Despite all the commentary I have been seeing that no one wants a Trader Joes....well I do! And I believe that there are many southside families who also want this store and will frequent it. I am tired of driving to Orland Park for any quality shopping. The Village needs to stop playing to the "cheapy" stores and bring us quality. The lines at Stacked speak loudly that Oak Lawn has residents willing to pay for quality.

This sounds like a good plan and I sure hope Trader Joes is the grocery store! I too am frustrated that one has to drive to Orland for so many things.

I agree that we need a Trader Joes. We are all tired of having to go to Orland to shop at one of their stores.

Whole foods, trader joes, Ann Taylor loft, francescas, home goods, charming charlies..... Just some ideas.

I can't wait for construction to be completed and better shops to be brought into town. Let's get rid of all of the "Cash4Gold" garbage and start bringing in stores that are going to IMPROVE, not DECREASE the quality of our neighborhoods.

I love Flapjacks and worry what will become of them. I'm sure the rent will be significanty more than it was before. I do like Trader Joes but can't see a Francescas since we already have one in Oak Lawn. Home Goods would be nice and a T.J.Maxx, they go hand in hand.

A part of me is hoping in vain that one of the mid-box stores will be an outdoorsman's store like the Bass Pro Shops.

Hmmm...sounds like someone may have been reading these "What should go here?" columns over the past year or so.

I love the restaurants around the water feature! What a perfect opportunity to see a "restaurant row"! Are there any Oak Lawn resident restaurateurs who could give it a distinctly local flavor? If not, maybe Rich Melman would put one of his more upscale Lettuce franchises there as an anchor. Add a casual place, maybe some ethnic offerings, and a dessert cafe. The possibilities are endless and exciting.

Kudos all around! It's about time that Oak Lawn is recognized as a place that deserves and can support higher end businesses. I can't wait to see the end product!

Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Wildfire Restaurant, Crate and Barrel. Also, a Culvers would be nice somewhere on the property.

Small business, fewer than 500 employees, drive the U.S. economy. Eric Cantor said small business create 70 percent of the jobs in the U.S.Data from the SBA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that statement is correct.

Names mentioned for developments are always chains, though they are the only ones who can afford the ridiculous rents and taxes that businesses have to pay just to open their doors in Oak Lawn. Yet the quality specialty retail stores that have survived and paid taxes all along in Oak Lawn go by largely unnoticed. Baja Sol, where Stacked is, struggled from day one, mainly because the rent and taxes were over $8,000/month.

There used to be 8 women's stores, now there's one, Annie's. There used to be 3 men's stores, now there's one, Men's Wearhouse, a chain. Precisely because people believe they need to go to Oak Brook and Orland for a "quality shopping experience" without EVER giving the local businesses a chance.

People complain that there are no good restaurants when we have several- Whitney's, Louie's and Palermo's to name three. With all of that, the first folks to complain about tax increases will be the very ones who consistently and persistently go elsewhere with their money instead of keeping it in Oak Lawn.

Wal-Mart and malls won't be the the cause of the demise of small individual and family owned businesses. When the Village is forced to raise taxes some day, and all you see are chains and big boxes, look in the mirror.

The Village has yet to approach the businesses that are still thriving here, though. Flapjack's, Platinum Chiropractic, Lighthouse Financial, Abracadabra Salon... We have ears nothing as of yet. We at Platinum really have no desire to relocate. We have been awaiting word, any kind of communication from the Village regarding the plans for our building, and quite frankly, it's a little scary! Love the redevelopment plan over here but we need information!!

Any chance of getting the plans for the development put here on patch?

Trader Joe's or Whole Foods are needed desparately in Oak Lawn. An upscakle eatery bringing people FROM Orland to us would be great. PLEASE no more Burger Kings, cleaners, tobacco shops and Dunkin Donuts! Restaurants around a water feature with some outdoor seating?? AWESOME!! Love the Crate & Barrel idea as well. Property values for that area will soar as well as helping all the other local merchants along Cicero Ave. VERY EXCITING!!

Love restaurants around a water feature. We need that. A little sitting area with little tables and chair for people to sit and talk and take a coffee break. A nice Starbucks with outdoor seating would be nice. We really need all of this to make our property values move upward. I agree with you Mike Donatowicz.

Trader Joes and Whole Foods, Starbucks---we need stores that willl keep folks coming back week after week. Homegoods, World Market-stores they get new inventory weekly, Someone shopping at Trader Joes every week may then patronize the other businesses.

Frozen Yogurt is nice, but what about a good old fashioned ice cream shoppe? Kids have to eat healthy in school and everywhere you go it's shoved in their faces about eating healthy. It's great to eat healthy, so a place with frozen yogurt for the health conscious and good rich ice cream for the younger crowd would be a good mix.

An IKEA would be great although it would take up a lot of space.

Please, Please no CHEAP stores that will bring the village down more and attract more unsavory shoppers. We don't need another strip mall in Oak Lawn.

I'm just thrilled they are finally going to do something about the empty K Mart and grocery store. It looks so desolate with nothing there.

Am I wrong about Jewel Osco on 103rd & Cicero as it seems they don't carry a lot of items they use to have in stock?

I also hope they get new tenants in the empty stores that line 95th St between Cicero and Ridgeland.

I like the idea of smaller business owners and shops populating the mall with one or two anchor stores like Whole Foods. They add personality and character to a location. Perhaps a County Curtains or Calico Corners - we lost the one custom drapery store we had for years. Perhaps Cupid Candies would be interested in opening a branch location with another ice cream parlor or Plush Horse from Palos - Rainbow Cones might be another option - but open all year and with soup and sandwich offerings in colder weather (Remember the Purple Cow in Beverly and Dresslers in the Plaza!). I'd love boutiques like Mona Lisa! A men's store with a good tailor would be great! How about something to help our children during their developmental years like "Learning Express"?

