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| Eagle Sports Range is now open in Oak Forest. (Photo by Bob Bong) |
By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy
A new shooting range that was plagued by delays finally
opened last month in Oak Forest and another new range opened in Mokena.
Eagle Sports Range opened Oct. 6 at 5900 W. 159th St. in Oak
Forest at the former Community Motors auto dealership. Point Blank Range &
Gun Shop opened Oct. 24 at 18810 S. 88th Avenue.
“We are so pleased to welcome Eagle Sports Range to our
community,” Mayor Hank Kuspa said in a release. “It’s definitely going to
be a destination for Oak Forest and the Chicago Southland overall.”
The 30,000-square-foot facility includes climate-controlled
indoor shooting bays (six long-range, 22 short-range), firearm and retail
space, a training simulator, a viewing area, a full-service gunsmith shop and
private member lounges. It also includes meeting rooms for conceal carry
classes, safety seminars, instructional sport shooting, and self-defense
training.
“There’s really nothing like it in the area,” Oak Forest
Community Development Director Adam Dotson said in the release. “From the
lobby to the ranges to the classrooms, the owners have paid attention to detail
to ensure a safe, positive experience for seasoned and novice shooters alike.”
"Eagle Sports Range will be an important economic
driver that will benefit the City of Oak Forest and the Chicago
Southland," Jim Garrett, President/CEO for the Chicago Southland
Convention and Visitors Bureau, said in the release. “We look forward to
attracting marksmanship competitions that will lead to job creation and
additional tax revenues.”
The gun range had been expected to open in the first quarter
of 2016 but was delayed by construction problems, inspections and
permits.
"There have been many
factors that have resulted in our missed dates, from construction to
inspections, we have faced many hurdles that come with any business start up
and major construction project," owners wrote in early September on the
range's Facebook page.
The range is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Ohio-based Point Blank Range & Gun Shop is now open in
Mokena and a second southwest suburban store is getting ready to open in
Hodgkins.
The two gun stores will be the company's first in Illinois.
It also has stores in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky and plans to build more.
Plans were announced in August for a Point Blank location in
Merrillville in northwest Indiana.
Construction started last year on the store at 9400 W. 63rd
St. in Hodgkins near the Quarry Mall and is expected to be open soon. The store
will have 20 shooting lanes and 4,000 square feet of classrooms and offices.
The total size of the space is 15,080 square feet with parking space for 80-90
cars.
Construction began earlier this year on the
16,000-square-foot store at 18810 S. 88th Avenue in Mokena, which opened Oct.
24. The range there is expected to employ up to 40 people. The building will
have 22 pistol ranges, two classrooms, a large retail area and a storage area.
There will be 90 parking spaces with an entrance from 88th Avenue.
Hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Plans call for Point Blank to later add a 13,000-square-foot
rifle range at the same site.
If you see a new
business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.
By Bob Bong
