Beef, Nancy's Pizza back in Oak Lawn

New owners remodeled the Al's Beef and Nancy's Pizza location at 5128 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn and reopened the combo restaurant a few weeks ago more than a year after the same two restaurants suddenly closed in the same location.

The new owners opened the floor plan and overhauled the menu adding new salads and new french fry variations to go along with the traditional Italian beef and pizza. The restaurant still offers delivery and take out and has added catering to its menu.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, they close an hour later on Friday and Saturday and an hour earlier on Sunday.

For information, call 708-581-4936.

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.com.

Grand opening for Orland sushi restaurant

Yucca Asian Cuisine will hold its grand opening this week in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Yucca Asian Cuisine, a new restaurant that features sushi and Asian fusion dining, will hold its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at 16081 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park, behind Houlihan's.

The restaurant, which has been open for a couple of months, specializes in traditional sushi but also features dishes such as walnut shrimps, kungbao chicken, orange chicken,   Macau curry,  Singapore  beef and yucca special fried noodle.

Its chef, John Zhao, has 20 years experience at five-star hotels in China including Hyatt Macao as well as Peninsula in Chicago.

Grand opening festivities will take place from 5:15-6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Hours for Yucca are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday.

Yucca is offering a grand opening discount through April starting at $10 off a $50 bill.

For information, call 708-460-4778 or visit Yucca Asian Cuisine.

Ford City AMC to get star treatment

AMC Theatres has plans to give the Ford City 14 theater the same kind of renovation it gave the Chicago Ridge Mall AMC theater a couple of years ago.

The company is seeking bids on a $4 million makeover for the 68,000-square-foot theater complex at Ford City Mall at 76th Street and Cicero Avenue, according to bidclerk.com.

Changes will include new seats with power recliners, new screens, upgraded food and drink menus and possibly the addition of a MacGuffin's Bar, which AMC added at Chicago Ridge and has been adding to theaters ever since.

At theaters with a MacGuffin's Bar, which is named in homage to noted director Alfred Hitchcock, patrons can take their cocktails into the theater to enjoy while watching the movie. 

The mall was taken over by iStar Financial Inc. last year from Chicago real estate investor Sam Zell as part of a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.

There is no timetable for the construction.

Jacob's Ladder closes in Brookfield

Jacob's Ladder, a gift and collectibles shop in Brookfield, closed at the end of January because its owners  wanted to retire.

Bobbi and Bruce Jacobs opened the shop 37 years ago and bought the building it was located in 29 years ago.

Bruce Jacobs is in his late 70s and said running the store was getting to be too much for the elderly couple.

Smokehouse reopens

Smokehouse restaurant has finished its remodeling and reopened recently in the Chicago Ridge Mall food court in Chicago Ridge.

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.com.

Unique Resale Shop now open in Justice

Justice Unique Resale Shop opened last month.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A new resale shop opened recently at 8533 W. 79th St. in Justice with the apt name of Justice Unique Resale Shop. 

Owner Mariola Hagen said the shop is open every day and there's a sign out front that says they speak Polish.

Gilly Hicks closes in Orland Park

Gilly Hicks, a branch of the Abercrombie & Fitch retail chain that specialized in women's underwear, sleepwear and swimwear, closed all of its retail locations in the U.S. on Jan. 1 including two Illinois stores at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park and in Schaumburg.

The retailer will continue to operate as an online only store.

Mother Butter’s moves to Evergreen Park 

Mother Butter's Popcorn & Confectionary, which opened in 2009 at 17 W. 35th St. near U.S. Cellular Field, moved to new digs at 3342 W. 95th St. in Evergreen Park on Jan. 25.

The shop, which is owned by Tim and Jennifer Donnelly, has been praised for its gourmet popcorn and also sells fudge, individually hand-dipped caramel pecan patties, bulk candy and nuts.

Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

For information, call 708-423-7677 or visit motherbutterspopcorn.com.

Grand opening party for Pure Barre

Pure Barre, a new fitness center, will hold its grand opening party from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, at 14932 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park. Light snacks will be provided.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6. A free class will be offered after the ceremony.

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.com.

Demon Dawgs opens in Alsip

Demon Dawgs is now open in the former Frosted Mug drive-in at 11541 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Demon Dawgs, a new fast-food restaurant, opened Friday at 11541 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip in the former Frosted Mug drive-in.

Owner Rusty Findlay, who was an original partner in the popular Devil Dawgs hot dog stand on Chicago's North Side, opened after six months of remodeling the former Frosted Mug.

"We won't have carhop service," Findlay said. "But we have 60 seats inside and another 60 outside along with a drive-through."

Findlay said he hired 22 people as cooks and servers.

Findlay said the menu will include hot dogs, hamburgers, sliders, sausage and wings along with fresh-cut french fries.

Findlay, who has been in the restaurant business since 1989, said he picked the former drive-in because "it was the best location I could find."

He might be on to something. His Facebook page said the eatery ran out of food and had people waiting in line for up to 45 minutes for the grand opening.

The restaurant will be open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with the drive-through staying open until 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

Italio to open Tuesday in Orland Park

Italio, a fast-casual Italian restaurant chain based in Florida, is opening its first location outside of the Sunshine State in Orland Park this week.

