advertisement

Burst pipe caused early end of Arlington Heights' Harry's

A burst frozen pipe at Harry's of Arlington in downtown Arlington Heights last month flooded the beloved establishment and prevented an opportunity for a proper sendoff.

The restaurant will be reborn as a suburban location of Chicago-based Cortland's Garage Tavern & Grill this spring.

Brian Roginski, co-owner of Cortland's Garage, said he and his brother bought Harry's in November, but intended to keep operating it as Harry's until a 60- to 90-day renovation would have started in March.

But the burst pipe in a third-floor bathroom on Jan. 9 spelled the early demise of Harry's and initiated a long process of insurance claims and village permits for reconstruction work.

Though the third floor itself was not so badly affected, the floors below it were literally flooded during the middle of the night, Roginski said.

"When I came in, I thought the sprinkler system was on. That's how crazy it was," he said.

"My biggest regret is that there was no great ending to a great place like Harry's," Roginski added. "I feel bad for the customers. We were going to stretch it out as long as we could."

Roginski still expects to open the Arlington Heights location of Cortland's Garage in or about June. But he never anticipated losing an entire winter of business before starting what he'd thought would be a more modest renovation.

As bad as the damage was, Arlington Heights Utilities Superintendent Jeff Musinski confirmed that no public property or neighboring buildings were affected.

During the wait for the new eatery and bar, nearby residents can get a preview of the menu to come by visiting the current Cortland's Garage at 1645 W. Cortland St. in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood.

Arlington Heights was chosen as the site for a suburban expansion of the business because that's where Roginski and his wife, who are expecting their first child in May, live. Only a train ride separate the two locations, he said.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.