New businesses opening in Stony Creek Promenade

Photo by Dermot Connolly

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held Friday, June 28 for the new Mariano’s Fuel Center, a gas station affiliated with Mariano’s, at 111th Street and Cicero Avenue in Phase 2 of the Stony Creek Promenade in Oak Lawn.

By Dermot Connolly

The northwest corner of 111^th Street and Cicero Avenue is booming with activity these days, with Phase 2 of the Stony Creek Promenade development in Oak Lawn with at least two of the new businesses finished and on the verge of opening.

The second phase of the development is being built just west of the already established Promenade section that already includes the Cooper’s Hawk restaurant and winery, Mariano’s grocery store, and several other restaurants and retail businesses.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, at the Mariano’s Fuel Center, a gas station affiliated with the grocery store and located on the west side of the development. The location is convenient for shoppers at the grocery store, who can earn fuel points and discounts on gasoline by using their Mariano’s Rewards Cards.

Next up for opening will be The Barrel Club Restaurant and Bar, a locally owned business at 4910 W. 111^th St. The owners announced on Facebook this week that the grand opening will be on July 8.

In addition to hearty menu items such as steak, roast chicken and crab cakes — all of which the staff were trying out in taste-tests this week — the Barrel Club will also be specializing in whiskey, much like neighboring Cooper’s Hawk specializes in wine. It will be stocking its own signature variety, as well as featuring many other specialty whiskeys and spirits from around the world. The 8,300-square-foot fine dining restaurant will also have outdoor seating.

“I’m really, really thrilled with what I see as the development moves along. It has been really exciting to see The Barrel Club preparing to open. This is an Oak Lawn entrepreneur doing this, a member of St. Linus Parish,” said Bury, referring to principal owner John W. Zawaski. “I am so happy to see his dream coming together.”

Photo by Dermot Connolly

The Barrel Club Restaurant and Bar will officially open on July 8 at 4910 W. 111th St. as part of Phase 2 of the Stony Creek Promenade development in Oak Lawn. The store is tentatively scheduled to open in July.

Two retail stores, HomeGoods and TJ Maxx, are included in Phase 2, and are expected to be opening soon. By all outward appearances, the adjoining buildings they will be moving into are already finished.

The only question mark surrounding Phase 2 seems to be whether a Rock & Brews restaurant planned for the site will actually ever open on the property. Oak Lawn was scheduled to be the first location in Illinois for the chain owned by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of the rock group Kiss. Another was also tentatively planned for Orland Park.

The rock music-themed restaurant chain features “high-end comfort food and craft beer,” and was expected to feature a trademark 80-foot neon guitar outside.

But construction has yet to begin on the restaurant that was supposed to be opening this year, along with the other businesses.

“The owners appear to be focusing their attention on their restaurants in California,” said Bury. “We are looking (at other options there). But we do have a lease agreement,” she added, noting that if the Rock & Brews owners do pull out and break the agreement, it will be costly for them.