Grand Central Bar and Grill will shut its doors on Friday at 3737 Grand Blvd. in Brookfield after less than one year in business in the village’s downtown district. But owner Jeff McCollian hopes that the bar/restaurant may be back in business as early as September just down the block.
McCollian confirmed last week that he is putting together a plan to move Grand Central into what are now two separate storefronts at 3747 and 3747 HALF Grand Blvd. One of the storefronts is currently vacant. The other is home to Brookfield Video-DVD, which is preparing to close for good after six-and-one-half-years at the site.
After McCollian’s current landlord declined to renew Grand Central’s lease, his business received interest from Marty Serwinski and Vince Fucarino, who own the building where McCollian is looking to relocate. That building is also home to Luna Cafe, whose owner, Chris Schullo, recently proposed to open a Caribbean restaurant at 3737 Grand Blvd., replacing Grand Central.
“Basically we look for good businesses in town to give people what they’re looking for,” Serwinski said. “Jeff definitely is a good business person and has great clientele.”
Serwinski added that he offered to move Brookfield Video-DVD to another property on Grand Boulevard. The owner of the business, however, said he will not be reopening in a new location.
In order to transform the two storefronts into a bar/restaurant, McCollian will appear before the Brookfield Plan Zoning Board of Appeals on Thursday, July 7 to ask for a variance to the village’s parking code.
According to Matthew Sinde, chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, McCollian must ask for the variance because he’s proposing changing the use of the site to a restaurant/bar. Serwinski doesn’t believe getting a variance should be a significant hurdle.
“His hours will be later in the day,” Serwinski said. “When he’s open, most of the retail businesses are gone already. I don’t believe it’ll be a problem.”
Apart from the zoning variance, McCollian will also need to obtain a new liquor license for the bar. McCollian said that plans for the new restaurant/bar are already in the works and that the site would be subject to a significant build out.
“We’re looking at Sept. 1, but everything is very up in the air,” McCollian said. “It’ll depend on the village and how they react.”
Serwinski and Fucarino will be fronting the money for the build out of the space, and Serwinski said they are looking to lock McCollian into a long-term lease.
“What he’s proven to us with the clientele he’s brought in, it’s a natural to keep this guy in town,” Serwinski said. “Jeff has proven himself.”
The space would be slightly smaller than the one Grand Central currently occupies, but Serwinski said that the new space could still provide a dining area for private parties and catering services.
Grand Central Bar And Grill opened at 3737 Grand Blvd. on Sept. 1, 2004, replacing the Boulevard Blues Club, which had a one-year run from 2003-04. Before it was transformed into the blues club, the property had also been a video store.
