Comings & Goings
Comings & Goings: Ross to replace Walt’s at Tinley Park Plaza
By Bob Bong When Walt’s Foods closed its Tinley Park location almost three years ago, it left a giant hole in the Tinley Park Plaza near 159th Street and Harlem Avenue. That hole will soon be filled with a new 22,000-square-foot Ross Dress for Less store and a 9,800-square-foot Five Below store. A construction fence…
Read MoreComings & Goings: Obbie’s Pizza to stay ‘unique and delicious’
By Tim Hadac Archer Avenue’s long-time king of pizzerias will continue to rule. Same recipes at Obbie’s Pizza, 6654 W. Archer. Same pizza and ingredients. Same pasta, broasted chicken, shrimp, perch, Italian beef/sausage/meatball sandwiches, sides and pop. Same seasoned, Middleby Marshall pizza oven built in 1947—the type of pizza oven every restaurant owner wants but…
Read MoreStarbucks breaks ground near Midway Airport
By Bob Bong City officials including Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ald. Marty Quinn helped break ground last week on a new Starbucks slated for Southwest Side land that has stood empty for 40 years. The ceremony was held on March 22 at 6413 S. Cicero Ave. The land used to be a gas station and…
Read MoreComings & Goings: Freddy’s closes in Orland Park
By Bob Bong Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers closed its doors in Orland Park for the last time on March 7 and all of the signage has been removed. No reason for the closing was given on the restaurant’s Facebook page and an email to Freddy’s corporate offices went unreturned. Phone calls and emails to…
Read MoreRunnings holds grand opening in Homer Glen
By Bob Bong The big-box store at 15830 S. Bell Road in Homer Glen has certainly had a storied past. Once upon a time, it was part of the Kmart chain. That ended years ago. Since then, it has been a Big R, a Stock + Field, and an R.P. Home and Harvest. Last June,…
Read MoreBrookfield Zoo Anniversary Ferris Wheel now open
By Bob Bong Brookfield Zoo has been attracting visitors for 90 years. To celebrate the anniversary, the zoo has opened a new attraction that has nothing to do with animals. Last Friday, the zoo opened its Anniversary Ferris Wheel. The towering 110-foot Ferris wheel offers guests unique bird’s-eye views of the park’s gardens, animal habitats, and…
Read MoreFlorida group acquires Chicago Ridge Mall
By Bob Bong Chicago Ridge Mall opened in 1981 on the former site of the Starlite Drive-In Theater, which had closed in 1979 after a three-decade run. It was expanded in 1986. It has had several owners over the years including the Lenhdorff Group, which bought the mall in 1986 and turned around and sold…
Read MoreOak Lawn welcomes second Panda Express restaurant
By Joe Boyle A large crowd of customers began lining up outside the new Panda Express in Oak Lawn the morning of Feb. 15 and were not disappointed when they entered the restaurant. A major draw to the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony was that the first 88 customers to enter the restaurant would receive…
Read MoreComings & Goings: Joey’s Red Hots to open Monday in Orland Hills
By Bob Bong Co-owner Anthony Nardo is not one to miss an opportunity to expand the reach of the Joey’s Red Hots empire. The Orland Park-based chain of restaurants has set Monday, February 26, as the opening date for its newest Joey’s location, in Orland Hills. Nardo and his partner Nick Iozzo jumped quickly when…
Read MoreHidden Oaks Nature Center to close for renovation
By Bob Bong Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook is about to be transformed, but the process will require the facility to be closed for most of the year starting Monday, Feb. 19. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause but promise to be an asset to the community and a great place to visit…
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