Nostalgia is on the menu at Barrington’s Long Story Short Pub
Customers who enjoyed the food at the old Boloney’s sandwich shop at the Catlow Theater in downtown Barrington can now take a culinary trip down memory lane.
Long Story Short Pub, at 113 E. Main St. is now open for business following a lively grand opening Thursday.
The pub is operated by Brian Long on the same street as his store, Long & Co. Jewelers, and the Catlow East, a space devoted to raising funds for the vintage theater Long is trying to revive.
The space is awash in nostalgia, with 1890s wood floors and a century-old bar originally from in Buffalo, New York.
“The bar is from 1909,” Long said. “It was shut down five times during Prohibition.”
The stained glass on the bar is reminiscent, he said, of a Polish countryside.
The bar isn’t the only thing with a colorful past. The building itself dates back to 1893.
The brick walls display a number of nostalgic items, including an ad for the Catlow’s screening of James Cagney’s “The Irish in Us.” In front of the kitchen hangs an original Boloney’s awning.
While basking in the old-style charm, customers can enjoy items from the menu of the old Boloney’s, as well as the creations of General Manager Justin Krumm, who worked as executive chef at the Bull Valley Golf Club in Woodstock.
One of the star attractions is a towering sandwich called The Refrigerator.
“It’s everything in the refrigerator in this one sandwich,” he said. “So four different kinds of meats, two different cheeses, packed a mile high. It’s probably one of the biggest sandwiches you’ll ever see.”
He also said the sandwiches will contain a signature Boloney’s touch — French dressing. In addition, Krumm has added something of his own to the menu — the Bambino, an Italian sub with giardiniera.
You can wash it all down with a craft cocktail or a brew at the vintage bar.
Some former Catlow and Boloney’s customers attended Thursday’s gala, including Barrington resident Henry Heine.
“I would come for lunch a couple times a week. The food was really good,” he said. “People were nice, and it was cool that you could get a sandwich and bring it into the theater to see a movie.”
What began as a relatively quick renovation turned into a year-and-half-long restoration once crews started peeling back layers.
“It was an adventure getting here,” said Long, who enjoyed the opening with his wife Julianne, daughter Jocelyn and son Brenton. “It was a long haul. But we got it done.”