Asia Palace opens in Tinley Park

Asia Palace opened earlier this summer in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong

Southland Savvy 

A new Asian fusion restaurant called Asia Palace opened earlier this summer at 7138 W. 183^rd St. in Tinley Park in the same location previously occupied by an Asian restaurant called G-in Sushi but has a new set of owners.

Asia Palace features Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisines and has a full-serve bar. Take-out orders are accepted but there is no delivery.

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

For information, call 708-342-1652.

Chimera’s Comics grand opening in Oak Lawn

Chimera’s Comics, a comic book shop that got its start in May 2011 in LaGrange, will hold the grand opening of its Oak Lawn store this weekend at 5307 W. 95^th St. in Oak Lawn, across the street from the Oak Lawn Library.

The store opened earlier this summer but will hold its ribbon-cutting at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, followed by an open house until 8 p.m. with snacks and refreshments. There will be a magic tournament starting at 3 p.m. Saturday followed by Kids Day on Sunday with free comic books, and lessons on how to play Heroclix from noon to 3 p.m.

All weekend long the store will give away free comics for all our customers (one per customer). Everyone who shows up will get a raffle for a chance to win a hardcopy copy of “Watchmen: Absolute Edition” (a $75 value).

Store hours are from noon to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For information, call 708-422-4900 or visit Chimera’s Comicsonline or check out their Facebook page.

Frankfort Fall Festival returns this weekend

 

The annual Frankfort Fall Festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of guests to downtown Frankfort every Labor Day weekend, opens at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The fest features a craft fair with hundreds of vendors selling their wares, a food court, a carnival, and a parade that starts at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Borg Warner parking lot.

For information on parking and a complete list of events, visit Frankfort Fall Festival.

The Dome closes

The Dome Restaurant, which got its name from the building's unique shape, closed recently after being open for more than 25 years in Indian Head Park.

The restaurant opened in 1987 at 6921 Joliet Road and was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The phone number has been disconnected and its Facebook page gave no indication of why it shut down, but residents told me it closed a few weeks ago.

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.

Evilena’s expands in Frankfort

Evilena's Red Dresser has opened a second location in Frankfort.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Evilena’s Red Dresser upscale consignment shop at 59 W. Bankview Drive in Frankfort recently added a second location across LaGrange Road in the Frankfort Town Center shopping center.

The second location was added to accommodate the store’s growing furniture collection and will be open through at least October.

The second location opened last month and has the same hours as the main store from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

For information, call 815-464-4426 or visit Evilena's.

Baby’s Cheesesteak delivers

Baby’s Cheesesteak closed its Orland Park location near 159^th Street and LaGrange Road a couple of weeks ago, but fans were told they wouldn’t miss out on the eatery’s fare while the owner works on finding a new location.

It seems the business is trying to keep its customers happy by offering delivery to Orland Park, Orland Hills and Tinley Park.

Customers can order at 708-349-9800 or online at www.BabysCheesesteak.com for delivery from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

If you prefer your food served in a building, you can always go to Baby’s location at 4019 W. 167^th St. in Country Club Hills.

Jaycees forming Tinley chapter

Illinois Jaycees in cooperation with the Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce and the Woodridge Jaycees will hold a meeting from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, at Durbin’s, 17265 S. Oak Park Ave. to form a new Tinley Park Jaycees Chapter.

Young professionals from 18-40 are invited to attend the meeting to discuss the new chapter.

The mission of the Jaycees is to provide developmental opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. They offer a wide variety of networking opportunities, professional and personal trainings and community development projects. 

 

For information, call Melissa Kivi at 708-724-1173, email her at mkivi1101@gmail.com or visit the Illinois Jaycees Website. 

If interested in attending, RSVP to the Facebookevent.

 

Tailgate party at FirstMerit Bank

FirstMerit Bank will host a tailgate party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, in the bank parking lot at 14701 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

There will be burgers and brats, light refreshments and frozen treats from the FirstMerit Treat Truck. There will also be music and a mini car show (weather permitting).

This event is free to Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce members. RSVP to Frank Kurzawa, Mortgage Loan Officer, at 708-590-7567 or email him at frank.kurzawa@firstmerit.com.

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.

Mama Maria's taco bar opens in Orland

Mama Maria's opened earlier this summer in Orland Park.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy 

Owner Patrick Concannon says the idea for his latest restaurant, Mama Maria's Taco and Tequila Bar, is "sports bar meets cantina meets Orland Park."

Mama Maria's opened earlier this summer at 16117 S. LaGrange Road right next to Concannon's Ottimo Ristorante Italiano, which he opened in 2008.

