Most of downtown Barrington's biggest changes are set for 2027. The Catlow Theatre's owners announced this fall that they are donating it to a foundation, but its roof has to be watertight before the interior work can start. Retoro, the omakase counter announced for 133 Park Ave., is planned for early 2027. The Park Avenue plaza won't break ground before late fall, and the Main and Hough streetscape work is set to begin next summer.
That leaves one stretch of downtown that is finished, Cook and Station streets, plus a group of small shops that opened over the summer. The months before the 2027 openings start are a good time to learn that stretch on foot.
The Catlow Is Headed to a Foundation
Brian and Julianne Long bought the Catlow for just under $500,000 in 2022. They are now giving it to the Catlow 1927 Foundation, which will handle management and programming, according to the Daily Herald. Brian Long, the foundation's president, announced the gift on a tour of the theater after a reception at Barrington's White House.
The money matters because it explains the handoff. The foundation has raised $3 million toward a $6 million goal. Long told the Daily Herald it keeps about five years of operating expenses in reserve and will run the theater as a business. Proceeds from performances, events, movie showings and private rentals will go toward operations, per the foundation's website. Long said the family always meant for the theater to end up foundation-owned, and with half the goal raised, they're comfortable that it can stand on its own.
"After raising $3 million, we believe we have the community support to finish the project." Brian Long, as quoted by the Daily Herald
Next is the roof. Phase three of the roofing project starts this fall, and once it's done, Long said, the roof should be watertight. Interior work follows, and the Daily Herald's October 1 report did not include a reopening date.
Much of the exterior work is already finished, so anyone who passed the building this summer saw the progress. Inside, the lobby still has its original 1927 terra cotta floors, the display cases by sculptor and industrial designer Alfonso Iannelli and his Fountain Girl statue in the foyer. The former Boloney's space is planned as an Art Deco bar, lounge and reception area with a catering kitchen. The theater has also received grants from the Barrington Area Community Foundation two years in a row.
One Building on Park Avenue, Two Restaurants, Two Seasons
The Catlow is downtown's biggest project with no date. 133 Park Ave. has a schedule, and it's split by floor. The Daily Herald reported in September that Fabio Viviani, who lives in Barrington Hills, plans to open BOCADO Tapas upstairs this fall. The menu starts in Spain and moves through the Mediterranean and South America, with Peruvian-style ceviches, tacos, dips, skewers, grilled proteins and seafood, plus classic and contemporary cocktails and a curated wine list.
Retoro, downstairs, follows in early 2027. It will be a chef-led Japanese omakase room where the chef introduces each course and the menu can change nightly. Viviani already runs Giostra in South Barrington and LAGO in Lake Zurich. "There is something special about being able to create restaurants in the community where I live," he said in the same report.
BOCADO had an announced season but not a confirmed opening date as of the September coverage. On the Village's development page, 133 Park Ave. carries a note that more information will be shared as it comes in.
The street in front of that building is changing too. The Village is finalizing design plans to turn a short section of Park Avenue into a plaza for gatherings and outdoor patio dining, with construction expected to begin in fall 2026 or spring 2027. The Daily Herald reported that the developer of the Golden Triangle property, roughly 6 acres bounded by the Union Pacific and Canadian National rail lines and Hough Street, will fund that plaza. The patio-season version of Park Avenue that BOCADO's neighbors are building toward is at least a year away.
Open, Under Construction or Planned
The Village of Barrington's development updates page is the best single record of where downtown stands. It was last updated August 31, and some of its statuses may have changed since.
