Comings & Goings

Special Report: Super Bowl Sunday Deals

2012-02-03T12:38:00.000-06:00

Super Bowl Sunday is said to be the biggest party day of the year. In case you’re the one throwing the party, here are some deals on pizzas. We also have a list of some local watering holes and their Super Bowl Specials.

Salina’s in Tinley Park has the "OchoCinco," which is $8.50 off a "Giants" (18-inch) pizza. Limit 10. Mention coupon code: SB2012. For information, call 708-614-9100 or visit their website at cateringbysalinas.com/.

Ed & Joe’s in Tinley Park is hosting a Super Bowl Party from 4-10 p.m. for $30 per person, which includes a raffle to win a pizza a week for 52 weeks. Call Ellen for reservations at 708-532-3051.

Ed & Joe’s also is raffling off a pizza a week to all take-out and delivery customers on Sunday. In addition to being automatically entered, customers can take $5 off any 14-inch or 16-inch pizza from 3-9 p.m. Dough Dollar Points also will be doubled.

Durbin’s is offering a $35 Super Bowl package at all of its locations, which includes pizza, nachos, dinner and four drinks. Reservations required. See manager at each location.

Bookie Magee’s Hideaway and OTB, 2450 W. Jefferson in Joliet, is hosting a Super Bowl party starting at 5 p.m. Cost is $40 per person for half-time buffet, free pop and draft beer, $2 bottles of beer and house drinks. Early birds can get free racing program and $10 in bets with their reservation. Call 815-744-6500 for reservations.

Here are some Super Bowl Specials in the Lincoln-Way area thanks to the folks at Patch. See here for the complete list.

Chicago Blu in Frankfort will have a free half-time buffet, 46-cent drafts and 46-cent wings (get it, Super Bowl XLVI).

Jameson's Pub in Frankfort starts the party at 5 p.m. For $35, customers can enjoy an open bar and a half-time party buffet.

Pete Mitchell's Bar & Grill in Frankfort will have a free half-time buffet and drink specials.

Tommy Nevin's Pub in Frankfort will have a free half-time buffet, drink specials, raffles and giveaways.

The Wild Rover in Frankfort will have a free half-time taco bar and drink specials.

191 South in Mokena has two party packages: A $60 package that includes top-shelf liquor and food and a $35 package with domestic drinks and a family-style dinner. Call 708-479-6873 for reservations.

Stoney Point Grill in Mokena is holding its second annual Steak Fry, where you pick out your ribeye and chefs cook it on a grill outside to order. It’s $25 for a 10-ounce ribeye and $30 for a 16-ounce ribeye — both come with an all-you can eat buffet of sides. A free all-you can eat taco and nacho bar will be open during halftime. Drink specials. Sports memorabilia will be raffled off throughout the night.

Charleston's Bar & Grill will host a party. $25 gets you unlimited domestic drafts and a buffet that includes a nachos bar, pizza and buffalo hot wings. Reservations are recommended.

Charleyhorse in Tinley Park, New Lenox and Munster, Ind., will have a free half-time buffet with wings, tenders, pasta, appetizers and drink specials.

Prime Time Restaurant & Bar in New Lenox will have a free half-time buffet, including pizza, pasta and salad; $10 prime rib special; $10 slab of ribs; 50-cent wings; and drink specials.

Tom Kelly's Chophouse & Pub in New Lenox will have a free half-time buffet with pizza, fried chicken, pasta, meatballs and drink specials.

Gold Shops Open in Tinley, Orland

2012-01-27T17:09:00.000-06:00

K.E. Jewelry opened recently in Orland Park

The high price of gold (hovering around $1,700 an ounce) has brought one of those shops that buy gold to Tinley Park.

We Buy and Sell Gold, which the village classifies as a jewelry store, opened recently at 7112 W. 171st St. in the former home of the village’s first and only pawn shop, which closed late in 2010 after its owner violated the terms of his arrangement with the village and purchased four antique guns.

Hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

A gold buying store called K.E. Jewelry opened recently at 15810 S. Harlem Ave. in the Home Depot Plaza in Orland Park. Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Sundays.

It joins three other gold buying stores that have rebranded themselves Gold Max after doing business for a long time as Midwest Gold Buyers. Those stores are in Orland Square Mall, 14700 S. LaGrange Road and 7928 W. 159th St.

Plaza Café Closes in Frankfort

One of our favorite places closed this week when the state revoked the business registration of the Plaza Café in Frankfort over issues with back taxes. If a deal can be reached between the owner and the state Department of Revenue, the restaurant could reopen, but chances are those Heidi cakes are gone forever.

New Lenox Library Café Closes

The New Lenox Library can’t seem to catch a break in regards to its in-house café. The latest blow came last week when Book and Bean Too closed because of health issues for its owner. The café had just reopened in September after being closed for several months. Library officials are trying to determine whether the café can reopen or do they need to seek a new vendor – again.

Old World Pizza Coming to Tinley

Original Old World Pizza, also known as Fat Ricky’s, is taking over the space at 16703 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park that was home for a short time last year to Capri Express.

Fat Ricky’s opened a location in Orland Park in 2010. The chain began in Elmwood Park in 1963 and has other locations in Shorewood and Romeoville.

The eateries are known for their pizza, burgers, pasta, sandwiches and calzones. You can check out their menu at http://www.fatrickys.com/ and get more information at their Facebook page.

Calls for more information were not returned, so I don’t have an exact opening date but it should be soon.

Green Garden Golf Dome Delayed Again By, What Else, More Snow

2012-01-24T13:21:00.000-06:00

Photo from 72strokes.com

Green Garden Golf Course in Frankfort lost its golf dome in last February’s blizzard when the storm ripped a hole in the fabric covering and it deflated.

Plans to erect a new and improved dome have been hampered this month by bitter cold and two Friday snowstorms.

Golf course general manager Todd Russell said he expects the dome to be open for business by next Tuesday, if not sooner.

“Realistically, I expect it will be open a week from today,” he said on Tuesday. “We’ll try for sooner but no later than next week.”