Mama Maria's features Mexico City-style tacos, tortas and quesadillas.

"We specialize in hand food," he said. "Basically, we can put anything into a tortilla."
 

Specialties include Baja Fish Tacos, Pescado tacos, Roasted Vegetable Tacos along with appetizers and entrees such as enchiladas and fajitas. 

Concannon has had a long career in the restaurant business starting in 1984 at Gordon restaurant in Chicago's River North neighborhood. His travels have led him to Hawaii, Europe, San Francisco and back to Chicago in 1990 when he joined Charlie Trotter's crew.

From there he moved on to Don Juan and eventually opened his first restaurant Fahrenheit in Chicago.

Along the way his path crossed with Laco Seeber, who is the chef at Mama Maria's and has a distinguished culinary resume as well.

As the name implies, Mama Maria's is not just about the food. The restaurant specializes in drinks made with tequila -- there are 17 different kind available -- ranging from margaritas to mojitos. There's a variety of beers available including craft brews as well as sangria and other wines.

Mama Maria's can seat about 120 people with room for more than two dozen people at its bar.

"We have a really long bar," he said along with a banquette of seats that runs parallel to the bar.

Concannon hopes to add outdoor seating next summer.

Sports fans will feel right at home, Concannon said. There are five big screen TVs tuned to favorite sports games and teams.

Concannon is also a neighbor, he said, as he lives a block away from both restaurants.

Concannon said the restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Tuesday, from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For information, call 708-403-3346 or visit the website Mama Maria's. 

Tinley Culver’s gets a new look

The Culver’s at 18248 Sayre Ave. in Tinley Park is expected to reopen Friday after being closed since Monday for remodeling, said district manager Jack Rush.

The restaurant, which is one of five in the Southland owned by Justin Obriecht, will sport a new look inside and outside, he said.

The restaurant will hold its official grand reopening celebration on Aug. 28 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. 

Countryside rejects new swimming school 

Aldermen in Countryside took the unusual step last week of voting against a Plan Commission recommended  special-use ordinance that would have allowed a new swimming school to open at 9930 W. 55th St.

Aldermen rejected the proposed School of Fish Swim School not because they don't like swimming, but because the site didn't have nearly enough parking spots.

Plans called for a four- or five-lane pool inside the 14,000-square-foot building. City rules require a space that size to have 72 parking spots, but the property has only 20 parking spaces in front of the building with another dozen spaces behind the building, which belong to a separate business.

Ald. Sean McDermott said the school didn't belong at that location and added he would be open to a better-suited location.

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.

Golden Corral work starts in Tinley Park

A Golden Corral buffet restaurant is under construction near 159th and Oak Park Avenue in Tinley Park.

By Bob Bong
 Southland Savvy

Work has finally started on a Golden Corral buffet restaurant planned for near the intersection of 159th Street and Oak Park Avenue in Tinley Park, in front of the Menards home improvement store.

Tinley officials approved a host of incentives to land the restaurant including fee reductions, sales tax sharing and a property tax break.

Developer Bhavin Patel said plans could not move forward without the incentives. Plans call for an 11,100-square-foot Golden Corral at an estimated cost of $3.5 million. The restaurant would create an estimated 100 jobs.

Nick's Steakhouse closes in Mokena

Nick's Steakhouse in Mokena, which had come under new management late last year, has closed its doors for the last time.

The restaurant at 19634 S. LaGrange Road closed in early June without warning.

Its website has been taken down and the building has a large "for lease" sign on the roof.

Eddie Bauer reopens in Orland

Eddie Bauer recently reopened its store in Orland Square Mall as a new Outdoor Concept Store, which caters to active and adventurous shoppers. The new store has a new location on the lower level near the escalator by Sears. Hours are the same at the mall.

Meijer to hire 900 in Illinois

Michigan-based Meijer is preparing to hire thousands of team members as a result of growth and in preparation for fall and holiday selling seasons, the company announced last week.

“Meijer has already opened five of the six new stores planned for this year, with another nine opening next year,” Janet Emerson, executive vice president for operations, said. “Our continued growth, along with the upcoming holiday selling season, make it imperative that we increase our staffing to properly operate our stores and deliver on the Meijer promise of providing exceptional customer service.”

Two of those new stores will be in the Southland. One is planned for Mokena, at Wolf Road and U.S. 30, and another is slated for Flossmoor at Crawford Avenue and Vollmer Road. The chain just bought 13 acres of land in Flossmoor for that store and groundbreaking is expected soon for the Mokena store. 

