The blue house sitting at 14330 Beacon Avenue has had several identities over the years, but housing antiques seems to be its calling.  The house was owned and lived in by the Gunderman family in the 1900s. It was purchased and turned into an antique store in the 1980s and since then took on several businesses. The antique store turned into a gift shop and then into an in-line skateboarding store. It wasn’t until eight years ago, when Nila Rundle had a life-changing experience and decided it was time to finally pursue her dreams, that the space was converted back into an antiques store. “…

For five years Merle Norman has offered Orland Park residents a go-to place for all of their make-up and skin care needs. Sitting at 15006 S. La Grange Road in Orland Greens Plaza the cosmetics store operates with the customer in mind. The clean and fresh exterior accompanied by ample mirror and personal sitting stations seem to encourage customers to get comfortable and stay awhile. And that’s just what the mother-daughter duo of Jan and Megan Sperry who run the store want you to do. With 14 different foundation options and a host of make-up products, customers have an array of colors and …

While other students sat at cramped tables and ate high school cafeteria food, David Lach surrounded himself with nature.  He opted out of lunch as a high school student and instead took a horticulture class to fill the time.  The teacher, whom Lach still talks to today, turned into his mentor and taught him everything there was to know about flowers. The lessons he learned in this class would be the seeds that eventually blossomed into a successful career. Lach nurtured the teachings and gained hands-on experience while working at floral shops throughout high school. He saw first hand the …

For 20 years, Orland Park has been home to a craft store whose products are made by the community. Brady’s Craft Mart is a store that showcases the talents of the community and gives residents the opportunity to turn their crafts into profit. One hundred booths, rented by individual artists make the store a haven for hand-crafted decorations and gifts. An array of wreaths in rich warm colors adorned with a variety of bulbs and fruit are placed near the door. It may be summer outside, but autumn has begun for Brady’s Craft Mart’s customers. Ornaments and knickknacks that beg for the brisk air …

If the thought of reusable diapers creates ideas of diaper pens and plastic pants then you’ve got it all wrong. Diapers that can fasten, snap, hook and adjust to fit your child as he or she grows can be found in Orland Park. For almost two years, Cutie Poops & Bottoms have provided Orland Park families with earth-friendly, safe and cost-efficient cloth diaper options.  With five different cloth diaper options available that range from one-size diapers to hybrids, which act as a wearable holder for parents who may want disposable at one time and cloth at a different point, this boutique offers…

When Minas Litos extended his family restaurant chain to Orland Park his goal was to compete in an area already inundated with food options. He took over the old space of Connie’s Pizza location, 16310 South LaGrange Road, completed renovations that included a name change to Café 24 and reopened the doors in November.  The community response wasn’t exactly in Litos’ business plan.  “Residents thought the café was a higher end bistro,"  General Manager Robert Withrow said. There were a lot of calls for reservations, something the restaurant doesn’t take and calls inquiring about alcohol which …

Kimberly Bond Boutique sits in Orland Park but its reputation extends past the village's borders. Owner Kimberly Bond went from making her own clothes as a kid, a trade she learned from her great grandmother and mother, to working with a designer and picking up the trade practices along the way. Today, she has dressed mothers and wives of athletes, Hollywood actresses, a Miss Teen America, an American Idol contestant and generations of Orland Park families. “I’ve dressed children for their communion and then for their prom and again for their wedding,” Bond said. Repeat customers connect with…

A round table set with decorative plates and all the toppings sit in the store’s front as if a party of five were expected for dinner. The tables in the center of the room hold a wide variety of jewelry while the vanity’s curved mirror protects unique household goods. And that’s just the first room.  Every inch of Susie’s Trunk Show and Emporium is filled with clusters of one-of-a-kind, never-seen-before items that were handpicked by owner Susie Trunk. The walls are lined with art, frames, mirrors and clocks. Whether it’s a plate from France, a clown cookie jar, a silk scarf or linen, each …

Have you ever forgot the salad dressing as the party guests rang your doorbell?  Or was running late for work on your day to bring coffee and donuts?  Did you want to go back out to pick up your dry cleaning but decided to preserve your gas? There’s a delivery service in town that just may have a solution for you.  Celebrating its first year in Orland Park, Toyourdoorfast.com will pick up and deliver anything you need to any place you need it. No order is too big or too small, said Jeff Smith, owner of the delivery service.  “If you want one 20-ounce Mountain Dew, we will go and get you one …

It’s construction season, and LaGrange Road is going thru an expansion project that seems to last for miles.  The traffic is at a steady speed of slow. Inch by inch cars maneuver thru two lanes just trying to make it to their destination.   For some, that destination is Pizza Pete. “It’s worth the traffic…and the rain,” a rushed customer said as he leaves with his order. Loyal customers don’t mind traveling for a slice of their favorite Pizza Pete creation.   On a quarterly basis owner Debbie Mattes sends frozen pizza to Michigan for a customer whose husband grew up on the pies. She recently …

Stroller Strides isn’t an ordinary exercise class. Sure there is equipment, music and people sweating. But in this class, the equipment is strollers, the music is nursery rhymes and the class all mothers. Stroller Strides is the nation’s largest fitness program for new moms. Krissy Toenjes instructs classes in Orland and Tinley Park, after she started taking classes with Stroller Strides when her son was 6 weeks old.  About 6 months later the instructor at that time announced she was selling the franchise and moving to Colorado.  Toenjes knew she wanted to stay at home with her child and saw …

The Rock Bottom Brewery in Orland Park has a secret weapon for every charity event that it hosts.  Yes, there are meetings, planning, community involvement, schedule changes and press releases in preparation of each event.  But the one element that stands out in Orland Park’s restaurant has the distinct and coveted title of Brewmaster, an honor held by Iain Wilson.  Wilson has brewed in three different countries; his native Scotland, England and currently here in the United States.  It’s almost as if he was destined for the job. The brewer's award-winning career started with a Christmas …

Bisi Nwokenkwo always wanted to own her own business but she couldn’t quite decide which direction to go. Then she went to get her hair done. Thirteen years ago Nwokenkwo and her husband threw a party for their son’s first birthday. She wanted to look nice for the celebration so she made an appointment with a salon in Chicago.  The hairstyle lasted thru the celebration but the next day when she washed her hair there was a huge bald spot in the back of her head.  “I was terrified. I didn’t know what to do,” Nwokenkwo recalls. “It was terrible.”   Nwokenkwo began wearing wigs to cover the bald …