It’s official! McGonigal’s new Annex Lounge opens for business in Barrington at 4 p.m. TODAY, Tuesday, September 18th. The McGonigal family held an informal ribbon cutting ceremony with Barrington Village officials over the lunch hour and spent the day preparing for the Annex Lounge’s first customers.
The family just made the decision to close the Park Avenue Restaurant and Wine Bar next door to McGonigal’s Pub last month. In a matter of weeks, they redefined the concept, reconfigured the floor plan, renovated the space and totally reworked the food and beverage menu.
Bryan McGonigal says he’s hired a great crew to manage the bar and service over at The Annex, which now features an open, social and casual vibe more closely connected to McGonigal’s Pub’s inviting atmosphere.
Some of them are faces you’ll recognize, like Annex Lounge Bar Manager, Matthew Lemerand, who’s been serving patrons on the McGonigal’s Pub side since they opened two-and-a-half years ago.
Bryan McGonigal was snapping photos of his team today and caught up with his dad, Dennis, for a few pictures as well. Dennis thanks their architect, construction crew and the Village of Barrington for getting things done so quickly and he says he’s proud of his family for taking these steps to continue to grow their business. “This is a change in the business philosophy and, any time you make a change, there’s the good and the bad. It’s an adventure. But we felt the community would be attracted to an upscale cocktail lounge business because there’s nothing like it in the area.”
For more details about The Annex and our interview with Bryan McGonigal, CLICK HERE to read our post from last week called, A Sneak Peek Inside McGonigal’s New Annex Lounge.
You can also CLICK HERE to follow The Annex’s new page on Facebook or check out their new website at TheAnnexLounge.com.
The Annex will open at 4 p.m. seven days a week, STARTING TODAY, and will close at the same time as the pub, which is at 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. You’ll find The Annex right next door to McGonigal’s Pub, at 205 Park Avenue in Barrington, Illinois.