Russell said he would keep posting golf dome updates on the golf course website http://www.greengardencc.com/.

The new dome will be heated and have a two-level hitting area. The dome will have 42 hitting stations, a putting green, chipping area, a sitting area with TVs, snacks and beverages.

Once it does reopen, the dome will be open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Standard rates for ages 19-61 will be Monday to Friday $12 per half-hour, Saturdays and Sundays $15 per half-hour.

Senior rates for ages 62 and older will be $11 per half-hour for anytime weekdays and after noon on weekends.

Junior rates for ages 18 and younger will be $10 per half-hour for anytime weekdays and after noon on weekends.

There also will be a season pass good anytime and valid from November to March for $750.

New Grocery Store Eyes Frankfort

Mariano’s Fresh Market, a division of Roundy’s Supermarkets in Milwaukee, has been slowly moving into the Chicago marketplace and will present plans Thursday night to the Frankfort Plan Commission for a 70,000-square-foot store at 20900 S. LaGrange Road (between McDonald’s and Old Plank Trail Bank).

Let’s see, between U.S. 30 and 191st Street there are already five supermarkets including Jewel, Dominick’s, Walt’s, Brookhaven and Aldi.

If this store is approved (and who doesn’t believe it will be), the stores could start their own softball or bowling leagues.

Brighton Collectibles Opens in Orland Square

Brighton Collectibles, a specialty store that carries items from jewelry to handbags and accessories, opened Friday in the lower level Macy’s Court at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park.

Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For information, call 708-873-1658 or visit them online at http://www.brighton.com/.

Free Dessert for January Birthdays at Chick-fil-A

Orland Park’s Chick-fil-A restaurant has free dessert from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25, for anyone born in January.

4 Southland Blockbuster Stores Closing

2012-01-16T12:05:00.001-06:00

Blockbusters stores in Tinley Park, Frankfort, Lansing and Hickory Hills are closing.

The Blockbuster stores in Tinley Park, Hickory Hills, Lansing and Frankfort are closing as part of a new round of closings for the video chain since the retailer was acquired last summer by Dish Network Corp.

Area stores that will remain open – at least for now – include locations in Evergreen Park, Merrionette Park, Homer Glen and Lockport.

Dish, which acquired thousands of Blockbuster locations in July for $320 million, plans to add some kind of Dish customer service desk in the stores it keeps open.

Blockbuster rental kiosks are expected to be unaffected by the closings.

All four stores have begun going out of business sales. The Tinley, Hickory Hills and Lansing locations will close by Feb. 19 unless they run out of inventory before that. The Frankfort store is scheduled to close by March 18.

There are signs up saying the stores are moving, but that is a marketing ploy as the signs say the stores are moving online. A clerk at the Tinley store said it best, “We’re closing.”

Dickey’s Barbecue to Open Wednesday

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, a Texas-style smokehouse, will open at 11 a.m. Wednesday at 15110 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

The first 100 customers on Wednesday will each receive a free pulled pork sandwich.

The restaurant also is holding a Facebook promotion from Jan. 17-29. Anyone who "likes" Dickey's will be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card.

For more information, call 708-226-3090, fax 708-226-3091, visit http://www.dickeys.com/ or check out their Facebook page.

Pizza King Deal at Ed n Joe’s

In honor of owner Pizza King Michael Clark’s birthday, Ed n Joe’s, 17332 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park, will give customers 50 percent off of their first pizza on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The offer is good for lunch or dinner and is available for dine-in, take-out and delivery orders.

Carm’s Beef Opens in Tinley Park

2012-01-13T17:51:00.001-06:00

Carm's Beef opened this week at 17801 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

Carm’s Beef, a new Italian restaurant with a rich history, has opened at 17801 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

The original Carm’s was opened in 1947 by owner Mick Nebren’s grandmother at Cicero Avenue and what would become the Eisenhower Expressway. A second store followed in Berwyn and then a store was located in Hillside for more than three decades.

“I left the restaurant business for a while to be a Realtor,” said Nebren. “But I decided it was time to bring back Carm’s Beef.”

The restaurant that also features pizza, hamburgers, Italian sausage, subs, deli sandwiches and all kinds of salads opened Jan. 9, said Nebren who owns Carm’s with his wife Judy. Both hail from Plainfield.

“If you remember my grandmother’s place, that’s the kind of food we’ll have,” said Nebren who added that lots of people have been calling to ask if the new place is related to grandma’s original Carm’s.

A special of the house will be 99-cent hotdogs every Saturday. No limit.

“We have a special blend of hotdogs served Chicago-style,” said Nebren.

Hours will be Monday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Nebren said a website and Facebook page are in the works.

For information, call 708-444-4272.

Grand Reopening for Velocity Sports

Velocity Sports Performance of Tinley Park will hold is grand reopening Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 7700 Graphics Drive.

The athletic training facility closed last fall when its original owners went bankrupt. New owners Mike and Cindy See stepped in and reopened late last year.

Special guest on Saturday will be former NFL star Chuck Thomas of the San Francisco 49ers who will visit with guests and sign autographs.

For information, call 708.444.3278 or visit their website at http://www.velocitysp.com/tinleypark.

Brown’s Chicken Closes in Orland

Brown’s Chicken served its last wings last week when the restaurant closed at 14450 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

A company spokeswoman told the Orland Park Patch that the restaurant lost its lease. “Right now, there are no plans to reopen Brown’s at that location,” said Jennifer Gordon.

The building and business had been listed for sale for $929,000 for months on various real estate and commercial property websites.

Payless Shoes Closing in Markham

The Payless ShoeSource store at 2959 W. 159th St. will close on Monday, though the store has almost depleted its inventory. The store is one of 475 underperforming locations the retailer announced in August it would be closing. A Payless store in Chicago Heights also is closing, and a store on Harlem Avenue in Orland Park closed some time ago.

Kmart in St. John Closing

A Kmart location in St. John, Ind., has been announced as one of the underperforming stores the retailer will be closing.