Interested candidates are asked to complete an online application at www.jobs.meijer.com. During the online application process, prospective team members can indicate their store preference. Candidates may also complete an online application at the employment kiosks located at the front of most Meijer stores. Local store management will then follow up with qualified candidates.

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.
www.southlandbusinessnews.com.

Matteson sues to close Lincoln Mall over ignored safety concerns

Lincoln Mall as it looked last year while emerging from bankruptcy.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

The Village of Matteson filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking a Cook County judge to order the failing Lincoln Mall to be closed immediately because its new owner has failed to correct a slew of building and fire violations.

The village also asked the judge to appoint an independent receiver to oversee needed rehab work at the mall at U.S. 30 and Cicero Avenue.

“We want to get the mall back to what we all know how it used to be many years ago,” Matteson village administrator Brian Mitchell said Wednesday at a news conference after the lawsuit was filed.

Attorneys for the village said Lincoln Mall has failed several building and fire inspections over the past two years.

“If there was a fire, and people were trying to get out, there are situations in which exits lead to dead ends, or barricaded doors,” village attorney Tony Licata said.

The mall has been on the decline for the better part of two decades and huge chunks of the mall have been demolished or are in the process of being torn down.

The mall was purchased out of bankruptcy last summer by Michael Kohan, of New York, for the paltry sum of $154,500. Village officials said he has done nothing to correct the safety violations and has been stringing them along with vague promises of redeveloping the indoor mall.

The lawsuit specifically excluded the Carson’s store, which village officials said was the only safe part of the mall.

Two dozen violations were cited in the lawsuit included crumbling façade, exposed wiring, a padlocked emergency exit, dismantled fire sprinkler pipes, unfinished demolition of the former Montgomery Ward store, which closed in 1999.

Last year, the Sears store closed leaving Carson’s as its only anchor.

The mall’s Facebook page, which has been talking for months about its coming redevelopment was silent Wednesday and posted nothing about the lawsuit.

Its last word on the redevelopment was posted on July 27: “Possibly you saw me walking Friday with the Village and the Re-developer. The Village did go over the proposal for the door; the Village wants a new Proposal which will also have ALL Safety and Building codes up to standard. I talked to Mike (The Owner) and the Re-Developer. Mike said he would give his approval to have all work done. The Village wants the Proposal as soon as possible. So they can approve all plans, they want this project done as soon as possible. I told Mike I would like to have approval of an Occupancy date so I can have Tenants in the Mall before Christmas. I will talk to the Re-developer on Monday possibly I will be able to get a estimate date if he is done with the Proposal. It takes a new Tenant time to set up a new Business as I’m sure you all know.”

Irish pub called Ariel's opens in Tinley

Ariel's Bar & Restaurant opened this week in Tinley Park next to the Wingate Hotel.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Another bit of the auld sod has come to Tinley Park with the opening Monday of Ariel’s Bar & Restaurant at 18401 North Creek Drive next to the Wingate Hotel.

The bar had been under construction since last winter and had originally been scheduled to open in June.

Ariel’s says the menu will offer traditional Irish cuisine, such as fish and chips and shepherd’s pie, along with contemporary dishes, such as Moroccan barbecue salmon and seafood paella, in its dining room that has seating for about 80.

The bar seats about 50 and will feature craft beers as well as an assortment of Irish whiskies.

There are another 140 seats on an outdoor patio.

Ariel’s is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

For information, call 708-928-8080 or visit the website at www.arielsirishbar.com.

Tilted Kilt still planned for Orland Park

Even though it has been a year since the Tilted Kilt planned for the former Fat Ricky’s location at 16255 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park was supposed to have opened, plans for the sports bar have not been shelved.

“Tilted Kilt is still scheduled to be in Orland Park,” Joseph La Margo, deputy village clerk and public information officer for the Village of Orland Park, said earlier this month.

La Margo said permits had been pulled for the bar, which is known for its waitresses dressed in plaid miniskirts.

Last year, the Orland Park Plan Commission approved plans calling for adding more than 1,500 square feet to the north end of the building. Plans also called for removal of a turret, elimination of a drive-through and the building of an outdoor dining area.

The closest Tilted Kilt franchises are operating in Bolingbrook, Joliet and Chicago Ridge.

Bonefish Grill now hiring in Orland Park

Bonefish Grill, a 5,800-square-foot seafood restaurant under construction at 15537 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park next to the LongHorn Steakhouse has announced it plans to open its doors on Sept. 16 and has begun accepting applications for 100 positions ranging from kitchen staff to servers.

Applications are being accepted now through Sept. 16 at www.bloominbrandscareers.com/Bonefish. Interviews will be conducted with qualified candidates that apply online. 

