There was a wide range of emotions during the closing minutes of the final day of business at the Orland Park Bakery’s Orland Plaza location.
For more then 40 years, there has been a bakery at that spot.
But Sunday’s closing didn’t have the same feel as the July closing of longtime grocery store Randy’s Market next door. Randy’s closed with uncertainty of if, when and where it will open again. Orland Park Bakery customers have the knowledge that the business will open again at 14850 LaGrange Rd. and there will be a grand opening celebration Friday.
But the last couple of days at the Orland Plaza provided some sentimental customers a chance for one more look at the place. The plaza will eventually be torn down as the village of Orland Park starts a redevelopment project in that area.
Orland Park Bakery co-owner Kathleen Major is joined by her workers as she locks the door for her business at the Orland Plaza location for the last time on Sunday.
“It’s a sad day because people came in here and told me how they used to come here and buy doughnuts after church with their grandparents and now they are bringing their kids in here,” said Kathleen Major, who owns the business with her son, Tom. “They are looking at these counters and they are looking at these walls saying ‘this is Orland Bakery.’ I tell them ‘please let the next place be Orland Bakery.’’
Mary Lou Norwell of Orland Park said she has been a customer for 18 years. She agreed that it was a “very sad” day and isn’t happy about the plaza closing. She said her son used to sell Boy Scout candy in front of Randy’s and that she would buy groceries, bakery goods and get her hair done at the plaza.
“This area has a homey feel,” she said. “People were neighborly and friendly and said ‘hello.’ I really hope they can capture that same feeling with the new location.”
Palos Heights’ Theresa Fortuna, who was another of the customers who got in one more look at the place during the closing minutes, had a different take.
“It’s actually a success story,” she said. “In this economy, a bakery is superfluous in my opinion. But not only are they doing well, they are making a move.”
Monica Wrzesinski of Orland Park turned out to be the final customer at the old place as she bought a variety of cupcakes. She said she’s been coming to the bakery for five years and that everything is “over-the-top” good.
Wrzesinski made her purchase at 2 p.m. and the staff closed the doors right after that. She said she is looking forward to shopping in the new location.
“It will be a lot more inconvenient for some people,” she said. “But there will be better parking and traffic flow at the new location. Much better. So I’m looking forward to that. We’ll still come and see them at the new location. They need more space – it’s long overdue.”
After the doors closed, Tom Major had mixed emotions.
“I’m happy to leave as long as the other place works out,” he said. “If it works out, I’ll be as happy as can be.”