There has been lots of speculation that the retailer will not close any stores in Illinois as a result of receiving a substantial tax break to keep its national headquarters in Illinois.

Culver’s Now Open in Crete

A Culver’s restaurant opened recently on Illinois 394 in an outlot by the Kohl’s store in Crete.

Dunkin’ to Open 500th Chicago Area Shop

2012-01-11T18:46:00.000-06:00

Dunkin’ Donuts will open its 500th Chicago-area shop at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 14, at 3206 W. 111th St. in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood community.

As part of the celebration, the first 500 customers will get a Dunkin’ Donuts travel mug and a $2 gift card. The chain is also collecting food from 8 a.m. to noon for FeedChicago.org. Anyone who makes a cash or food donation will get a coupon good for a free doughnut. Dunkin’ Donuts will make a $2,000 presentation to the organization.

There also will be a raffle for a chance to win a $100 gift card, Bulls and Blackhawk tickets and a Pepsi bike and helmet.

On hand for the celebration starting at 11 a.m. will be Benny the Bull, the Luvabulls, Bulls broadcasters Bill Wennington and Chuck Swirsky, B96 personalities J, Julian and Showbiz Shelly and Ald. Matthew O’Shea.

The shop is owned by Sam Savani.

Game Time, Carmen’s Close in Palos Heights

Game Time Sports Grill & Pub closed recently at 6405 W. 127th St. in Palos Heights. The 5,400-square-foot building and business has been listed for sale for months at prices ranging from $3.1 million to $399,000.

Also closing recently in Palos Heights was Carmen’s Jazz Bistro at 7210 W. College Dr. The bistro’s website and Facebook page are still active but the phone number has been disconnected and the bistro is not included on the Palos Heights list of businesses.

There is a new business in town as a Cricket Wireless cell phone store opened recently at 7202 W. 119th St.

Shoes Walking Out of Chicago Heights

The Payless Shoe Source is holding a store closing sale at its 321 W. Lincoln Highway location in Chicago Heights. The company has already deleted the store from its website.

Beggars Opens in Bourbonnais

The newest Beggars Pizza opened this week at 165 S. Main St. in Bourbonnais. The restaurant features a dining room, delivery and free wi-fi.

Hours are Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sundays from noon to 10 p.m.

The phone number is 815-937-9999.

Sam Maguire's Closes in Orland Park

2012-01-09T16:35:00.000-06:00

Sam Maguire's closed Sunday night in Orland Park.

Sam Maguire's Irish Pub is no more.

The establishment closed its doors at 39 Orland Square Drive for the last time Sunday night.

Judging by the comments on its Facebook page, the closing caught everyone off guard. It also caught the Orland Park Chamber off guard.

Chamber Executive Director Keloryn Putnam said she came in to work Monday and found out she had to find a new venue for this week's Young Professionals Meet Up, which had been scheduled for Sam Maguire's on Thursday.

"They hadn't been a chamber member for awhile," Putnam said. "So I don't really know what happened. I just came in and found out they were closed."

The meeting has been reschuduled for Casa Margarita, 9549 W. 151st St., at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The phone number and website were both still working Monday, but neither the website nor a recorded phone message indicated the establishment was closed. There also was no indication on its Facebook page that the tavern was closed except for the dozens of comments by former employees and customers.

Mary McNally, a loan officer at the State Bank of Countryside branch in Homer Glen, said the closing was not linked to a foreclosure lawsuit filed against the tavern in September seeking $2.2 million.

"We had nothing to do with their closing," she said. "I know nothing about it."

She also said she believes the foreclosure suit is still making its way through Cook County Circuit Court.

The property has been listed for sale for months for $2.7 million, and was on a Coldwell Banker website as recently as Dec. 27, 2011.

Pet Store Opens in Tinley

2012-01-06T12:16:00.001-06:00

Mochapet opened Friday in Tinley Park.

Mochapet opened Friday at 7537 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park.

The store carries a full line of supplies for cats and dogs as well as the animals themselves. It does not, however, carry birds, fish or reptiles and has a limited number of products for those animals.

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

A website and Facebook page are coming. In the meantime, for more information call 708-444-7387.

Winter Weekends at 2 Sisters

Lisa Callaghan, one of the owners of 2 Sisters Frozen Custard at 4734 W. 147th St. in Midlothian, called to say the shop is open on weekends this winter. For information, call 708-385-0574 or visit their website at http://www.2sistersfrozencustard.com/.

CiCi's Pizza to Open Monday in Orland Park

A CiCi's Pizza will open at 11 a.m. Monday at 9218 W. 159th St. in the Park Hill Plaza center in Orland Park.

Texas-based CiCi's is a pizza buffet restaurant. The first 100 people to buy a buffet on Monday will win a free buffet a month for the coming year.

Hours will be Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For information, call 708-460-3002 or visit http://www.cicispizza.com/.

Bridgeview Life Storage Wins Award

2012-01-06T12:11:00.001-06:00

Bridgeview Trustee Claudette Struzik and Life Storage manager Nancy Warrer check out one of the units.

Life Storage has been selected for the 2011 Best of Bridgeview Award in the Mini & Self Storage category by the U.S. Commerce Association.

The storage facility at 7700 W. 79th St. in Bridgeview is the fourth largest in Illinois, said manager Jeffery Helms. He and co-manager Nancy Warrer received the award on Dec. 21.

The award is presented to companies that have exceptional marketing success in their local community, said the USCA in a release.

The 95,000 square foot facility opened three years ago, said Helms.

“We have more than 1,000 units,” he said. “We have only indoor units with climate controls. We also have truck docks and office suites.”

Helms said the Bridgeview facility is spread out over a larger area than most LifeStorage facilities. “Most of our facilities are vertical, we’re more horizontal,” he said.

The Best of Local Business award program recognizes outstanding businesses across the country, the USCA said.

The USCA is a New York City based organization funded by local businesses to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

For more information, call Life Storage at 708-546-3249 or visit them at http://www.lifestorage.net/.

