Madcats receives Palatine's OK, looking to open in spring
Live music lovers can expect a new venue, Madcats restaurant and bar, to open in downtown Palatine sometime in the spring.
The venue at 117 W. Slade St. will have a full service bar and food menu, and plans to offer a variety of music, including light acoustic jazz, blues, rock 'n' roll, open mic night and more.
Owner Savio Lobo of Inverness and his attorney, Jerome Pinderski, worked with village staff members on a plan that addresses security, noise and cleanliness. Those were concerns raised by council members and the building's other tenants, after the turbulent history of the previous occupant of that space, Mac's on Slade.
The building's tenants - which include an ice cream shop, a dance studio, a photography studio and a violin shop - share a common hallway and bathroom.
Under the plan approved by the village council Monday, live music would start later, at 8 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays.
Lobo will install security cameras in the common hallway and in the exterior back area where smoking will be permitted, more than 15 feet from the entrance as per Illinois law. Staff members will be checking the back area every 30 minutes.
Lobo will install two new doors with glass for better monitoring of the hallway and will take over maintenance of the bathroom.
The village council two weeks ago had postponed making a decision after discussing whether to allow Madcats to use a room in the back for overflow dining and private events.
On Monday, council members OK'd the plan to incorporate that room with limitations for the first 90 days. Lobo then can petition to lift the limitations if all goes smoothly, Village Manager Reid Ottesen said.
Lobo thanked the village for working with him on the plan, and said he's "looking to open in the spring."
Council members two weeks ago also said they wanted to speak with the owner of the building on Slade Street.
Yash Patel of Inverness attended the council meeting Monday, saying he and a group of others have owned the building for about three years. Several upgrades are planned for the building, including to the HVAC system for Madcats, the common bathroom and the facade of the building, Patel said.
"We're looking forward to these guys moving in," Patel said. "We are looking forward to this being a success and really a benefit for everybody."
The owners employ a management company. A tenant who spoke at a prior village council meeting complained of poor management of the common areas. Patel said he had no reason to believe those areas are being neglected, but is committed to resolving any issues.
"We are all on the same page," he said.
To check on the venue's progress, visit facebook.com/MadcatsLive.