NEW LENOX, IL — No one is more excited to see North & Maple in New Lenox open than its owner—and it’s almost time.
“That sign went up, and my phone would not stop,” he said laughing, of the day they swapped the Bulldog Ale House signage for the North & Maple one.
It’s been nearly a year since Jimmy Kollintzas announced he’d be bringing his Tinley-based brand to the shuttered sports bar, and he admittedly has grown increasingly impatient with each month. But he wasn’t about to rush it, either.
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He intends to be in New Lenox a long time.
“I’m looking for a long-term commitment, so I wasn’t in a hurry to patch things up and pop it open,” Kollintzas told Patch Thursday. “I just want to make sure we do things right. This is a long-term partnership I’m looking for with the village of New Lenox.”
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Kollintzas knows people have been wondering just what’s been going on behind the doors of the former sports bar at 2387 East Joliet Highway, and frankly, it’s been a massive undertaking, he said.
“We had to do a lot of upgrades to bring everything into compliance and to code,” he said. “… and once you start peeling the onion … we just completely revamped everything.”
In rooting North & Maple Kitchen + Bar in its New Lenox home, Kollintzas was determined to replicate the feel and aesthetic of the Tinley Park location.
“‘Casual class,'” he said he remembers a customer as describing it. “It’s a very clean and sleek vibe.”
Gone is the massive wraparound wooden bar that took up the majority of the main dining area. In its place is a streamlined one with additional seating and TVs on the back wall. The dining room is a mix of high-top tables, booths, and family-friendly seating. It’s a more modern feel than what preceded it, Kollintzas said, but he’s been careful to keep it welcoming.
But people can and should expect a noticeable change in its vibe.
“I think we’re a little bit different,” he said. “I think we’re a classier place. I think we’re very approachable.
“We’re not a steakhouse, we’re not your sports bar, we’re just very approachable. You can come here on your date nights, with your family, or to watch the game.”
With staff and customers from New Lenox frequenting the Tinley Park location, he’s been eager to expand the restaurant’s reach, and New Lenox felt like the right fit. He jumped at the opportunity when the space opened up. Though a definitive shift from its previous incarnation, he’s hopeful customers will embrace it.
“We’re going to have 12 beers on draft,” he noted for those looking to grab a quick beer. “We’re going to have something for everybody, that’s for sure.”
Kollintzas has taken feedback from Tinley Park customers as he shaped the New Lenox location’s offerings. Its menu will mirror that of the Tinley location. Opened in 2021, it has been a hit locally, with a menu that features a wide range of dishes from pork chops to steaks and pastas, popcorn chicken, cheese curds and tacos. All is made fresh, never frozen, Kollintzas said.
Seasonal dishes—such as prime rib for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day—are rotated through the menu. Burgers are half-pound, he stressed, and the nachos are “huge.” The chicken parmigiana and Asiago-stuffed gnocchi shouldn’t be missed.
The bar will feature beers, seltzers, cocktails, wine and a wide selection of whiskey and tequila.
“Everything at the Tinley location, people love,” he said. “‘Keep everything the same, don’t change a thing,’ people have said.”
He’s eager for people to step inside and see what they’ve been up to.
“I think we’ll be a nice surprise,” he said. “I think the place looks fantastic, it’s very modern.
He’s sought to create a cozy atmosphere with a feel that flows from date nights to family dinners to a cold one on the way home. There’s more than a dozen TVs throughout for sports fans, but they’re not the dominant feature.
“They’re not very ‘in your face,'” he said. “They’re subtle.”
As work has progressed, he tackled each obstacle while running the Tinley location, always with his mind on the long game. He has aimed to make it a place people truly latch onto, one they make their own favorite New Lenox spot.
“I think It’s going to be a very cool hangout spot,” he said. “When you invest in the community, the community will invest in you. I want people to be proud of it, too.”
An exact opening date is not yet set, but Kollintzas said they’re in final steps and awaiting inspections. Staff is in training, and he plans to have a couple of test runs before opening fully.
“Once we feel comfortable, we’re going to pull the light,” he said. “I just want to make sure the staff feels comfortable.
“The date picks itself, I don’t pick the date.”
If it were up to him, they’d open by year’s end—but final pieces not in his control need to fall into place. As they wait, they train and continue to hire additional for all positions. Anyone interested should email their resume to [email protected], or stop by the Tinley location to fill out an application in person.
He’s grateful for people’s patience, and thinks the reveal will be worth the suspense.
“There was no rush,” he stressed. “We did it right, I think. Now I’m excited.
“I’m pumped.”
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