Arby's Closes on 159th in Tinley Park

2012-01-05T14:45:00.001-06:00

The Arby's in front of Menard's on 159th Street in Tinley Park has closed.

The Arby’s restaurant at 6857 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park closed recently without warning. The location is still listed on the company's website, which is odd because the Arby's at 191st Street and Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park that is still open isn't listed.

Blissful Banana Cafe Delayed

A construction issue has pushed back the opening of Blissful Banana Café from this week to mid or late January, said owner Cynthia De Zutter.

The gourmet coffee shop and café will be opening at 15447 S. 94th Avenue in Orland Park.

De Zutter, of Orland Hills, says everything on the menu will be made in-house and good for you.

“We’re steering toward healthy,” she said. “We won’t have any fryers and all of our lunch meats will be nitrate-free.”

De Zutter said the café will feature gourmet coffee, scones, muffins, side salads and a frozen concoction called a Banana Whip.

“We use pure bananas that are whipped into a custard-like soft ice cream,” she said. “Everyone who tries it will love it.”

The café will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pama Has New Home

Pama Hair Studio closed in Frankfort in November but didn’t go out of business. It relocated to 16060 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park.

Owner Patricia Okai said the new location is a little smaller than the Frankfort location.

“We have three stylists,” Okai said adding there was room for one more stylist.

For information, call 708-633-1762 or visit their website http://www.pamahairstudio.com/.

Lockport Gets New McDonald's

A McDonald’s restaurant opened recently at 16519 W. 159th St. in Lockport within sight of the Interstate 355 exit.

It’s owned by the same franchisee that owns a second McDonald’s just a few blocks down the street.

The new location is aimed at motorists traveling on I-355, who can get off and back on the highway without paying a toll.

Wedding Cake Deal of the Month

Creative Cakes at 16649 Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park, which supplied the cake for my daughter’s wedding, has a deal for couples getting hitched this year. Book your wedding cake with Creative Cakes this month and they will give you a $50 gift card. For information, call 708-614-9755 or visit their website http://www.realbuttercream.com/.

Dickey’s Barbecue Coming to Orland Park

2012-01-03T16:49:00.004-06:00

Dickey's Barbecue is expected to open in Orland Park on Jan. 16.

About the only thing missing from Orland Park’s cornucopia of restaurants is a smokehouse. And that’s about to change.

Brothers John and Joseph Bak hope to open Dickey’s Barbecue Pit the week of Jan. 16 at 15110 S. LaGrange Road, in the former Fatburger space.

“We’re about 98 percent sure we’ll open on that Monday,” said John Bak.

Dickey’s Barbecue started in Dallas in 1941 and has been franchising the brand since 1994.

Bak said the Orland location will be the third Dickey’s in Illinois.

“Dickey’s is known for its slow-smoked meats,” said Bak. “We’ll be offering beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, smoked turkey, smoked ham, pork ribs and sausage.”

“My brother discovered Dickey’s when he flew into Dallas while returning from Mexico and loved it. He introduced it to the rest of the family and the rest is history,” said Bak.

The Orland Park location is about 2,600 square feet, said Bak. “We’ll have seating for about 55 at tables and booths.”

The restaurant will have 10 employees besides the brothers, Bak said.

The brothers, who hail from Oak Lawn and Lemont, plan on a second location in Oak Brook once the Orland location is up and running.

The restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information, call 708-226-3090, fax 708-226-3091, visit http://www.dickeys.com/ or check out their Facebook page.

Piggly Wiggly Buys Piece of Tinley Plaza

Inland Real Estate Corp. recently sold 61,000 square feet of the Park Center Plaza at 16000 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park to Piggly Wiggly Midwest LLC for $3 million.

The space is leased by Eurofresh Market. The rest of the plaza remains the property of Inland Real Estate Corp.

Piggly Wiggly has said it has no intention of taking over the space.

Car Wash Closes

Supreme Car Wash closed recently at 15812 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park. The longtime business has been listed for sale for $500,000 and was foreclosed on earlier this year. The building was constructed in 2002.

Dentist Opens in Tinley

Performance Dental Care, an office operated by Dr. Kevin Fatland, opened recently at 7230 W. 191st St. in Tinley Park in the Brookside Marketplace. For information, call 815-526-0360.

Late Additions to Gift Card Roundup

2011-12-23T13:47:00.000-06:00

Here are a couple of additional gift card deals that I came across after putting together this week's list:

EggCetera Cafe with two locations in Mokena will give you a $5 bonus gift card with the purchase of a $25 gift card.

Buca di Beppo in Orland Park will give you a $10 Reward Card with every $50 gift card purchase.

And I came across a last-minute gift idea I wanted to share.

Fans of Pez candy and their iconic dispensers might want to head over to Chick-fil-A in Orland Park, which has a limited number of Chck-fil-A cow Pez dispensers for $1.99.

Gift Card Deals for Last Minute Shoppers

2011-12-21T10:57:00.001-06:00

Christmas is right around the corner and you haven’t even started your shopping. So, you decide to give gift cards and let your recipient pick out what they want from a store of your choosing.

But not all gift cards are created equal. Many retailers are offering incentives to buy their gift cards. Here is a list of some of the deals available this holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

• Tin Fish restaurant in Tinley Park has a $25 coupon for anyone who buys a $100 gift card. The coupon is good from January to March on orders of $50 or more.
• Mindy’s in Mokena will give a $20 gift card to anyone who buys $100 worth of gift cards. They have been running this same deal for the past few Christmases.

• Blue Island-based Beggars Pizza with more than 10 locations in the Chicago area will kick in a $5 gift card for every $25 gift card purchased.
• Homewood-based Aurelio’s Pizza with locations across the country also will kick in a $5 gift card for every $25 gift card purchased.
• Massage Envy in Tinley Park and Orland Park will give a $50 gift card to anyone who buys $150 in gift cards.
• Frankfort-based Creamery ice cream parlors will give a voucher good for a free small Blaster for every $20 gift card.
• Culver’s restaurants have a coupon good for a free double deluxe value basket with the purchase of $25 in gift cards.

