Orland Park
Grapevine Foods opened in 2004 at 14402 John Humphrey Drive, Orland Park, as a combination grocery store and small bakery. There was a little oven in the back for making fresh bread and sweets.
“The bakery side of the business was doing much better than the grocery side. Over the years the business kept transforming,” said owner Laila Maali. “We’ve gone through three separate projects to keep expanding the kitchen and moving the wall forward and reducing the space upfront with the groceries. The business is now primarily takeout and catering with a couple of café style tables and a couple of picnic tables on the side of the store when the weather is nice for quick bites.”
Maali said her place gained a loyal following of customers who appreciate the homestyle cooking that reminds them of what their mother or grandmother made.
You’ll find a varied menu with some of the top sellers being kabobs, stuffed grape leaves and various pies with fillings of cheese, spinach, veggies, beef, chicken and Zaatar.
“The most unique thing we serve is a larger item meant to serve 25-30 people — the whole lamb stuffed with stuffed grape leaves. Both menu items are great sellers on their own, but when the lamb is stuffed with them, they absorb the flavor of the lamb to create a much more unique flavor that everyone seems to love and no other Mediterranean restaurant in the area offers,” Maali explained.
She feels blessed to have been able to operate this small family business in Orland Park. Maali lives nearby in the home she has resided in with her family since 1986. “We’re all proud to have lived in this community for 35 years and in business for almost 17 years serving the community that our kids grew up in,” she said.
Frankfort
FUSE salon and spa originally opened in Manteno in 2004 and relocated to Frankfort in 2014. Owner Leah Freeman started in the industry in 1997 always knowing she wanted to own her own salon. As her skills and experience grew, she opened her first salon location with her parents Michael and Christine Cybulski. As a leading artist with Redken – L’Oreal, Freeman became the Global Color Director for L’ANZA Healing Hair Color and Haircare and was named Creative Colorist of the Year at The Behind The Chair Awards.
FUSE salon and spa. at 28 Kansas St., Suite 1B, is Frankfort’s first L’ANZA Healing Center and FUSE salon carries L’ANZA exclusively. “We believe in carrying a product line that has green initiative, free from parabens, sulfites, wild crafted, organic and was never tested on animals,” Freeman says.
The Spa at FUSE salon is run by Lizette Zlogar, a Master Clinical Esthetician and award-winning makeup artist. “We offer Clinical Formula and each person is evaluated and prescribed skin care that suits their specific needs. We specialize in acne, aging skin, lashes, massage, custom blended foundation, lipsticks and makeup,” Zlogar says.
“What makes FUSE salon and spa unique is the people, and we believe in putting our team first. Education, team builds and putting family first has created an unbreakable award-winning team,” said Freeman. “We love Frankfort for an array of reasons. We love the people and especially the surrounding historic businesses. There is so much local business support.”
Recently, FUSE expanded and opened an apparel store called RARE APPAREL28.
Tinley Park
For more than 30 years, Creative Cakes has been a family-owned destination for amazing desserts at 16649 Oak Park Ave. The high-volume, custom cake shop was founded in Tinley Park in 1989. In addition to wedding cakes, Creative Cakes specializes in individualized cakes, cupcakes and pastries for every occasion.
“Our customers’ life events are very special, and it is important to take the time and care to ensure that not only will the cake be delicious, but that it will be a centerpiece for their guests to talk about for years to come,” says co-owner Becky Palermo. She added that taking care of their employees is of equal importance to her. “They are a part of our family. Many of the employees that we hired on when the business was growing and evolving are still with us today.
“The bakery is proud to be a top referral of many reception facilities in the south/western suburbs of Chicago and Northwest Indiana,” said Palermo. “Creative Cakes has always been committed to providing the highest level of customer service and consistently earns 5-star ratings on Wedding Wire, The Knot, Google and Yelp.”
— Carrie Steinweg
This article originally ran on nwitimes.com.
Regulators authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union on Friday, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former FBI lawyer was sentenced to probation for altering an email that the Justice Department relied on during its surveillance of an aide to President Donald Trump during the Russia investigation.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Tony Evers lashed out Friday at rival Republicans who tried to repeal his statewide mask mandate, saying killing the order would be a ridiculous move comparable to abolishing speed limits.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As some conservatives in South Carolina celebrated getting a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state past a legislative barrier and likely becoming law, they said they are not finished trying to end all abortions.
A Moscow court on Friday put the brother and several allies of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny under house arrest for two months as authorities sought to stymie more protests over the jailing of the top Kremlin foe.