Question of the Day - 30 October 2025

Your guess is as good as ours. 

All signs point to the affirmative, but two reopening dates came and went since the iconic Battista's Italian restaurant and the no-frills Stage Door bar-casino closed. Battista's shut down suddenly on June 1 in order, it was claimed, to repair the roof and HVAC system. Stage Door closed in early July, supposedly for "a few weeks to level up": new floors, new air-conditioning, and all new gaming, according to the Stage Door's Facebook page. 

Battista's was originally planned to reopen sometime in June, then August, Stage Door in August. But according to the owner in various media reports, permitting, inspection, and construction delays have plagued the projects.

The little strip mall behind Cromwell has had its share of challenges in recent years. The current one follows major financial losses during the inaugural F1 race in 2023; the owner sued F1, claiming $5 million in losses due to the race blocking the entrance to the mall. Settled out of court, no details of the disposition of the suit have been revealed.

Meanwhile, we got a report in late September that a "For Lease" sign appeared on the Stage Door's marquee. We didn't see it ourselves and it was never confirmed, but considering that Battista's has been closed for five months and Stage Door for four, we wouldn't be surprised if there's more to this story than meets the eye.

Whatever the case, it seems to us that it's unlikely either business will reopen before this year's F1 race. So the 65 Battista's employees and 45 at Stage Door keep waiting, along with the rest of us.