• TGI Fridays also has a $5 gift card for anyone who buys a $25 gift card.

• IHOP will give you a coupon good for $5 off your next visit with the purchase of a $25 gift card.

• Applebee’s will give you a $10 gift card when you buy a $50 gift card.

• Buffalo Wild Wings will give anyone who buys a $25 gift card a $5 gift card, but it’s only good at that location.

• Denny’s will kick in a $5 gift card with the purchase of a $25 gift card.

• Chipotle Mexican Grill will give you a free burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos if you show them a receipt for a $25 gift card. Purchase must be made by Christmas Eve.

• Joe’s Crab Shack will give you $5 in Bonus Bucks if you purchase a $25 gift card.

• Little Caesar’s also will kick in a $5 gift card if you buy a $25 gift card.

• Longhorn Steakhouse will give you a coupon for $5 off on two entrees for every $25 gift card.

• Outback Steakhouse will give you a free $20 bonus card for every $100 you spend on gift cards. Bonus cards are good from Jan. 1 to Feb. 11.

• P.F. Chang’s China Bistro will kick in a $10 gift card for the purchase of a $50 gift card.

• Red Robin also has $5 in Bonus Bucks for the purchase of a $25 gift card. Bucks are good from Jan. 1 to Feb. 28.

• Sonic Drive-In also will give a $5 gift card for a $25 gift card purchase.

• Subway will give you a voucher for a free sub with the purchase of a $25 gift card.

• Fuddruckers is another that will throw in a $5 gift card for a $25 gift card purchase.

• AMC Theaters will throw in a $10 concessions gift card with the purchase of $50 in gift cards.

• Famous Dave’s also has a $5 gift card for anyone who buys $25 gift card.

• Steak n Shake will kick in a $5 coupon with the purchase of $20 in gift cards.

Racing Board OKs OTB for Orland Hills

2011-12-20T16:23:00.000-06:00

An off-track betting parlor and restaurant are coming to the former
Hertz dealership in Orland Hills.

Playing the ponies will get easier for Southland bettors now that the Illinois Racing Board has approved a license for Arlington Park to open a betting parlor in Orland Hills.

The racing board on Tuesday approved the request for a Trackside OTB at 9201 W. 159th St. in Orland Hills. The board also approved LaRocco Bros. to operate the restaurant side of the business.

Orland Hills officials have been talking about getting an OTB within the village for more than a decade.

“The village certainly appreciates the chance to get this new business,” said Village Administrator John Daly.

“It hopefully will replace some of the lost revenues of the down economy and the bankruptcy of Chrysler and Circuit City,” Daly said.

In the past couple of years, Orland Hills saw a Mancari Chrysler dealership and a Circuit City appliance store (both just a few blocks away from the new OTB) go out of business. Both generated considerable income tax revenue for Orland Hills.

“We replaced Circuit City with a Sports Authority but it’s a sporting goods store and doesn’t sell big ticket items,” Daly said.

The Mancari site is the largest vacancy in the village, Daly said.

Daly said the process now is for Sam LaRocco, who operates a Fat Sam’s with an OTB in Lockport, to apply for the necessary permits and licenses.

“We need to see his plan for the build out and things like that,” Daly said.

Because LaRocco is remodeling an existing building, work should go quickly, Daly said. He said the OTB could be up and running by next summer.

“We plan to keep it similar to Lockport,” LaRocco said. “We’ll have a few more TVs for the horses.”

The Orland Hills location would be slightly smaller than the Lockport Fat Sam’s, he said.

As for the Orland Park Fat Sam’s, which is only a few blocks west of the 159th Street site?

“The Orland Park Fat Sam’s isn’t going anywhere,” LaRocco said. “The new place will have a kitchen and draw an older crowd than Fat Sam’s with its dancing and beer garden.”

LaRocco said he’s thinking of calling the new venture Triple Crown, a horseracing term that refers to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

The closest OTB to Orland Hills is one operated by Inter-Track Partners – owned by the Hawthorne, Maywood and Balmoral horse tracks – in Mokena. Inter-Track also operates an OTB in Crestwood.

An OTB in Tinley Park left town a couple of years ago when Bud’s sports bar pulled up stakes and relocated to a western suburb.

Potsy's Pizza Closes in Tinley Park

2011-12-19T10:19:00.001-06:00

Potsy's Pizza closed last week in Tinley Park.

Tinley Park pizza lovers have one less place to choose from with the closing last week of Potsy’s Pizza at 16661 S. 80th Avenue.

Calls to Potsy’s are being forwarded to Salina’s over on 175th Street, which bought the rights to the phone number. Owner Neal Hummitsch said Salina's is now making "cheese nugget pizza" that Potsy's Pizza promoted. It's a kind of pan pizza with garlic butter and mozzarella.

Ruby Tuesday Closes in Orland

Orland Square Mall Christmas shoppers hoping for something to eat or drink at Ruby Tuesday will be disappointed now that the restaurant has closed abruptly.

According to a message on the mall’s Facebook page, Ruby Tuesday closed Dec. 9 without advance notice.

Meredith Hammond, a spokeswoman for Ruby Tuesday, said the restaurant closed Dec. 8 because the franchisee was not renewing the lease. She did not know the franchisee’s name.

In 2009, the franchisee was Peoria-based R.T. Midwest Holdings LLC, which appears to have gone out of business. That same year, Simon Property Group, which owns Orland Square Mall, sued Ruby Tuesday for $69,000 in back rent.

The closest Ruby Tuesday to Orland Park is now in Bourbonnais, according to the company’s website.

Synergy Salon Closes

Synergy Hair Design has apparently closed at 11310 Southwest Highway in Orland Park. Its website is still up but the phone number has been disconnected.

Main Street Relocations

Orland Park trustees this month approved more than $400,000 in relocation payments for three businesses related to the upcoming closing of Orland Plaza at 143rd Street and LaGrange Road.

