Tesla opens in Orland Park
Tesla, maker of electric vehicles, is the latest car company to open a dealership on automobile row in Orland Park and Tinley Park.
The company opened a dealership and service center March 3 at 8601 W. 159th St. in Orland Park, at the site of the Orland Bowl bowling alley, which closed last summer.
The car store is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday. It’s the 10th dealership or service center in Illinois.
Tesla was founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. It was named for inventor Nikola Tesla. Its first electric car, the Roadster, went on sale in 2008.
Elon Musk became company CEO in 2010.
Fatburger returns to southwest suburbs
Several years after Kanye West’s attempt to bring California’s Fatburger to Orland Park and Beverly crashed and burned, the chain is trying it again.
This time, the effort is backed by NBA stars Anthony Davis Jr., Derrick Rose and Tim Hardaway Jr., working with local businesswomen Toi Salter and Jackie Jackson. The players all have ties to Chicago.
The burger joint opened last week at its previous location, 15110 S. La Grange Road, and also features Buffalo’s Express, a wings store. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
“Our team is excited to bring the iconic brand Fatburger back to the state of Illinois,” said Salter, managing partner of ADTJ Development. “It is truly our favorite burger, and we look forward to entering this market.”
This is the first location for the group, which hopes to open 25 restaurants in Illinois over the next eight years.
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“This opening is just the start of our growth in the state, and it is particularly meaningful to have on-board such an experienced partner to lead our expansion, including such celebrated athletes as Anthony, Derrick and Tim,” said Jake Berchtold, chief operating officer of FAT Brands’ fast casual division.
The first Fatburger opened in Los Angeles 70 years ago, and the chain has become known for its burgers, which can be topped with bacon, eggs, chile and onion rings. The menu also includes fat and skinny fries, sweet potato fries, scratch-made onion rings, turkey burgers, hand-breaded crispy chicken sandwiches and hand-scooped milkshakes.
A complement to Fatburger, Buffalo’s Express menu includes bone-in and boneless chicken wings accompanied by a range of original sauces as well as celery, carrots and blue cheese, ranch or honey mustard dressing.
South Holland dedicates renovated library
South Holland celebrated the grand reopening of its library last week after months of remodeling.
Work on the renovations at the library, 16250 Wausau Ave., began in August and had an estimated price tag of $1.5 million.
Part of the work involved meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements including updating restrooms and creating a restroom inside the youth services department and replacing west entrance doors to make them more wheelchair accessible.
Other renovations included creating five private study rooms, an open-air multipurpose collaboration space and a 10-person meeting room.
Mental wellness center for teens opens in Brookfield
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Metro Suburban and Pillars Community Health celebrated the grand opening of The Loft at Eight Corners, a teen-focused center aimed at educating, engaging and supporting young people’s mental health in the southwestern suburbs.
“Investments such as this one are crucial as we continue to weather a mental health crisis for our young people here in Chicagoland and across the country,” said Kimberly Knake, executive director of NAMI Metro Suburban.
High school-aged teens and their families will be able to access a wide range of services at The Loft, 9049 Monroe Ave., Brookfield.
For more information, go to http://Loft8Corners.org.
Bob Bong is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at [email protected].