Comings & Goings: Sandal Shop, Jamaica Jerk, Open

Orland Park is now home to the first Flip Flop Shop in Illinois, which opened July 20 at .

These aren’t the inexpensive, rubbery kind of flip flops you may be accustomed to, said store manager Cathie Roth, who lives in a nearby suburb.

The store carries two dozen brands of flip flops, sandals and street shoes ranging from $22 to more than $100, she said. Top selling brands include Sanuk, Cobian, OluKai and Reef.

“We have brands that no one else in the mall has,” said Roth adding there are plenty of them. “I have more than 1,000 pairs of sandals on the wall.”

The store offers child and adult sizes.

“We carry men’s sandals up to size 14 and can order larger sizes.”

She said the company recently outfitted the Los Angeles Lakers in flip flops.

“People have been really, really excited to see us open,” she said. “Maybe they saw one of our stores in an airport somewhere and were hoping we’d come to the Midwest. Now we have.”

What about Chicago’s infamous winters?

“We may carry boots,” Roth said. “But we’re here for someone looking for sandals when they are heading to Florida on vacation in November or December.”

For more information, visit Flip Flop Shops Chicago on Facebook.

Fun for Kids at Children of America

Enjoy a FREE day of fun Aug. 18 at Children of America, 16124 S. La Grange Road in Orland Park. The open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., includes crafts, games and other fun activities for kids and their families.

The child care center caters to kids ages 6 weeks to 12 years old and has both before and after school programs. It's located behind and . Review the center's website for more information or call 708-403-2719.

Jamaica Jerk Choice Opens in Tinley

Jamaican Jerk Choice, which offers Caribbean cuisine including jerk chicken and curry goat, opened earlier this month at 15910 S. Harlem Ave. in Tinley Park.

The 1,200-square-foot restaurant has a sister store in Calumet City. The opening took longer than expected because of construction issues. The restaurant was supposed to open in March.

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

For information and the menu, visit Jamaica Jerk Choice.

Justice Adding Brothers at Orland Store

Justice, a clothing store aimed at tween girls from ages 7 to 14, is opening the door to boys at some of its outlets including one at Orland Park Place mall in Orland Park.

The Ohio-based chain has already opened five Justice & Brothers stores and plans to open five more including the one in Orland Park by the end of the summer.

The Orland Park Place branch is closed for remodeling. The chain’s store in Orland Square Mall is open for business and will remain a Justice for girls store.

Farmers Market Closes for Taste of Orland

The Orland Park Farmers Market will not be held this week because of the Taste of Orland festival. It will resume on Aug. 10 and run every Friday through Oct. 5. Taste of Orland runs from Aug. 3-5 at the Orland Park Civic Center.

Mirror Image Salon Grand Opening

Mirror Image Salon will hold its grand opening from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 17722 Oak Park Ave. in downtown Tinley Park. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 5:30 p.m.

New President at Moraine Valley

Sylvia Jenkins became the fifth president of Moraine Valley Community College when Vernon Crawley retired at the end of June after 21 years as the college president.

Jenkins moves up from her previous position as vice president of Academic Affairs at the southwest suburban community college.

If you're interested in more local happenings, check out Orland Park business news and Tinley Park business news.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bob@chicago-patch.com and catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at www.southlandbusinessnews.blogspot.com.

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