Photo by George Mahe
BARcelona, the legendary tapas palace in Clayton that for years defined sidewalk dining in the tony suburb, is closing this weekend. What's unknown is whether the restaurant will reopen in Clayton or elsewhere.
In February 2019, BARcelona owner Frank Schmitz learned that the parcel of property in Clayton containing the restaurant was being sold. Schmitz has been looking to relocate the 19-year-old tapas palace, “preferably in Clayton,” ever since.
The original buyer, HBE Corporation, decided to sell the parcel (formed by Maryland, Central, and Bemiston avenues and the mid-block alley between Central and Bemiston) to another developer, Balke Brown Transwestern, which has notified tenants that they must vacate their leased premises by October 1. Bemiston Place—a mixed-use development including apartments, office, and retail space—is slated for development on the site.
In a press release, Schmitz and his wife, Eloise, announced that BARcelona would close after service this Saturday, September 25, and that relocation was imminent, saying, “We will keep you posted as things become known within the next two weeks.”
Last week, SLM learned that the owners were “very close” to making a deal to move within Clayton—but the deal then collapsed, leaving the restaurant's future in question. Schmitz says the original plan was to seamlessly close BARcelona and promptly move into the new space. Because that didn’t happen, the furniture and equipment will be put in storage. “In that sense, the pressure is off me now,” he says. “I haven’t even had time to drive the streets to look for new spaces.”
Schmitz says he’ll entertain “any spot that makes sense, from 2,500 to 3,500 square feet,” but his preference is to stay in Clayton and “be able to re-create what people are used to—that open, welcoming feeling with doors open onto the sidewalk.
“If the right chef partner comes along, that’s an option, too," he adds. “I’m 62. At my age, my needs are different than they were 10 years ago. The right person coming in with new energy and focus could be a good thing.”
There was a time when Schmitz thought he might franchise the popular tapas eatery. “When I had two BARcelonas [in Clayton and Indianapolis], I thought I might go that route,” he says, “but that never happened, and in the last few years, I’ve been happy with the one location."
Looking ahead, Schmitz plans to reopen BARcelona at some point. “If I find a place in a week or a few months, fine,” he says. “If I haven’t found a spot by the spring, it’s probably not going to happen, and I’ll retire. That said, I’m determined to do one more BARcelona. In the short term, if I find a temporary space, say 1,000 square feet, I could see doing a pop-up—like a BARcelon-etta—just to keep the brand alive.”
BARcelona (34 N. Central) will remain open from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. through Saturday, September 25.
Editor's Note: An extended version of a Q&A with Schmitz will appear in SLM's November 2021 issue.
