Annmarie Haugh was inspired to open Heaven Sent Religious store when she was on a pilgrimage in Bosnia in 1990.
She was visiting Medjugorje, a town in southern Bosnia near Croatia where six children said the Virgin Mary appeared before them in 1981.
“I was walking through the fields and suddenly I know it was what I supposed to do,” she said last week from her home in Chicago’s Beverly community. “It’s a ministry.”
“I took a leave of absence as a Chicago public school teacher and opened a small shop in Evergreen Park,” she said. “It was tiny, only 500 square feet.”
Eight years and one expansion later, Haugh and her son Kevin moved to much bigger quarters in Oak Lawn.
Along the way she took advantage of a retirement plan for teachers and devoted herself full-time to the business.
“We were selling mostly Catholic-related items for baptisms and communions,” she said. “Gifts and books.”
“We specialize in church goods, sacramental apparel and gifts. We have a variety of holiday and Irish themed items. We carry statues, holy cards, wall art and religious books.”
But they also sold church goods for the clergy.
“Robes and the like,” she said.
Then came the economic downturn in 2008, and four years later she and her son downsized and moved the store to smaller quarters at 12327 S. Harlem Ave. in Palos Heights.
Earlier this year, COVID-19 hit her business hard.
“I saw the handwriting on the wall and decided it was time to retire,” she said. “I’m 82 years old and my other son didn’t want Kevin to bring the virus home.”
So, they are selling the brick and mortar business, hopefully by next week.
“If we still have merchandise, we might stay open longer. If we can talk the landlord into giving us more time,” she said.
Her son will keep the business alive online and is getting some help from sisters Wendy Lundberg and Jill Evans, who shut down their Mona Lisa Boutique at the end of March.
“I think Jill will be helping Kevin take our shop online,” Haugh said.
Haugh said closing the store will be bittersweet.
“These kinds of stores are disappearing,” she said. “And they are needed so badly with people not able to get into church because of the virus. Other stores are downsizing their religious departments.”
Haugh said she may not be leaving Palos Heights, however.
“I’m trying to sell my home in Beverly,” she said. “We might be moving to Palos Heights. It’s a nice town.”
Heaven Sent is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Their last day is scheduled to be Aug. 31.
Amazon opens fulfillment center in Channahon
Amazon, which is making a huge commitment to the Chicago market in general and south suburbs in particular with fulfillment centers under construction in Markham and Matteson, opened its latest fulfillment center in Channahon in Will County.
New employees were allowed into the 1 million-square-foot building for the first time on Aug. 23 to celebrate its first day of operation.
After a morning of learning and fun activities, associates received the first item into the new building: a pallet of Shark Rocket vacuums.
“It’s an exciting day as we officially open our doors at our new fulfillment center in Channahon,” site manager Nick Lamb said in a release. “We have an incredible staff on board, and we’re excited to be offering industry-leading jobs with comprehensive benefits. We look forward to being a member of the Channahon community.”
To celebrate the day and to support the community where Amazon’s employees live and work, Amazon made a $10,000 donation to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
The fulfillment center currently employs more than 1,000 full-time associates who will pack and ship large items, including sports equipment, patio furniture, fishing rods, pet food, bicycles, and larger household goods.
Shirey used car location temporarily closed
The Shirey Cadillac used car center at 10825 S. Central Ave. in Oak Lawn has been temporarily closed and its fleet of cars for sale has been transferred to the main dealership at 10125 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn. The used car center will reopen once the pandemic has run its course.
The Works has new owners
The Works Pizzeria & Tavern in Summit is open again under new ownership.
Lifelong Summit resident Arzie Balovski and her husband Mike reopened the pizzeria at 5719 S. Archer Road earlier this month.
What’s different from in the past, is that breakfast is now being served.
Hours are Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. and there’s parking in the back. The kitchen closes at 9 p.m. daily.
The pizzeria is open for dine-in customers and strictly follow safety guidelines per the State of Illinois during the pandemic. The eating areas, bar and gaming area are sanitized after every customer leaves. Carryout also is available.
Bob Boing is a freelancer. He can be reached at bobbong@hotmail.com.
