The owners of Santino’s Little Italy in Bay View are planning to open a second concept just two blocks away in the former Bay Street Pub, which closed in November 2024.
Calogero’s, 338 E. Bay St., will serve Italian cocktails, wine and small plates, building on the popular Italian pizza and pasta spot by owners Greg Huber and Santo Galati.
“People come into (Santino’s) wanting just a cocktail in the same cozy atmosphere, so we want to carry that over to Calogero’s,” Galati said. “It will be very similar.”
The name Calogero comes from Galati’s uncle, staying with the same theme as Santino’s, which is named after Galati and his son.
Galati said they purchased the By Street Pub building to help clean up the area. Bay Street Pub had a myriad of issues in 2023, including an incident where police found cocaine and firearms in the bar’s basement.
The bar reopened under new ownership in May 2024. Galati and Huber purchased the building in June 2024, and honored Bay Street Pub’s lease until the end of the year.
They have gutted the bar and plan to fully remodel the space with cozy booths.
“We want to de-dive it a little bit and make it more upscale,” Galati said. “Right now it’s literally down to the studs.”
When the two opened Santino’s nearly a decade ago, the space had also been a dive bar that they remodeled into a cozy Italian restaurant.
For Calogero’s remodel, Huber and Galati plan to use Bay View-based MKE Build and Design, the same company that helped with Santino’s remodel.
Despite the two restaurants being similar concepts and close to each other, Galati said he thinks there is enough demand in Bay View to support the two spots.
“We love the area and we love our customers. I know that’s cliché, but we really do,” Galati said.
He hopes to open Calogero’s by mid to late summer.