Farmers Market Frenzy: Find One on Our Map

We asked our readers to share their favorite farmers markets in the south ‘burbs and complied a map based on your submissions.

All around the south suburbs, farmers markets are starting to open up for the season. With the help of our readers, we put together a handy map so that you can find the best local offerings of the region. Click on each icon for more details on the particular farmers market. Don’t see your favorite farmers market? Check over here to add it for next week’s map.

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Business Comings & Goings: Al's Beef/Nancy's Pizza Closes

Oak Lawn Chamber moves into new digs, Wilsons Leather opens at Chicago Ridge Mall.

The combined Al's Beef and Nancy's Pizza at 5128 W. 95th St. in Oak Lawn closed at the end of business on Sept. 18. A receptionist at the corporate office in Orland Park confirmed the closing but had no details and requests for more information were not returned. The Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce is in the midst of moving from its longtime location at 5314 W. 95th St. into new digs at the Metra Station at 95th Street and Tulley Avenue. “We will open in our new location at 9 a.m. on Oct. 1,” said chamber director Julie Miller. Miller said the move was necessitated by the pending sale of the 5314 W. 95th St. building by the village. “Our membership does feel that the new location will give village businesses more exposure to the commuters who…

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Business Comings & Goings: Oak Lawn Couple’s Dream for Field Advances

Hostess outlet store remains open for business after a car drives through the front window, remodeling complete at Chicago Ridge Mall AMC Theater 6 and more business news for Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Mt. Greenwood and Beverly.

  The dream of Oak Lawn residents Michael and Denise Stillman to turn the site of the classic baseball movie “Field of Dreams” into All-Star Ballpark Heaven continues to move ahead. City officials in Dyersville, Iowa, voted last week to rezone the site from agricultural to commercial, which was needed for the Stillmans’ plan to build a 24-field baseball and softball complex on the land. Dyersville officials annexed the land in July. “This was absolutely a step forward,” said Denise Stillman. “We are still on target to close on the land at the end of August or early September,” she said. The Stillmans and the other investors, operating as Go the Distance Baseball LLC, announced last October they had a deal to buy the movie site, including …

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Business Comings & Goings

Business Comings & Goings: Little Company Urgent Care Center Opens

Former White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce to be signing books this weekend at The Bookie's Paperbacks & More.

Little Company of Mary Hospital opened a new urgent care center this week at 6700 W. 95th St. in the former Bally’s Fitness Center. The 45,000-square-foot center features physician offices, a lab, diagnostic imaging suite capable of performing MRIs, CTs, ultrasounds, X-rays and mammograms, and parking for 172 vehicles. The Care Station offers walk-in immediate care, physician visits, and lab, X-ray and EKG services as well as occupational medicine services. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Three new stores opened in the past week at Chicago Ridge Mall. Crazy 8 children’s clothing store opened last week. The national chain has fashions and …

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Business Comings & Goings: Few Changes Expected at Arena Lanes

Jump Zone opens, Crazy 8 hiring at Chicago Ridge Mall and more in today's Business Comings & Goings.

It’s official, Bill Bard has reclaimed Arena Lanes at 4700 W. 103rd St. Bard regained control of the bowling center last Wednesday, 11 years after first leasing it to Brunswick Corp. “They wanted to renew,” he said. “I did not want them to renew. It was my decision not to renew the lease.” “I was not happy with Brunswick,” Bard said referring to problems the company had with complaints, police visits and a gang-related shooting in 2010. Bard said there will be few changes at first. One will be painting the bowling center’s interior. “Nobody liked the Brunswick color scheme,” he said. “I’m leaning toward earth tones.” “I’m going to get rid of some of the stupid corporate rules,” he said. “But I’m probably going to keep most of the staff.” …

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Business Comings & Goings: Brunswick Zone Closing, Arena Lanes Returning

Little Company of Mary Hospital is scheduling a sneak peek of its new Urgent Care Center under construction in Oak Lawn.

Effective next Tuesday, Arena Lanes will replace the Brunswick Zone Oak Lawn as the name of the bowling center at 4700 W. 103rd St. Longtime proprietor Bill Bard is taking back his family’s bowling center that he leased to Brunswick Corp. in 2001. The Bard family opened the bowling alley with 24 lanes in 1956 and added 16 lanes in 1962 and ran it until they leased it to Brunswick. Bard said he decided to resume running the alley after Brunswick decided to let its lease expire. The closing of Brunswick Zone leaves a Brunswick Zone XL in Homewood as the company’s only location in the south suburbs. The other closest Brunswick locations are in Woodridge and River Grove. Oak Lawn-resident Jim Deiters took over last week as new director of the …

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Power of Patch Covers Oak Lawn

Patch editors blanketed the town green on Wednesday in Oak Lawn's first Tour de Patch.

Our Southland Patch editors dropped in on Oak Lawn Wednesday to spread volunteerism and distribute goodies throughout the village. We learned how to play eclipse ball at the Oak Lawn Park District sports camp at the Pavilion. Chris Paicely Jr., 9, came with his dad, Big Chris, editor of Chicago Heights Patch. Chris Jr. said he made "ten new friends in five minutes" at the Pavilion. Our editors also fanned out at Park Lawn Services and the Oak Lawn Library, where we read four books to a very energetic little girl. We also surprised the employees at Sara Lee Bakery Outlet, who are about to lose their jobs when the outlet closes before the end of the year, handing out water bottles. Standard Bank on 111th Street, Platinum Chiropractic and …

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Oak Lawn Farmers Market Opens Wednesday June 6

Thirty-eight vendors lined up for village farmers market in 2012.

Summer is officially here! Oak Lawn's own Farmers Market opens at 52nd Street and Dumke Drive this Wednesday. The market featuring everything from veggies, fruit and flowers to honey, oils and rain barrels. Except for the first two weeks of September when the village sets up for Oak Lawn's Fall on the Green, the farmers market will run every Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. through mid-October. Check out who is going to be at the Oak Lawn Farmers Market this year:

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Fresh Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables in Late September and October

Patch's guide to locally grown produce and where to find it.

As the weather cools and the trees start to turn, the selection of locally grown produce changes as well. Though local growers may stop carrying your summer favorites, they still have a lot of fresh produce to offer and at a great price. Where should you go for fresh fall produce? Patch assembled a list of what's in season and where it can be purchased, as well as tips for picking your own fresh items. Fall produce usually includes apples (limited quanties this year), Asian pears, beans, broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, grapes, greens, gourds, peppers, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and watermelons. Whether you prefer farmer stands, farmers' markets or U-Pick (more information about this is below), there are plenty of …

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Kate Duff

8:55 am on Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Homewood market will be operating until October 22nd and Flossmoor until October 14th.   more ›