I'm also hoping that a professional consumer study will be done to determine what residents want/need. From what I've been reading in these comments - we've got quite a range (TJs to Ann Taylor). Someone's got a lot of research and planning to do to narrow things down and strike the right chord.

The Village and the Developers need to present a win/win for the business owners, the investors, the village and the residents. Rental rates and taxes can be a killer for the smaller businesses, so it's important to select businesses that will attract enough volume to cover their basic costs. It's a tall order, but other areas seem to be able to achieve it.

Best of Luck to all!

Trader Joe's please, please, pretty please with sugar on it!!!!!!! Please, no more dollar stores or junk stores - the market is saturated with those already.

Please please please put in a Steak n' Shake. I'm tired of going all the way to Orland and there is no other Steak n' Shakes on the southside. It would get tons of business and the food is great and cheap. Everyone loves Steak n' Shake.

Want to make money, get a Bass Pro or Cabelas, they are always crowded. Tired of driving 20 to 30 miles for my outdoors needs. Need a GOOD steak place in town! Whole foods would be good since Meijers is headed for Evergreen.

Perfect location for a Cabellas... halfway between their other 2 stores... one north and one in Hammond, IN.

What Oak Lawn needs is a nice office building. This can be a good spot for medical offices, law offices etc. trader Joes and maybe some nice restaurants and shops would be a good ancillary effect.

I'm tired of driving to Orland or LaGrange for Trader Joes let's get one before Palos Heights beats us to it.

Cabella's is a great idea!

Cabella's or Bass Pro would be great,BUT,they sell firearms and all the anti gun folks would be crying.

NO guns are sold in those towns at all. Ammo,yes,but only in Bridgeview.If you know different,please share.

How about a Lou Malnati's sit down restaurant?

For trustees and developers who may be reading this site, I would love to see Trader Joes, Ulta salon, Stein Mart, DSW, a nice sit down Mexican restaurant (like Uncle Julio's), a yogurt shop, a Thai restaurant, Penzeys Spice shop, Caribou Coffee, and Jamba Juice. I'll post more if I think of anything else!

Whole Foods, Trader Joes, The Container Store, Lord & Taylor, Crate & Barrel, Nordstroms, Bloomingdales, Lou Malnati's, Gibsons,..all.great suggestions! Oak Lawn needs to think BIG!!

For all Oak Lawn residents that want a Trader Joes, or any other business that you want here, call thier corporate headquarters! Tell them all about Oak Lawn, brag about OUR town! So many of the decision makers donot know how great of a town we have! The Village has contacted Traders Joes, and they were told that we don't have the demographics to support their store. Let's prove them wrong.

Cracker Barrell and Buffalo Wild Wings.

The developers are Spike Badigan's (Hamilton Partners/Properties) clients. Can you believe it? So, We'll get whatever He OKs!
Thanx toTrustee Phelan, Trustee Streit and Village Manager Larry Deetjen for having a Private meeting with Mr. Madigan in Sprinfield.

How about a place like Ben Franklins? They had everything that you couldn't find elsewhere. I realize its somewhat of a old time store but when I couldn't find something I always found it there. Fun to look too but I always bought something.

I vote for another Chuck E Cheeses to keep the kids who ditch school off the streets - and a nail salon - maybe even a branch of Polekatz, for those who think the cab fare to Harlem avenue is too high...and a DOLLAR store - OH this strip WILL BE PACKED!

Okay, I am only joking - I also don't really like having to drive out to Orland for this, that or the other thing. I've never been in a Trader Joe's, but from what I read here, that seems like a nice place, and I have liked Whole Foods from hanging out on the North Side (takes eons to get there from where I live now) . I'm all for higher-end shops and establishments. Some sections of Oak Lawn are downright beautiful, which is why I've always enjoyed living out here - we could use more of that out here, and 111th and Cicero sounds like the perfect spot.

Trader Joe's would be a good addition to the area as well as better restaurants but not chains. To bring more people to Oak Lawn we may consider an REI as Oak Brook is the closest for the south side. Maybe a World Market at a small scale or a bigger vision for a market square similar to a French market might also be a draw. Fresh meat, fish, cheese, bakery and produce. Create an environment of heathy living with links to recreation. Also the development should be a model of sustainability. Oak Lawn today brings nothing new to the region. We also always need to leave the community to shop for quality. Please do not bring the standard strip mall infil we see today. Quality starts with a strong master plan. We need to see the vision soon.

High end stores and restaurants will starve if they come to Oak Lawn. Trader Joes and Whole Foods might last for a year or two and then they will be gone.

I agree with most posts about having to drive to orland and such other suburbs for good shopping & eating..I hope this huge opportunity for oak lawn gets going & quick it's a matter of job opportunities and real estate improvement for Oak Lawn residents and keeping homeowners in their homes instead of selling and moving to areas like lagrange and tinley park which have crowded resturaunts shops & bars..

Trader Joe's

TRADER JOE'S!

Although I don't frequent Trader Joe's, I might if it were closer than Orland. Oak Lawn already has like 5 Starbucks no more of those please ! I love the Rainbow Cone idea and some specialty shops, Charming Charlie would be nice and how about a Garrett Popcorn, tired of going downtown Chicago for that ! Another great pizza place so we have a choice other than Palermos ... and no more dollar stores ! Stop with the junk stores already. We want nice stores !