Balaban’s is expanding. Last week, the wine cellar and tapas bar at 1772 Clarkson Road took possession of an additional 2,046 square feet of adjacent space in the Dierbergs Marketplace at the corner of Clarkson and Baxter Roads. The newly acquired space will be used for private events and as an intimate wine room for dining. It will also house the Balaban’s Library Wines, special bottles from the original Café Balaban cellar.
“The new space will accommodate wine dinners for groups from eight to 80 or two separate groups of 40 dining formally; we gain a lot of flexibility in how we serve and provide for our customers going forward,” Balaban’s co-owner Brian Underwood said. The space will also be used for wine tastings, wine classes and wine dinners.
Besides renovating the new space, other plans include expanding the kitchen, catering and deli operations; adding bathrooms; and integrating the original wine bar with the new space. Renovations are scheduled to begin next week. The wine store, restaurant and deli will remain open during construction, which is expected to last six to seven weeks and be completed in time for the holidays.
This article appears in September 2012.