The 3,000-square-foot restaurant will open at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 15139 S. LaGrange Road in the Orland Park Place mall, in the former Cosi restaurant.

Guests all day Tuesday will receive free food -- either a crisp salad bowl, a heaping pasta bowl or a one-of-a-kind piadina, a kind of Italian-style wrap. All three entrees are customizable with toppings and extras.

The restaurant features family-style communal tables, a patio and serves beer and wine.

The restaurant will be open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in Orland Park.

For information, call 708-403-5555, visit www.ItalioKitchen.com.

No local Penney stores to close

Whether J.C. Penney will still be in business a year from now is a hot topic again now that the troubled retailer has announced that it is closing 33 "underperforming" stores and cutting 2,000 jobs as part of its turnaround efforts.

The Orland Park and Mokena stores were not included among the list of locations scheduled to close, but stores in Bloomingdale and Forsyth in Illinois were on the list.

The closures and job cuts are expected to save the company about $65 million a year.

Sears to close Downtown store

Sears Holdings Corp. is closing its downtown Chicago flagship outlet in April, which will leave the retailer with three stores in the city.

The store has begun holding a closing sale.

Sears Holdings has closed about 300 U.S. stores since 2010. The company has about 2,000 Sears and Kmart locations in the United States.

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.com.

Andy's Frozen Custard adds two locations

Andy's Frozen Custard is constructing its third location in the Southland in Burbank.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Although it has taken much longer than originally expected, Andy's Frozen Custard expects to open on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at 5745 S. LaGrange Road in Countryside.

Village officials said all that remains are final touches on the project that includes light poles installations and small interior finishes. 

The Missouri-based company had hoped to be open by May.

Andy's also just broke ground on another location near 79th Street and Harlem Avenue in Burbank. The company had hoped to break ground on that site in April.

“The South Side works for us,” company President Andy Kuntz said earlier this year when announcing the new locations. “These two locations will help our brand awareness.”

The company entered the south suburban market three years ago when it opened a location near 95th Street on Cicero Avenue in Oak Lawn that has been hugely successful.

Each location will employ about 25 people and feature a giant ice cream cone that rotates outside of the store.

The new sites will be the company’s fourth and fifth in Illinois. A location at Block 37 in downtown Chicago closed last year.

Andy's Frozen Custard started in Osage Beach, Mo., in 1986 and later expanded throughout the state of Missouri. 

Andy's then expanded into Arkansas, Texas, and now Illinois. 

Ralph's Italian Eatery shuts down in Orland Park

The restaurant inside the Riviera Country Club at 8801 W. 143rd St. in Orland Park, which in September changed its name from Pompei Little Italy to Davino's and then quickly changed it again to Ralph's, closed after New Year's.

An employee at Riviera said she knew it closed but didn't know of any reason.

"They weren't affiliated with us, they rented the restaurant space," she said.

A manager at the restaurant chain's main location, Pompei Taylor Street in Chicago, said he didn't know the Orland Park location had closed.

"I'm the last one to know anything," he said. "(Owner Ralph Davino) must have just decided to close that location."

The restaurant closed for a couple of weeks in September to tweak its menu and do a little remodeling, supervisor Kelly Voris said at the time. After reopening, it was open only for dinner from 4-10 p.m. and closed Monday and Tuesday.

Voris said a new Pompei Little Italy would be opening soon in Westmont.

Turk's Beef closes in Orland Park

Turk's Italian Beef & Sausage closed at the end of November after 18 years at 14600 S. LaGrange Road. 

The owners said on the restaurant's Facebook page that they closed because of the coming LaGrange widening project that started this summer and is expected to continue for another two or three years.

Fans of the family-owned fast-food restaurant are in luck, however, because Turk has moved his beef operation to Sam's Triple Crown restaurant and off-track betting parlor at 9201 W. 159th St. in Orland Hills. 

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.com.

Hooters now open in Countryside

A Hooters sports bar opened last month in Countryside.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

A Hooters sports bar opened earlier this month at 5925 S. LaGrange Road in the Countryside City Center development.

Construction on the watering hole known for its wings began earlier this year.

The eatery, which got its start in Clearwater, Fla., in 1983, has a staff of about 40 workers.

Gayety's closes Schererville location

Gayety's Chocolates and Ice Cream Co. closed its store in Schererville, Ind., earlier this week.

Gayety's location in downtown Lansing at 3306 Ridge Road remains open, continuing its 93-year-old tradition of making the best hand-dipped chocolates and homemade ice cream.

The Gayety's store in Schererville was operated by an independent owner since October 2011. The owner of the dealership has decided to go in a different direction, said Gayety's owner Beth Flessor.

"We are thankful for the new customers and friends made at the Schererville location" said Flessor. 

"We invite them to experience the original Gayety's in the heart of Lansing." 

There are no plans to open a new dealership in the area, and the Flessors said they were bolstering the Lansing Gayety's to highlight the quality and customer service for which it is known.

Gayety's was established in 1920 in the South Chicago community.

For information, call 708-418-0062 or 800-491-0755, or visit Gayety's on Facebook and online at Gayety's Lansing. 

Hertz opens Mokena office

Hertz car rental opened a new Local Edition location last month in a small strip mall at 9442 W. 191st St. in Mokena.

The corporate-owned office is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and is closed on weekends.

For information, call the office at 708-478-5088.

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.com.