| Business | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fix Sandwich Shop | 113 S. Cook St. | Open |
| Long Story Short Pub | 113 E. Main St. | Open |
| Posh Plants & Curios | 122 E. Main St. | Open |
| Bell House Books | Ice House Mall | Open |
| The Pepper Pot | Ice House Mall | Open |
| Kurbside Pizza | 215 N. Hough St. | Interior construction as of Aug. 31 |
| Taco Maya | 108 S. Northwest Hwy. | Interior construction as of Aug. 31 |
| Bundle | Shops of Flint Creek | Interior construction as of Aug. 31 |
| BOCADO Tapas | 133 Park Ave., upstairs | Announced for fall 2026 |
| Retoro | 133 Park Ave., downstairs | Announced for early 2027 |
Three of the build-outs are worth a closer look. Kurbside Pizza, a local food truck, is opening its first brick-and-mortar location with New York-style artisan pizzas, paninis and salads. Taco Maya's Barrington location would be its 12th, in the former Dunkin' space. The same Village page says the old Dunkin' facility at 108 S. Northwest Hwy. is closed and the Village is working with a broker on the site, so the timing there is less clear than the "summer" target first listed. Dunkin' and Baskin Robbins moved to a new drive-thru at 306 W. Northwest Hwy. Bundle is a quick-service spot for East-Asian dumplings, noodles and bubble tea, and its website still says coming soon.
The Corner That's Already Finished
Cook and Station is the one downtown corner that won't change before spring. The Daily Herald covered the Phase 1 streetscape celebration in late August. The $1.5 million project replaced worn sidewalk pavers with concrete and clay brick accents, resurfaced and restriped streets, and added flower beds and planters at Cook and Station. Village President Mike Moran said the work gives businesses like Cook Street Coffee and Gigi Wine Bar and Bistro more room for outdoor dining. Phase 2 on Main and Hough streets is expected to begin next summer.
Fix Sandwich Shop sits on the same block at 113 S. Cook St., with homemade bread, Italian street sandwiches and baked goods. It's also where the village holds its biggest night of the season. The Barrington Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, December 5, is listed at Cook and Station streets from 3 to 6 p.m. It will be the first festival on the rebuilt corner since Phase 1 wrapped. The BHS Madrigals sing at 4:30, the tree lights at 5, and Santa arrives by firetruck afterward for photos at Santa's House on Cook Street until 6. The Village also lists free hot chocolate and ice carving demonstrations. Santa visits at Barrington's White House that day require registration.
The Ice House Mall Covers the Indoor Weeks
When it's too cold to stay outside, the summer's openings on Applebee Street fill in. Bell House Books, owned by Montana Bellagamba, is at 200 Applebee St., Suite 117, inside the Ice House Mall. The Barrington Hills Observer covered its ribbon cutting in July. The Village describes it as an independent, woman-owned bookstore with books and community programming for readers of all ages.
The Pepper Pot, in the same building, is a full-service needlepoint shop with a lounge. It sells canvas, fibers and accessories and hosts needlepoint classes and events, plus mahjong classes, open play and leagues. On a December afternoon, it's one of the few downtown spots set up for a group to stay a while. Posh Plants & Curios at 122 E. Main St. sells plants, home goods, decor, candles, rugs, textiles and collectibles.
Downtown Dates Through December
- Thursday, October 29, 5–7 p.m. The Barrington Police Department's Trunk-or-Treat is tonight at the BMO lot, 210 W. Station St.
- Saturday, October 31, 3–7 p.m. Trick-or-treating hours throughout the village.
- Thursday, November 19, 6–8 p.m., and Friday, November 20, 2–6 p.m. The Barrington Area Artists Association art sale at Barrington's White House. Thursday is a Third Thursday Art Night Out.
- Saturday, November 21, 1–4:30 p.m. Barrington Dance Ensemble presents Clara's Nutcracker Tea at Barrington's White House.
- Saturday, December 5. Holiday Open House with Santa at Barrington's White House from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., then the Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting at Cook and Station from 3 to 6 p.m.
- Sunday, December 6, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Barrington's White House Annual Holiday Tea.
- Saturday, December 12, 7:30–9 p.m. Eurovision Star Vasil, "An Evening of Love and Light," a holiday show at Barrington's White House.
Closer to the forest preserves, Crabtree Nature Center has November programs including a Veterans Day plant-use talk on the 11th, an animal encounter and an overwintering-pollinator gardening session on the 14th, and a waterfowl walk on the 17th. Times are on the Forest Preserves of Cook County calendar.
Downtown Barrington will look different by next fall, with the Park Avenue plaza underway, Main Street under construction for Phase 2 and Retoro scheduled to be open downstairs from BOCADO. If you'd like to talk through what those changes mean for your own block, Judy Gibbons is always glad to meet over coffee on Cook Street. Start Your Home Story: Schedule a Consultation.
