Business Comings & Goings: Famous Dave's to Open Monday on 95th Street

Famous Dave’s barbecue is trying a new concept with it's Evergreen Park location set to open on Monday, Nov. 19, at 2851 W. 95th St.

“It will be 3,600 square feet with seating for 104,” said manager Andre Pleasance. The eatery will be the chain’s eighth location in the Chicago area, all of them corporate owned.

“That’s about half the size of a traditional Famous Dave’s,” he said. “It will be the first counter service Famous Dave’s in Chicago.”

Customers will place their order and get a number for their table and the food will be brought to them. Famous Dave’s other Chicago-area locations are full service.

Pleasance said the Minnesota-based chain is testing the smaller concept in Evergreen Park, and, if successful, may use it in other urban areas.

“The closer you get to the city, the more carryout and delivery orders you get and fewer dine-in customers,” he said.

Though it may be smaller, the restaurant will feature Famous Dave’s customer service, Pleasance said.

“We are so over the top for service,” he said. “We should do well with our customers who will not be treated better anywhere else.”

The restaurant will start out with a staff of 60 to 70 employees and a limited delivery area for local businesses.

“We’ll deliver locally to businesses at first,” he said anticipating delivery to residences to start in January.

Pleasance said the Evergreen location will open at 11 a.m. Monday with a traditional bringing in of the embers for the barbecue pit.

Hours will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The restaurant will be able to sell wine and beer.

The chain operates more than 170 restaurants in the United States. The nearest one in the Southland is in Orland Park.

For information, call 708-423-5546 or visit Famous Dave’s online.

Old Navy On the Move

Old Navy will move next week from its longtime home at 238 Commons Drive in The Commons shopping center to its new home at Chicago Ridge Mall, next to Carson’s.

“We’re not sure what day we’ll be moving,” said a clerk at the store. “But it will be the week of Thanksgiving.”

She said the store in the Commons would close the night before the new store opens.

The retailer is remodeling and moving stores in an effort to rebrand the chain as “The New Old Navy.”

The new store is expected to carry the chain’s winter collection when it opens.

For information, visit Old Navy online.

Black Friday Hours

Both Ford City Mall and Chicago Ridge Mall will be open starting at midnight on Black Friday, Nov. 23.

This will be the first time Ford City will open at midnight, and the mall will give away free goody bags to the first 250 shoppers in the Center Court.

Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Sears, Kmart, Kohl’s and Old Navy are national chains that have said at least some of their stores will open as early as 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving night.

Sewing and Quilt Expo

The Original Sewing & Quilt Expo will be held at the Tinley Park Convention Center at 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue on Nov. 15-17.

The show includes classes, workshops, retailer booths, how-to demonstrations and fashion and trunk shows.

Show hours are Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 

General admission is $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Children 12 and younger are free.

For information, visit Original Sewing & Quilt Expo.

Doll, Bear and Toy Show Coming

The Illinois Doll, Bear and Toy Show is coming to the Tinley Park Convention Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18.

The annual show is moving this year to Tinley Park from Naperville and features free appraisals with paid admission.

Admission is $10 for early birds (admission at 8 a.m.), $5 for adults for regular admission and $2 for kids 12 and under.

For information, visit Doll, Bear & Toy Show.

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.