Officials, business owners and residents are expressing excitement for a French bistro, a sushi restaurant and an expansion of the Olde Frankfort Mall building in downtown Frankfort.
The village approved a comprehensive plan in 2019, Mayor Keith Ogle said, including major projects for the downtown area.
“We want to keep a welcoming sense of community and a small town feel, yet we’re a very modern village,” Ogle said. “We’re excited about the future of Frankfort and where we’re going. All these developments will really just enhance people’s experiences here.”
A building under construction at 7 N. White St., will house three restaurants — Senso Sushi, Rustic Knead and Nautical Bowls — and a children’s dentist office. The businesses will open this summer, Ogle said.
Claire Roth, a Frankfort resident, said she looks forward to the sushi restaurant and more business options.
“Just to have more variety, people are excited about that,” Roth said. “It gets busy so fast because there’s so few restaurant options right now.”
Down the street, at 20 S. White St., the Frankfort Arts Association’s Underground recently received a permit for art classes and an art gallery, according to village officials.
Adjacent to those businesses, the Olde Frankfort Mall, 15 Ash St., received approvals from the Village Board for a 3-story addition to accommodate dining, shopping and entertainment space, village officials said. Ogle said the addition should be completed by 2025.
“The building is really in need of renovation and, also, this would be an expansion of their available space,” Ogle said.
Kim Berger, the manager of Rare Apparel across the street from the Olde Frankfort Mall, said new downtown businesses will help existing businesses expand their customer base.
“I think it’ll be great for the downtown area,” Berger said. “We are friendly neighbors. It brings business here.”
A few blocks down, at 116 Kansas St., the historic Cactus Carol’s building is being renovated for French bistro Petite Patate, to open on the first floor with rentals, either apartments or short-term rentals, on the second floor, Ogle said.
The Cactus Carol’s building had been dormant for decades, Ogle said, and it was last home to a restaurant. The building was in danger of being condemned, Ogle said.
“The village had done some restoration work on some bricks that were falling off. We’ve been doing some maintenance on the property,” Ogle said. “It’s one of the older buildings in town. We were hoping to restore it.”
Petite Patate is anticipated to open this summer, Ogle said. The bistro opened in New York City, Ogle said, but the chef is from Frankfort and his parents still live in the area.
“He has come back to open this basically in his hometown. We’re very excited,” Ogle said. “He’s a very creative chef, very innovative. This will be a really neat addition. It’s also good to see that this building is being restored instead of torn down.”
Trustee Maura Rigoni said the Cactus Carol’s building renovation will help the village expand the west side of downtown.
“Really exciting that we’re preserving a building in downtown, breathing a breath of fresh air into the building,” Rigoni said.
Downtown Frankfort has become a location where residents and visitors can meet to dine or shop, she said.
“These developments here will only continue to help Frankfort grow,” Rigoni said.
akukulka@chicagotribune.com
