Shop Chic this Spring and Help Out Children in Need

Come eat, shop and socialize at the Olympia Fields Country Club on April 19 in support of the Infant Welfare Society Flossmoor Juniors.

The Flossmoor Juniors chapter of Infant Welfare Society Auxiliary is hosting their annual spring luncheon and boutique on April 19. Shop Chic, the name of this year’s 1950s themed party, will be held at Olympia Fields Country Club. Shopping begins at 10:30 a.m. and lunch will be served at noon. Vintage ‘50s attire is optional. All proceeds will help provide medical services to women and children in need through the Chicago’s Infant Welfare Society.  Here’s what to look forward to: Anyone interested in going can purchase tickets online. The charge is $50 per person for lunch and shopping and $20 for shopping only.

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Girls Night Out Returns to Homewood

The annual tradition continues next Friday, March 22 all throughout downtown Homewood

Downtown Homewood’s annual Girls Night Out returns next week on Friday, March 22. It’s the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and support local businesses at the same time. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., a variety of downtown merchants will be offering shopping specials and raffles. Of course, wine sampling will be a part of the festivities as well. And don’t miss out on the pop-up gallery next to Grape & Grain Co. at 18111 Dixie . This free event is sponsored by the Downtown Homewood Business Association (DHBA). Like H-F Patch on Facebook

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Her Closet Boutique Moving After 18 Years

The downtown Flossmoor upscale consignment shop will be relocating to Homewood within the next couple months.

After spending the past 18 years nestled in downtown Flossmoor, Her Closet Boutique consignment shop is packing up and headed a mile or so north to Cherry Creek Plaza in Homewood. “We’re expanding,” owner Rose Demko said. “We needed more space.” Demko says she’s been looking to move for some time now. A variety of factors influenced her decision, including rent prices, space issues and growth. She says she considered relocating within Flossmoor, but in the end, Homewood had the most attractive offer. And while the downtown parking issue is of slight concern, Demko says her decision to move has nothing to do with any grievances towards to village. The emphasis, rather, is on expansion. “I shop local only and I only want to keep (Her Closet…

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Sweet Annie's Bakery Moving To Homewood

The new location will be in the former Thai Rickshaw building in downtown Homewood.

Anne “Sweet Annie” Aboushousha spent all day Jan. 10 tracking around town, going from business to business to personally announce her decision to move Sweet Annie’s Bakery to 18102 Martin Avenue in Homewood, the former location of Thai Rickshaw. She also went to Twisted Q BBQ and Bakery on Ridge Road to break the news herself. “I really wanted to tell the people I care about directly,” Aboushousha said. “It was important for me to do that. I was really nervous.” Aboushousha made the snap decision last week, but it’s been two years since she realized some sort of transition was inevitable. “I was getting panic attacks when it gets really busy in the shop,” Aboushousha said. And then there is the matter of parking. Aboushousha recently spoke…

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6:30 am on Thursday, January 17, 2013

I'm sorry, William, that you are so dense you can't actually see the problems that forced Annie to move to another location. It is truly hard being you.   more ›

Is Cyber Monday Worth the Convenience?

While Cyber Monday might offer the easiest way to get your holiday shopping out of the way, it also takes a serious toll on our local economy.

Cyber Monday became an official term as recently as 2005, but it's made its mark quickly. Last year, Americans spent $1.25 billion online on the Monday after Thanksgiving, making it the best day for online spending in U.S. history, according to ComScore. This may be good news for the economy on a big scale, but for H-F, it's money lost—big time. How much money? According to the Winter 2012 edition of Homewood's Village Key, $68 out of every $100 spent locally returns to the community. Sylvia L. Wyant, Executive Director of the Boulder Independent Business Alliance, estimates the return of shopping locally may even be as high as 80 percent. Compare that to $48 coming back out of every $100 spent on big box retailers or, worse yet, $0 return…

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Will a Meijer Superstore Come to Flossmoor?

Project proposed for land near Vollmer and Crawford. The village board will take up the issue in December.

Black Friday 2012: Strange Things You Saw While Shopping

A woman wading in a mall fountain? A cow in line at Best Buy? Patch hit the local shopping scene Thanksgiving night and Black Friday to talk to shoppers about the craziest, funniest or weirdest stories from the day.

Black Friday is a day for doorbusters, discounts and lines—oh, the lines. Shoppers of the Southland descended upon Orland Park, as the mecca of shopping and home to Orland Square Mall, Best Buy, Target and big names in retail. Patch hit the streets—and the lines—Thanksgiving night and Black Friday to chat with shoppers about their tales from the retail frenzy.  Some, like Nicole Harris, filed into line outside Best Buy as early as 11 p.m. Thanksgiving night, with hopes of an encounter with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres. Harris sacrificed the comfort of her own bed in the name of shopping.  "We camped out last night in our tent, but we weren't the first ones here, which was kind of a surprise," Harris said. Those in line alongside Harris …

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Homewood Holiday Lights Kicks Off Free Ice Rink

A free ice rink and a special train exhibit are two of the newest additions to the "Holiday Lights in Homewood" annual celebration, scheduled this year from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7.

Homewood’s annual “Holiday Lights” celebration is making a triumphant return this year on Friday, Dec. 7 with a special addition—a free ice rink! The rink will be fully staffed, and the village is also offering free skate rentals. It will open during the “Holiday Lights in Homewood” and will remain open every Saturday after from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. through Dec. 22. It will be located on Martin Avenue just south of Ridge Road. In addition to the rink, a plethora of Holiday Lights traditions will return this year, including the annual tree lighting in Irwin Park, the antique motor Christmas parade, ice sculpture carving, live music and even live reindeer. Shoppers can take advantage of special, extended downtown store hours and specials and …

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The Walmart Black Friday Strike Comes to a Store Near You

Why Black Friday shoppers may encounter Walmart strikers and their supporters and why that is important, according to the South Suburban MoveOn Council.

How Early is Too Early for Christmas Shopping?

It used to be Black Friday was for the earliest of early shoppers. Not anymore. Look around. The stores are ready now.