Orland Park Bakery, which is moving in January to the Dania plaza at 14250 S. Ravinia Ave., will receive $196,519. Frontier Construction, which is moving to Willowbrook, will receive $63,345. Lang Lee II, a Chinese restaurant that closed that may not reopen, will receive $219,739.

The biggest loss will be if Lang Lee II doesn’t reopen. My wife loved their chicken wings.

Charter Fitness 5th Annual Toy Drive

Charter Fitness centers in the Southland are accepting new and unwrapped toys through Tuesday that will be distributed through local charities including Toys for Tots, the Salvation Army and Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn.

"Anybody is encouraged to drop off toys at a Charter Fitness near them. There are a lot of children in need in our communities. We want to help them have the best holiday possible," said Dan Collins, Director of Sales.

Marquette Bank Donates Winter Coats

Marquette Bank recently held its Neighborhood Coat and Clothing Drive, an employee-driven effort to collect coats and clothing to give to local organizations.

Throughout September and October, employees donated more than 120 new or gently used coats and other clothing items. Employee volunteers then sorted all of the donated clothing and distributed them to five neighborhood organizations including: Englewood Cares in Chicago, Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago, Southwest PADS in Chicago, Supportive Services Development Corporation in Chicago and Together We Cope in Tinley Park.

Prior to distribution, all of the coats were dry-cleaned free of charge by Norman’s Cleaners.

Orland Square Mall Goes Electric

2011-12-16T16:07:00.000-06:00

GAS STATIONS CHANGE HANDS: Chicago-area Jewel Express gas stations and convenience stores have officially changed hands and have been rebranded as Shell gas stations and Circle K convenient stores, such as this one on 159th Street in Orland Park.

Orland Square Mall has installed two 240-volt charging stations for electric cars in the mall’s upper-level parking lot between Macy’s and Carson’s.

350Green from San Diego has been installing charging stations at malls and stores across the country and announced plans earlier this year to install 280 stations in the Chicago area.

Charging stations have also been installed at River Oaks Center in Calumet City and North Ridge Plaza in Joliet. North Ridge, River Oaks and Orland Square are all owned by Simon Property Group.

350Green also has installed a station at a Walgreens in Park Forest.

The Learning Curve Fails

Learning Curve, an educational service, closed recently at 17101 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park’s Convention Plaza.

Shell Station Changes Hands

A Shell gas station and convenience store at 14301 S. Wolf Road in Orland Park was sold for $1.2 million in late September.

Silver Lake to Add Practice Facility

Silver Lake Country Club, 14700 S. 82nd Ave. in Orland Park, has started construction on a new practice facility expected to open in the spring. The facility will include a public driving range and short-game practice area. The country club features two 18-hole courses and a 9-hole course.

Closed for the Season

Whitey’s Dairy Palace, 16860 S. Oak Park Ave. in Tinley Park, has closed for the winter.

Bears deal of the weekend

Enjoy the Bears final home game of the season at Jordan’s Pub, 13500 S. Harlem Ave. in Orland Park, which serves a free halftime buffet during Bears games. The phone number is 708-460-8330. Its website is http://www.jordanspub.com/.

Sears Outlet to Open Friday

2011-12-14T15:27:00.000-06:00

The Sears Outlet store is expected to open Friday in Tinley Park.

The new Sears Outlet store soft opened on Monday and will hold its official opening Friday at 16040 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park.

The 24,000 square foot store is in the former Bally Fitness center. The store will carry its usual line of discontinued, used, scratched and dented merchandise as well as new merchandise.

Hours will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

The phone number is 708-429-9428and its website is http://www.searsoutlet.com/

Fudgi Island Cookies Crumbles

The Fudgi Island Cookie Co. closed recently at 17133 S. 88th Avenue in Tinley Park. The sweet shop opened in October 2009 and sold ice cream as well as its unique Fudgi Island cookies. The phone number has been disconnected and its website has been taken down.

In fact, the Chase Commons Retail Center where Fudgi Island was located is completely empty, a rarity even in these tough times.

Marquette Bank Names Manager

Barbara Langnes has recently been named manager of Marquette Bank’s two Orland Park locations, 9612 W. 143rd St. and 9533 W. 143rd St.

Call One Grand Opening

Call One celebrated the opening of its new office at 11524 W. 183rd St. in Orland Park with a ribbon cutting today.

Creative Cakes Knows There's No Business Like Show Business

2011-12-13T15:17:00.002-06:00

The leg portion of the lamp
being crafted Tuesday at Creative Cakes.

Tinley Park’s Creative Cakes bakery is well known locally for its fantastic wedding cakes.

Now the bakery owned by sisters Becky Palermo and Beth Fahey is hoping to broaden that name recognition with an edible version of a Christmas icon: a life-size cake in the shape of the leg lamp from the classic holiday film “A Christmas Story.”

The cake will be part of the Wednesday night opening of “A Christmas Story, the Musical” at the Chicago Theatre. The musical based on the movie and produced by a grown up Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) runs from Dec. 14 to Dec. 30.

“We were contacted by the production company to produce a cake in the shape of the leg lamp,” said Palermo.

When completed, the cake will stand about five feet high, Palermo said.

“The shade is about a foot and a half high,” she said. “It’s made from chiffon cake with raspberry and lemon mousse.

“The leg is 35 inches long and made from modeling chocolate because it has to stand up,” she said.

“Then it will stand on a crate with the word FRAGILE, which is made from red velvet and white cake.” The crate will be decorated with images from the show and movie such as a Red Ryder BB gun, Ralphie’s stepped on glasses, pink bunny slippers and a bar of Lifebuoy soap.

Palermo said 17 employees from the bakery at 16649 Oak Park Ave. are going with her and her sister to Wednesday night’s opening. “We took the tickets as partial payment for the cake,” she said.

“We’ll cut the cake for them,” said Palermo adding the lampshade and crate will be the best tasting parts of the unique creation.

