Ross Dress for Less is taking some space in the former Walt's Food Store in Tinley Park. (Photo by Bob Bong)

Ross Dress for Less is taking some space in the former Walt's Food Store in Tinley Park. (Photo by Bob Bong)

Comings & Goings: Ross to replace Walt’s at Tinley Park Plaza

By Bob Bong

When Walt’s Foods closed its Tinley Park location almost three years ago, it left a giant hole in the Tinley Park Plaza near 159th Street and Harlem Avenue.

That hole will soon be filled with a new 22,000-square-foot Ross Dress for Less store and a 9,800-square-foot Five Below store.

A construction fence has been erected around the property and the parking lot has been torn up along with some demolition of the Walt’s building.

Kristen Moore, a spokesperson for Brixmor Property Group, the mall manager, would not disclose when the two new stores might be ready to open. “We defer to our tenants who prefer to state their opening dates,” she said in an email.

Ross Dress for Less and Five Below did not respond to emails asking for information about when the stores would be ready to open.

Ross is a California-based discount department store chain  that has a nearby store in Orland Park and a slightly larger store in the Brookside Marketplace at 191st Street and Harlem in Tinley Park.

Five Below is a Pennsylvania-based chain of specialty discount stores that prices most of its products at $5 or less and is aimed at tweens and teens. The chain also has a slightly smaller store in the Brookside Marketplace.

Brixmor also declined to say what was going on with the adjacent empty store that is still listed on their website as an Amazon Fresh Store. The space has been ready for occupancy for months and Amazon signage was taken down months ago amid reports Amazon had paused opening new grocery stores.

Local News

All-tournament selection Will Johnson of Sandburg drives in for a layup against Crete Monee in the title game of the Spartan-Ram Classic on Nov. 29 at Oak Lawn. Photo by Vince Olejniczak

Will Johnson helps Sandburg finish second at Spartan-Ram Classic

Will Johnson likes where he is, but knows he has to go farther. Johnson earned a spot on the all-tourney team as Sandburg finished runner-up in the Spartan-Ram Classic with a 53-41 loss to Crete-Monee in the title game on Nov. 29 at Oak Lawn. “I shot the ball well,” said Johnson, a 6-2 junior…

All-tourney selection Charles Barnes helped De La Salle finish third in the De La Salle/St. Ignatius Windy City Turkey Classic. Photo by Mike Walsh

Charles Barnes’ leadership a key for young De La Salle

As one of the veterans on a young De La Salle boys team, Charles Barnes knows he must be a leader. That’s a role the 6-foot-5 junior forward embraces wholeheartedly. Barnes’ leadership skills were on full display in Saturday’s third-place game of the De La Salle/St. Ignatius Windy City Turkey Classic at De La Salle.…

Mount Carmel was named the No. 1 football program in the IHSA over the 50 years the sport has had a state series. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Mount Carmel named top football program in IHSA since 1974

Mount Carmel’s football team edged out Joliet Catholic for the No. 1 spot in the Illinois High School Association’s top 50 teams in the first 50 years the organization sponsored state championships in the sport. Before the poll was released, the Caravan and Joliet Catholic had each won 15 state championships. After the poll was…

Andrew Bowman and Sydney Devore-Bowman show off the frozen turkeys they won for finishing first in their respective divisions at the Orland Park Turkey Trot. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Running couple races to victories at Orland Park Turkey Trot

The husband-and-wife team of Andrew Bowman and Sydney Devore-Bowman won their first race together at the Detroit Free Press Marathon in October. “Before that, it never happened,” Bowman said. “We both won the marathon in Pittsburgh, but in different years.” They enjoyed winning together so much, they did it again. The Ferndale, Mich., couple won…

Mount Carmel quarterback Jack Elliott runs against Batavia during the Class 7A championship game on Nov. 30. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Jack Elliott’s seven touchdowns help Mount Carmel win 16th state title

NORMAL — Mount Carmel has won state titles in several different decades under several different coaches and running several different offenses. But maybe never have the Caravan won a championship quite like this, overcoming so many hurdles. “The big challenge for us (is) no Mount Carmel team has won state (after) losing three games,” coach…

Nazareth football players hoist the six state championship in school history Saturday in Normal. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Logan Malachuk, Nazareth win third straight Class 5A state title

NORMAL — When the pandemic came, the players left Nazareth. With no prep football in Illinois in fall 2020 because of COVID, star quarterback JJ McCarthy transferred to national power IMG Academy in Florida. Other players moved elsewhere, including Iowa and Indiana, in order to continue their careers. When the football calendar returned to normal…

Brother Rice graduate and Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (right) chats with then-Crusaders athletic director Michael Fahey at a basketball game in January. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Life is good for Kansas City Royals mainstay Michael Massey

It’s been a busy and happy couple of months for Michael Massey. In the span of a few weeks, the Brother Rice graduate and Kansas City Royals second baseman had a successful postseason debut, came home to help his brother, Evergreen Park coach Andrew Massey, with a youth camp and married his fiancee, Jane. Just…

As part of the 50th anniversary of IHSA girls volleyball, Mother McAuley has been named the state’s top program. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Area roundup: Mother McAuley named No. 1 in IHSA volleyball

To almost no one’s surprise, Mother McAuley was named as the state’s top girls volleyball program in the first 50 years the Illinois High School Association sponsored the sport.  The IHSA compiled the list and for McAuley, the numbers have been staggering: 26 state trophies, including 17 state championships. The Mighty Macs have enjoyed four…

