Business Comings & Goings: Pita Pan May Expand Factory, Add 40 Jobs

The Pita Pan factory at 401 E. Joe Orr Road in Chicago Heights is expected to add as many as 40 new jobs now that the Chicago Heights City Council has approved incentives so the company can go ahead with a $7 million expansion.

The factory, which produces pita bread that is used in gyro sandwiches, wants to add 90,000 square feet of space to the factory.

The Class 8 incentives knock down the affected property’s Cook County real estate tax rate for 12 years and have to be approved by the Cook County Board.

Flossmoor Farmer’s Market Ending Season

The last day of the season for the Flossmoor Farmer’s Market will be Friday at the Flossmoor Public Library parking lot at 1000 Sterling Ave.

Neat Repeats Resale Shop Open Again

Neat Repeats Resale is sporting a new, bigger look in its new digs at 9028 W. 159th St. in Orland Park.

The store now has 3,650 feet of space to display its selection of small household items, giftware and clothing.

Regular hours will be Monday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“It’s been a long process, with more than a year of planning and several weeks of actual construction,” Joyce Athey, Director of Neat Repeats Resale, said in a release. “But the result is just fabulous! Our volunteers and customers are really excited about the new space.”

All proceeds support the Crisis Center for South Suburbia shelter.

For information or to volunteer, stop in or call 708-364-7605.

PSC to Break Ground on Garden

The Sustainability Center at Prairie State College will break ground at 10 a.m. Friday on its Garden of Learning to bring together PSC students, faculty, and staff, as well as organizations in the community to learn basic gardening skills and grow fresh vegetables.

The garden also will provide an educational resource to study and address issues of food distribution, healthy living, and agriculture. Local organizations, including churches, retirement communities, and schools, as well as individuals in the community are welcome to rent a 4-foot x 8-foot plot for a $25 maintenance fee. PSC will provide gardeners with a limited supply of basic gardening tools, water, and access to workshops and gardening expertise. Some soil amendment, seeds, or seedlings may be available, depending on grants or donations.

The Garden of Learning is offered in coordination with the PSC Foundation, Respond Now, St. James Health and Wellness Institute, and the University of Illinois Extension. For information, contact Beth Koprowski, sustainability coordinator, at ekoprowski@prairiestate.edu or (708) 709-7950.

Diversity Hosts Dinner and Awards Program

Diversity Inc. presented awards at its 16th annual Dinner and Awards Program at the Olympia Fields Country Club last month.  

South Holland Mayor Don De Graff was given the Achievement Award in honor of his lifelong effort to turn diversity into a major asset for the village and for creating a high quality of life for the residents of South Holland with his guiding principles of fairness, equality, morality and ethics; the South Holland Ministerial Association was given the Diversity 2011 Award for their continuing efforts promote unity in South Holland and the region through service projects and worship events; the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau was awarded The Community Spirit Award for their continuing efforts to promote the Chicago Southland as a racially, ethnically and culturally diverse region in their marketing and development campaigns. CVB President/CEO Jim Garrett accepted the award on behalf of the Convention Bureau; Cindy Lindquist was given the David A. Janke Community Vitality Award for the devotion of her life to the well-being and betterment of her community, her church and the enhancement of her community’s educational institutions.

PSC Seeks Employers for Job Fair

Employers looking for candidates to fill open positions are encouraged to register for the Prairie State College annual job fair scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the college, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights. Commission-only positions and positions requiring a start-up fee are not allowed.

The job fair will be open to currently enrolled students, alumni and community members.

Registration is $50 per company and includes seating and lunch for two representatives, a table, table covering, and signage. Each additional representative attending the fair is $25.

To register, visit prairiestate.edu/jobfair. The deadline for registering for the fair is Friday, Oct. 7.

For information on the job fair, contact Tanya Norfleet, coordinator of career development services, at (708) 709-3755, or Ramien Manson, career advisor, at (708) 709-3922.

SSSBA Holds Fall Meeting

The South Suburban Small Business Association will hold its 14th annual Fall Meeting and Luncheon at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Odyssey Country Club, 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Tinley Park.

The annual luncheon is held to educate attendees on a topic of current economic importance to them and to provide networking opportunities.

Guest speaker is Jack A. Ablin, executive vice president and CIO at Harris Private Bank.

It is held in conjunction with an Exhibitor’s Fair where companies will showcase their businesses from 11 a.m. to noon and again from 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Cost for the luncheon and exhibitor fair is $30 for SSSBA members and $35 for non-members.  Exhibitor fees are $125 for a booth, including one ticket for the luncheon and program.

You can register for this event, become an exhibitor, or join SSSBA on the website www.sssba.org. For information, contact Nancy Burrows at 708-596-2000 ext. 2568.

Ross Dress for Less Opens 12 Stores

The California-based off-price retailer Ross Dress for Less opened to a huge crowd Saturday morning at Orland Park Place mall in Orland Park and at Matteson Center in the former Linens-n-Things store.

Store hours will be Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Other new stores opened Saturday in Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Bloomingdale, Crystal Lake, Naperville, Niles, Rockford, Schaumburg, Skokie and South Elgin.

For information, visit http://www.rossstores.com/ or www.facebook.com/rossdressforless.

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.

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