How much for such a custom cake?

“If someone just came in and ordered it, the man hours alone would push the price to $2,000-$3,000,” she said adding the cake is the most extreme stunt cake the sisters have produced.

“We’re doing it to help get our name out there,” she said.

For information on Creative Cakes, call 708-614-9755 or visit them online at http://www.realbuttercream.com/

For tickets to “A Christmas Story, the Musical,” call 1-866-809-3075 or 312-423-6612 or visit http://www.thechicagotheatre.com/tickets/

Racing Board to Consider OTB for Orland Hills

2011-12-12T13:16:00.000-06:00

An Arlington Park OTB is proposed for this site at 9201 W. 159th St. in Orland Hills.

The Illinois Racing Board is expected to approve next week a license for Arlington Park to open an off-track betting parlor at 9201 W. 159th St. in Orland Hills.

“The site totally fits the parameters for an OTB license by the Illinois Racing Board,” said Orland Hills Village Administrator John Daly. “I don’t see how the license couldn’t be approved.”

Orland Hills has been talking about placing an OTB in the village for the past decade.

“We have long embraced the opportunity for an OTB to offset the need to increase property taxes,” said Daly.
If approved, the Trackside OTB would be located in the former Hertz lot on 159th Street. The building would be remodeled into a pub and grill operated by Sam LaRocco, who operates an Arlington Park Trackside OTB inside his Fat Sam’s location in Lockport.

“We plan to keep it similar to Lockport,” LaRocco said. “We’ll have a few more TVs for the horses.”

The Orland Hills location would be slightly smaller than the Lockport Fat Sam’s.

As for the Orland Park Fat Sam’s, which is only a few blocks west of the 159th Street site?

“The Orland Park Fat Sam’s isn’t going anywhere,” LaRocco said. “The new place will have a kitchen and draw an older crowd than Fat Sam’s with its dancing and beer garden.”

LaRocco said he’s thinking of calling the new venture Triple Crown, a horseracing term that refers to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.

LaRocco said once the license is approved he will hit the ground running to get the establishment open.

“I’d like to be open for the Super Bowl, but I don’t think we could get it done that fast,” he said. The Super Bowl will be played the first week of February next year.

The closest OTB to Orland Hills is one operated by Inter-Track Partners – owned by the Hawthorne, Maywood and Balmoral horse tracks – at Stoney Point Grille in Mokena. Inter-Track also operates an OTB in Crestwood.

An OTB in Tinley Park left town a couple of years ago when Bud’s sports bar pulled up stakes and relocated to a western suburb.

The Illinois Racing Board will consider Arlington’s application on Dec. 20. Daly said he would attend the meeting.

Tinley Park Seeks Vendor for 80th Avenue Train Station Café

2011-12-05T16:12:00.000-06:00

An artist's rendering of the new 80th Avenue Metra station.

Tinley Park is seeking proposals from vendors interested in operating the café that will open in the 80th Avenue Metra train station after construction winds up early next year.

The new station is expected to open in mid-February and will be one of the busiest on Metra’s Rock Island line. Its café will serve an estimated 2,400 daily commuters along with nearby residents and visitors, according to the village.

According to the village, the station will feature a clock tower, full kitchen and Internet cafe, a great hall, a covered drop-off area and veranda, interior booth seating, two restrooms and a fireplace.

A second phase of construction, to be completed next summer, will feature reconfigured parking stalls, native landscaping and a pedestrian underpass.

Interested parties can register at the village’s new website http://www.tinleypark.org/ or pick up a copy of the Request for Proposal at Village Hall, 16250 S. Oak Park Ave. For information, call marketing director Donna Framke at 708-444-5045.

The deadline to submit a proposal is 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 30.

Yana’s Café Closed

Not sure when it actually closed its doors, but Yana’s Café recently shut down at 8005 W. 183rd St. in Tinley Park’s Plaza of Tinley Crossings shopping center. The restaurant’s sign is still up at entrances to the plaza but its signage has been taken off of the building, and its phone number has been disconnected and its website has been taken down. The eatery had been operated by new owners since August 2010.

Rand’s Hallmark Closes

The Rand’s Hallmark store closed recently at 16030 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park, though Charter Fitness (formerly Cardinal Fitness) recently opened in the space next door after moving from Oak Park Avenue.

Seminar Tackles Employee Appreciation

The Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Business Unwrapped seminar on Friday, Dec. 9, on how to show appreciation to your workers during the holidays. The brown bag lunch seminar starts at 11:45 a.m. at the Orland Park Library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave.

Making Spirits Bright Campaign

Homewood Disposal is conducting its sixth annual Making Spirits Bright campaign food drive for Together We Cope in Tinley Park.

The campaign runs through Dec. 9 and non-perishable food items can be dropped off at the following three locations:

• Homewood Disposal, 1501 W. 175th St., Homewood, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Star Disposal, 30 South St., Park Forest, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• NuWay/Heartland Disposal, 17726 S. Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Odyssey Fun World Plans to Light Up Christmas

2011-12-02T15:29:00.001-06:00

The light show at Nic Miele's house last Christmas.

Odyssey Fun World in Tinley Park wants to shed light on Christmas this year. Sorry, make that, shed 100,000 lights on the holiday.

The arcade is putting together a light show on the side of its building that will start about 6 p.m. every night and last through the first week of January.

“We hope it will be the first Christmas lights display for many years to come,” said Clint Paraday, general manager of the family arcade at Oak Park and Harlem avenues.

The lights will twinkle and dance to music as part of a light show designed by Nic Miele, who has been putting on light shows at his home in Batavia for the past three years.

The arcade will remain open as usual when the light show is on and the show will run even on nights the arcade is closed, Paraday said.

“The show will start out about 15 minutes long,” said Miele. “But it will get longer through the season as we add more songs.”

“The lights will move to Christmas music as well as some top 40,” said Miele. “Each song takes about eight hours to program into the computer.”

Paraday said people will be able to stop and watch the show and listen to music on outdoor speakers or tune in to 87.9 FM and listen to the music on the radio.