Sophomore Olivia Barsch helped Marist girls basketball start 4-0 and win the Bobby Bolton Tip-Off Classic. Photo by Mike Clark

Girls basketball notebook: Olivia Barsch, Marist flip script

Last season was something of a trial by fire for Olivia Barsch and several of her Marist teammates. Playing a demanding schedule with a roster that featured four freshmen and only one senior, the RedHawks finished 10-22. But one week into this season, they’re almost halfway to that win total after going 4-0 to win…

Jake Cestone (from left), Logan Malachuk and Trenton Walker played key roles in Nazareth’s 40-21 win over St. Francis in a Class 5A semifinal on Nov. 23. Photo by Mike Walsh

Logan Malachuk, Jake Cestone lead Nazareth back to state

As Nazareth quarterback Logan Malachuk took a knee on the final snap, wide receiver Jake Cestone was lined up near midfield just in case something happened. Once Cestone saw that everything was indeed fine, he celebrated the Roadrunners’ 40-21 Class 5A semifinal victory over St. Francis on Nov. 23 in memorable fashion: with a well-executed…

Neighbors

basketball stock

Southwest Regional Publishing basketball roundup, Dec. 4-5

Dec. 5 Boys TF North 67, Argo 52: Kassam Saleh scored 15 for the Argonauts (2-3, 0-1 South Suburban Red). Girls Reavis 49, Tinley Park 25: Emily Grochola scored 13 points to lead the Rams (4-2, 1-0 South Suburban Red) past the Titans. Shepard 52, TF South 49: Jessica Manley’s 21 points helped the Astros…

With his mom Nicole at his side, Richards running back Myles Mitchell made his college commitment to North Dakota State official on Dec. 4. Photo by Mike Clark

Richards’ Myles Mitchell signs with North Dakota State

Myles Mitchell is one of the state’s premier running backs, with a bright future with one of the nation’s best FCS programs. But the path hasn’t always been easy for the Richards senior, who made his college commitment to North Dakota State official during a signing ceremony on Dec. 4. “Eighth grade was kind of…

Brad Johnson Jr. scored a game-high 19 points to help Curie rally past Lane 48-46 on Dec. 5. Photo by Mike Clark

Brad Johnson Jr. finds range, leads Curie past Lane

Facing what was literally a tall task against Lane on Dec. 5, Curie was in serious need of a spark. Brad Johnson Jr. provided it. Led by 6-foot-10 Penn recruit Dalton Scantlebury, Lane is one of the area’s biggest teams. Curie was undersized by comparison in the Public League Red Shield opener and trailed by…

An inflatable Santa waved to the crowd from the back of a flatbed truck. (Photos by Nuha Abdessalam)

Orland Park Christmas parade lights up the season

“Even in the cold, this parade warms your heart,” said Cathy Garner, an Orland Park resident who joined her twin daughters in Sunday’s Christmas Parade. With temperatures hovering at 25 degrees but feeling like 15 due to the wind chill, residents bundled up in blankets, winter coats, and hats for the beloved tradition. The parade…

23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares

Chicago poll a ‘North Star’ amid 2025 budget disputes, local aldermen say

Change Research conducted an online survey of 801 general election voters from Nov. 18-21, focusing on Chicago’s budget negotiations. The city-wide poll was conducted to discover residents’ opinions about various topics such as politician and group favorability, property taxes, city spending, Chicago’s sanctuary city status and more. The majority of poll respondents identified as Democrats;…

basketball stock

Southwest Regional Publishing basketball roundup, Dec. 2-3

Dec. 3 Boys Andrew 72, Argo 50: Darron Greer Jr. led the Argonauts (2-2) with 14 points. Evergreen Park 70, U-High 58: Keshaun Vaval had 25 points to lead the Mustangs (3-1). Lonnie Mosley added 17 points and Camryn Dandridge grabbed 14 rebounds. Lemont 65, Stagg 35: Omar Barakat scored 17 for the Chargers (0-4).…

football-stock

Football signing day: Local recruits

Here is a list of football players in the Southwest Regional Publishing coverage area committed to Division I schools. Please email additions or corrections to mikeclarkpreps@gmail.com. Brother Rice Tyler Lofton, RB, Illinois State Jimmie Maxson, WR, North Dakota Charlie Stec, Edge, Western Illinois Lyons Tyler Chambers, OL, Northern Illinois Travis Stamm, WR, Illinois State Marist…

CRR_NH

Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound December 4, 2024

Junior Michael Oliver Jr. will be counted on for scoring and leadership for Curie this season. Photo by Mike Clark

Michael Oliver Jr. offers veteran presence for new-look Curie

There are a lot of new faces at Curie this winter. Gone are the five senior starters from a 31-3 team that won the Public League title and lost by two points to eventual Class 4A champion Homewood-Flossmoor in the Elite Eight. But veteran coach Mike Oliver is back and so is his son, junior…

Argo's Kassam Saleh tries to split defenders on his way to the basket for a layup against Plainfield South on Nov. 27. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys basketball notebook: Kassam Saleh, Argo aiming high this season

Kassam Saleh is ready to set the tone for Argo. “As time goes on you gain the most experience on the team and become that leader for everyone else,” said Saleh, a senior guard. “They follow you.” The Argonauts finished runner-up in the John McBride Classic at Stagg, falling 50-44 to Plainfield South on Nov.…