Applications are being accepted for various positions including angler (server), host, bartender and kitchen staff. 

Florida-based Bonefish Grill got its start in January 2000 and has grown to more than 100 locations in more than a dozen states.

The Orland Park location will be the chain’s fourth in Illinois and the first in the Southland. The building has an estimated cost of $1 million.

The project is the last outlot in the Lowe’s Home Improvement footprint, and makes for quite a restaurant row with LongHorn, Chick-fil-A, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Jersey Mike’s lined up along that stretch of LaGrange.

For information, visit www.bonefishgrill.com.

Zoup! opens Orland Square Mall location

The newly remodeled food court at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park welcomed a Zoup! Fresh Soup Company restaurant on July 25.

 Zoup! is a fast-casual eatery that is in the midst of an expansion push in Illinois. The Orland location will be the company’s fifth location in Illinois and its first in the Southland. The company now has 51 locations in nine states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada. A store opened two weeks ago in Aurora and another is expected to open in downtown Chicago this fall.

 Owners of the Orland franchise are Mohammad Mansour and Faris Ballouta. It’s their first Zoup! location.

“We are excited to bring the Zoup! brand and culture to Orland Park,” Mansour said in a release.  “The wide variety of healthy choices, including soups, salads and sandwiches provide a great dining alternative for our community.” 

Zoup! features hundreds of award-winning soup recipes with 12 rotating daily varieties, including low-fat, low-cal, vegetarian, dairy-free and gluten-free options, all served with a hunk of freshly baked bread, the company said in a release. Customer favorites include Chicken Potpie, Lobster Bisque and Vegetarian Split Pea. The menu also features made-to-order salads and sandwiches, and all items are available in convenient catering sizes for groups of 10 or more.

The new restaurant will employ about 17 team members and will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. 

For more information, call 708-966-3010 or visit www.zoup.com.

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.

7-Eleven closes Summit store

Signs on the door at the closed 7-Eleven at 7403 W. 55th Place in Summit thank customers for their patronage.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy 

There are a lot of rumors circulating about why the 7-Eleven store at 7403 W. 55th Place in Summit closed recently. 

 

There is a sign on the door thanking customers for their support and advising them to visit the chain's nearest store at Archer and Nashville in Chicago.

 According to Margaret Chabris, a spokeswoman for the Texas-based chain of convenience stores, it was a simple business decision.

"This had been a former White Hen store," Chabris said. "It was underperforming and was not franchised, so when our lease was up, we decided not to renew."

Chicago Lids Locker Room opens

Chicago Lids Locker Room is now open at Chicago Ridge Mall in Chicago Ridge. The store is located on the main level near the food court and features a wide selection of sports apparel, authentic signed sports memorabilia from NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB, sports merchandise including jerseys, T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, hats, tailgate gear and more. The Chicago Ridge location is the ninth for the chain.

For information, visit Chicago Lids.

Shoe Carnival opening 2 new stores

Evansville, Ind.-based Shoe Carnival is opening two new locations on Saturday, July 27, in Burbank and South Elgin.

 The retailer is opening at 9 a.m. at 4835 W. 77th St. in Burbank, and at 354 Randall Road in South Elgin. The first 100 customers at each store will receive a $10 reward card to use toward anything in the store.

Other grand opening events include:  A drawing for free shoes for a year at 10 a.m.; a drawing for $1,000 cash, courtesy of Skechers at 11 a.m.; doorbuster deals from 9 a.m. to noon; prizes and giveaways all weekend.

“We are excited to be opening a new store location bringing our customers a new spacious and inviting Shoe Carnival shopping experience,” Todd Beurman, Senior Vice President of Marketing, said in a release. “At Shoe Carnival we strive to give our customers a family friendly shopping experience with great deals on name brand shoes for the whole family.”

Shoe Carnival carries name brand shoes including Nike, Converse, Sperry, New Balance and many more. There are more than 360 stores in 32 states and Puerto Rico.

Ross Dress for Less opens in Crestwood

Ross Dress for Less, a discount apparel and home fashion chain, opened 20 new stores across the country on Saturday including a store at Rivercrest shopping center next to Ultra Foods at 13200 S. Cicero Ave. in Crestwood, a store at 1555 State Route 50 in Bradley, Hillside and two in Peoria. 

California-based Ross entered the Chicago market in the fall of 2011 when it opened stores in Matteson and Orland Park. Since then the chain has added stores in Bolingbrook and Calumet City and now has seven in the Chicago area. More stores are coming including one under construction in Tinley Park.

Ross stores typically carry brand name products priced 20 percent to 60 percent less than at department and specialty stores.

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.