Linda Falkenstein
The former Savidusky's Fur Quarters, set to be home to a restaurant, wine bar and coffeehouse.
Some highly anticipated Madison restaurant projects have taken longer to open than originally projected.
Construction has recently stopped at the former Savidusky’s Fur Quarters at 829 E. Washington Ave., set to host Julep, a Southern restaurant; Barolo Wine Bar; and A-OK Coffeehouse. Jon Reske of Fourcap Real Estate, who is coordinating the project, says that he’s “learned his lesson about giving out hard dates” — the restaurants were originally slated to open in November 2014. Reske has been filling in financing after one investor pulled out, but he believes they’re all on track to open “within the next three months.”
PaintBar, headed to 1224 Williamson St., had projected a January opening. “The build-out, the bar, the bathroom, it all took longer than we anticipated,” says co-owner John Salituro. He’s hopeful that PaintBar will open in two to three weeks.
A mix between a bar and an art studio, PaintBar will offer painting classes of two to three hours each, as well as open hours where artists will be on hand to give advice on your project. Canvases, smocks, easels and brushes, as well as wine and beer, coffee, soda, flatbread pizzas, panini and soup will all be available.
Graft, a wine bar/small plates restaurant to be located at 18 N. Carroll St., projected a March opening in its original paperwork for an alcohol license; work on the space is still in the early stages.
Middlewest, a forthcoming venture from Underground Food Collective at 811 Williamson St., is undergoing a major build-out. The restaurant was first proposed back in 2012. Jonny Hunter of UFC says that the target opening is sometime in 2015, though he’s “not ruling out 2016.” Work is taking a long time because everything being done is custom, says Hunter, right down to building its own chairs. “This is an important project for us,” Hunter says.
Sushi Tora, a Japanese restaurant to open in the former Electric Earth, 546 W. Washington Ave., is also lagging behind its original anticipated opening date of late February. Owner Nick Lee hesitates when asked to give an opening date: “We’re still remodeling; I’m not so sure.”