“There will be LED bars that will display messages, show the lyrics of songs playing and broadcast videos,” said Miele.

The lights are the same kind that you would put on your house, said Paraday.

“We got them at a nice discount from Lowe’s in Orland Park,” said Paraday.

The lights and music are controlled by computers.

“We came out with a big Halloween display,” said Paraday, referring to Odyssey’s recent Fun Farm and Corn Maize. “We decided to do something big for Christmas. Nobody else around here does anything like this. We hope everyone enjoys it.”

Stacked Opens in Oak Lawn

2011-12-01T13:38:00.001-06:00

Tom Demacopoulos is back in the restaurant business in Oak Lawn with the opening today of Stacked at 5237 W. 95th St. in the former Baja Fresh Mexican Grill.

Demacopoulos owned the Plaza Café in Orland Park from 2005 to earlier this year when he was forced to close because the village plans to tear down the Orland Plaza mall he was in as part of its Main Street Triangle project.

When he shut down the Plaza Café, Demacopoulos said he was probably going to open a new restaurant in Oak Lawn.

Stacked is open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features most of the favorites from the Plaza Café but there are some new dishes including a Red Velvet French Toast with Cream Cheese, which sounds positively decadent.

For information, call Stacked at 708-422-5555.

Papa John’s Opens in Frankfort

Papa John’s Pizza opened today at 21114 S. LaGrange Road in the Frankfort Crossing shopping center in Frankfort. The restaurant is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to midnight for carryout and delivery.

For information, call 815-464-2222 or visit them online at http://www.papajohns.com/.

New Home for My Bike of Tinley

My Bike of Tinley Park, which has been selling and servicing bicycles in Tinley Park since 2006, recently moved into a new home at 17210 S. Oak Park Ave. (formerly Flora Bella).

The shop started at 171st Street and Oak Park Avenue. It later moved to a storefront that was larger but also was farther from downtown Tinley. Most recently, the store moved back to a downtown location.

For hours and information, call 708-444-2453 or visit http://www.mybiketinley.com/

Homewood Holiday Lights and Market is Friday

Homewood kicks off the holiday season in style Friday with the lighting of the village Christmas tree at 6 p.m. at Irwin Park.

Then the action moves to Downtown Homewood for the Hickory Road Holiday Market from 6-9 p.m.

Among the vendors will be Foundation 153 selling premium-grade Fraser firs from Michigan with easy pick-up and loading assistance. Sales will begin at 3 p.m.

The Homewood Rotary will be selling fresh caramel apples.

Students from Homewood-Flossmoor High School will have cinnamon roasted almonds, popcorn and hand warmers for sale.

The Homewood Parent Music Association will be selling decadent chocolate.

Girl Scouts will be selling hot chocolate and handmade scarves.

The Infant Welfare Society will sell luminaria kits for $6.

South Suburban Family Shelter will sell warm apple cider.

The Downtown Homewood Business Association will be selling mulled wine in a new Holiday Lights souvenir mug, $5 for the mug, $7 for the mug and mulled wine, and $3 for refill.

For information, visit http://www.homesweethomewood.com/.

BP Station Coming to Tinley Park

2011-11-30T14:05:00.000-06:00

An artist's rendering of the BP station planned for 159th Street and 80th Avenue in Tinley Park.

In case you haven’t noticed, work has begun on the former Clark gas station at 159th Street and 80th Avenue in Tinley Park.

The corner has been fenced off and the building and pumps have been removed as site preparation has begun on a BP gas station that will also have a convenience store and a car wash in the back of the store.

The site plan has been approved, said Assistant Village Manager Michael Mertens.

Calls to property owner George Zervos were not returned.

Pita Wrapped

The Pita Wrap restaurant and an adjoining Verizon store closed recently in a strip mall at 6905 W. 159th St. in Tinley Park.

Orland Chamber Holiday Open House

The Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce is holding a Holiday Open House at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at McCord Gallery and Cultural Center, 9602 Creek Road in Palos Park. The seventh annual Holiday Shoppe will feature unique, handcrafted articles from some of the finest artists and craftsmen in this area. You will be able to choose from pottery, jewelry, fused glass, toys, scarves, wooden boxes, ornaments and much, much more. A portion of your purchases are tax deductible. RSVP to 708-349-2972 or online at http://www.orlandparkchamber.org.

Rudolph to Rock at Rock Bottom

The Orland Park Prairie and Rock Bottom Brewery and Restaurant are teaming up again to help Orland Township families and organizations this holiday season. Through Dec. 14, Rock Bottom's house red ale will be renamed Rudolph the Prairie Red with 25 cents of each glass ordered going to a fund to purchase presents for families in Orland Township's Holiday Program 2011.

Tinley Holiday Market

The annual Tinley Park Holiday Market will be held Dec. 2-4 at Zabrocki Plaza and the Oak Park Avenue Metra Station. For a complete list of events, including parades and visits by Santa, go online to http://www.tinleypark.org/.

Rock Bottom Hosts Rudolph Party for Charity

2011-11-30T13:36:00.001-06:00

The public is invited to a Rudolph the Prairie Red Party from 6-8 p.m. tonight at Rock Bottom Brewery, 16156 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.

Anyone who brings a new, unwrapped toy (donated to Toy Box Connection's Operation Homefront Illinois project) or three canned food items (donated to the Orland Township Food Pantry) will receive a free glass of Rudolph the Prairie Red.

Commemorative $5 glasses will also be available, with the majority of the proceeds benefiting a fund to purchase presents for Orland Township families participating in the Orland Township's Holiday Program 2011.

A special appetizer created by Chef Jose Torres will also be available for purchase.

For information, call 708-226-0021 or 708-326-9170.

Black Friday Deals at Joy's Best Bites

2011-11-23T17:13:00.000-06:00

Deals are good Black Friday and Saturday

$5 Off $25 Toy Purchase

$5 Boxed Dog Cookies (MSRP $8.99/each)