Business Comings & Goings: Buona Beef Opens in Orland Park

It took a little longer than expected, but Buona Restaurants and Catering opened Wednesday in Orland Park.

The restaurant at 9525 W. 131st St. opened Wednesday. It is the 15th location for the family-owned Berwyn-based chain that got its start in 1981.

The restaurant is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and offers dine-in, carry-out and catering. The Orland location includes a drive-through lane, and sells beer and wine for people dining in.

The menu includes beef and roasted chicken sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, pizza, salads, soups and milkshakes. There also is a kids menu.

For information, call 708-274-8770 or visit its Facebook Page.

Parmesans expected to get food license

Tinley Park trustees are expected to vote Tuesday to approve granting the food vendor’s license for the 80th Avenue Metra station to Parmesans Wood Stone Pizza, 10235 Lincoln Highway in Frankfort.

If approved, Parmesans would take over food service at the station from Diana’s Kitchen, a village business located at 167th Street and Oak Park Avenue that signed a 90-day deal in October to provide food service from 5-9 a.m.

“We’ll take over on Jan. 28,” said Michael Papandrea, co-owner of Parmesans. “We’ll probably call it Parmesans Station.”

“We’re going to phase in our menu and operations over the next six months,” he said. “First, we’ll be a bagel shop for the commuters. Everything will be baked by us in the morning; bagels, cinnamon buns, muffins. We’ll be a grab and go for the morning commuters. Then we’ll turn it into a restaurant.

“The idea is that eventually evening commuters will be able to order dinner online using an app and then just pick it up as they get off the train.”

The vendor license will be considered Tuesday by the Finance and Economic Development Committee and, if approved, would go to the full council for approval.

The agreement calls for a base rent of $1,100 a month and a small percentage of the gross sales to the village. The agreement would last five years.

Papandrea lives in Frankfort with his wife and business partner Mary Ann Papandrea. They opened Parmesans in April 2004.

For information on Parmesans, visit their Facebook page or Parmesans online.

Tinley expected to OK tax break for restaurant

Tinley Park trustees are expected Tuesday to approve a Cook County Class 8 tax reclassification resolution for the former Casto’s restaurant at 16846 S. Oak Park Avenue, to bring in Siam Marina as new owners of the restaurant.

The deal would lower the tax rate for the property from 25 percent to 10 percent for the next 10 years.

The tax break has to be approved by the Cook County Board, but that is considered a formality as the board normally follows the recommendation of local officials for such tax breaks.

The board already granted owners of Siam Marina a Class A liquor license at the Jan. 8 Village Board meeting.

Siam Marina Thai Cuisine, which features Asian fusion cuisine and seafood, is closing its longtime home in Calumet City at the end of February.

Owners Tammy Pham and Sam Chung operate another location under a different name in northwest Indiana.

Lady Jane’s opens in Orland

Lady Jane’s Haircuts for Men opened last month at 15822 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park’s Lake View Plaza.

The salon caters to men of all ages and features $10 haircuts and leather recliner chairs and plasma televisions.

The Orland location is the Michigan-based chain’s fifth in Illinois.

Hours are Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For information, call 708-745-5845 or visit them online.

Gap opens in new location

The Gap is now open at its new location at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park. The retailer held its grand opening on Saturday on the lower level Sears Court.

Orland to open demolition bids

Orland Park officials will open bids on Jan. 22 for the final demolition of Orland Plaza at 143rd Street and LaGrange Road.

Veteran 2 Veteran Job Fair

. Pizza and beverages will be served. There will be a cash bar.

All veterans are encouraged to attend this event. Topics that will be discussed are: employment issues, resume writing and interviewing skills, transferring military skills to the civilian workforce, mentoring, as well as educational and entrepreneurial opportunities.

RSVP your attendance to vets4biz@yahoo.com or by calling 708-935-1289.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

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You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com and www.southlandsavvy.com.