‘More space is needed’: Popular sub shop relocating
Why is TOASTY-SUBS crossing the road? So there will be even more space for the brand’s signature, scratch-made bread to rise.
Owners of the Springfield sub shop have announced plans to relocate to 2120 S. MacArthur Blvd. this spring – directly across the street from Hy-Vee grocery store and the opposite side of the north-south strip from the eatery’s current home at 2025 S. MacArthur Blvd.
“Our current location doesn’t allow us to do all we’d like to do,” said Navee Singh, one of the partners behind the local sub shop that opened in 2020. “Our bread is made from scratch. We cook most of our meats in-house. And business is growing.
“More space is needed.”
Toasty-Subs is moving into the front 2,000-square feet of the building that formerly was home to Fink’s Superior Cleaners. That nearly doubles the room that the business has operated in for the past three years.
Singh said that will allow the kitchen and dining area to expand, add a private event room and accommodate more parking.
It also creates more room for the brand’s new wholesale branch, which operates as TOASTY WHOLESALE.
This past winter the business began supplying sandwiches for the new TA EXPRESS convenience store in Riverton and last month began supplying bread to JOSEPH’S FINE CUISINE.
Singh said the goal is to take on additional wholesale clients.
Toasty-Subs is projected to open the doors at its new home May 28. Until then, fans will be able to get their favorite subs at the original address.
Toasty-Subs – slogan “Always Fresh, Always Tasty” – is known for its sandwich lineup that includes the Italian Stallion, Classic Cubano and vegetarian options like the Bombay and Buffalo Cauliflower. The menu also has scratch soups.
The move will coincide with some tweaks to the menu. Some additional sandwich selections – such as a turkey salad and French dip – will be joining the roster. But it also will mark a farewell to the brand’s pasta selections and smoothies.
The Toasty-Subs move is just the latest shake up in the MacArthur Boulevard’s dining scene this spring.
LI’L WILLY’S SMOKEHOUSE BBQ vacated its home at the corner of MacArthur Boulevard and South Grand Avenue West March 31. Officials with CONN HOSPITALITY GROUP, which owns the barbecue joint, said they plan to reimagine the brand as a full-service restaurant and relocate it to Vinegar Hill Mall this fall.
TRAVELERS RESTAURANT opened last week at 1731 S. MacArthur Blvd. after LA BAMBA unexpectedly left the spot in April.
And building permits were recently filed with the city to begin $370,000 worth of interior renovations to the long shuttered MCDONALD’S building at 1825 S. MacArthur Blvd. Kenny and Lu Asani – owners of CHATHAM CAFE in Chatham – previously have shared plans to open a similar cafe at the site. However, the building owner Tayseer Rehan – not the Asanis – was named on the building permit.
Springfield diners soon will have two new Asian options from which to choose.
HOT POT BBQ opened Wednesday (May 3) in Parkway Pointe Shopping Center and SAUCY RICE will join the food options on the Toronto Road business strip Tuesday (May 9).
Hot Pot BBQ – which opened at 3050 Lindbergh Blvd., formerly home to KIKU JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SEAFOOD – brings one of the latest Asian dining trends to the Springfield market with customers concocting a soup at their table.
“Customers come in and choose one of six different soup bases and then at the table select from a tray of different raw food what goes in,” said Feng Yang, manager of Hot Pot BBQ. “It all happens right there at the table.”
Yang’s wife, Ping Zheng, owns Hot Pot BBQ, which also will serve Asian barbecue and sushi bowls.
The online trend site “THRILLIST” last year called the hot pot following a “cult obsession” that is “less of a dish than it is an experience, encapsulating the communal dining ethos . . . .”
Legend has it that hot pot’s origins reach back to the Mongolian Empire when soldiers first cooked soup in their helmets with whatever ingredients were on hand.
This new trend focuses more on a leisurely pace with tablemates customizing a single pot of simmering, seasoned broth with an array of thinly sliced meats, seafood, vegetables and noodles.
Hours are 3 p.m. to midnight on weekdays, 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. to midnight Sundays. Phone: 217-698-7008.
Saucy Rice opens Tuesday at 1374 Toronto Road in the spot formerly occupied by TAQUERIA EL DORADO before the Mexican restaurant shifted to another footprint in the same strip mall.
The menu focuses on Vietnamese cuisine from the South East Asian nation’s central region. Husband-wife co-owners Chuyen Vo and Nini Le both come from Hue, Vietnam.
“Most of the recipes in our restaurant are hers,” Vo said. “I’m just the chef.
“South (Vietnam) is known for sweet dishes. North for salty. Central is the best of both worlds – savory with just the right balance of salty and sweet. Our food isn’t complicated. It’s made for everybody to enjoy.”
The full service, family-owned and operated restaurant offers dine-in only.
Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Phone: 217-679-1791.
Gabi Thompson grew up watching her parents run Springfield’s beloved sandwich shop, SCAMPY’S.
Now she’s ready to make her own mark on the local culinary scene with BLOOM HOSPITALITY & CATERING.
The full-service catering business launched May 1 with a focus on an elegant twist on homestyle, comfort food.
“You want to be able to socialize, talk without fumbling with your food. A more elegant way to enjoy awesome, tasty food but with a little bit of grace,” Thompson said.
Bloom Hospitality & Catering – available for off-site venues only for now – rents kitchen space in Three Twigs & Co. 2661 Chatham Road. The businesses, however, are not affiliated.
Thompson has worked in hospitality and food management for 17 years, most recently at ROBERT’S SEAFOOD. She co-owns the business with John Huffman and her chef/operating manager is Drew Casey.
In addition to full-service catering, Bloom also provides private cooking instructional events. Phone 217-725-3451. Email: info@bloomcaters.com.
Thompson’s parents served up Scampy’s signature burgers and Chicago-style hot dogs from various locations from 1984 to 1999.
Afaf Rashmawy – the vibrant life force behind the popular HOLY LAND DINER – died April 29.
Rashmawy and her husband Jamal owned and operated the Mediterranean restaurant for two decades before closing in 2015. Holy Land Diner first served its Greek and Lebanese dishes from Springfield’s west side. But the establishment is better known for operating on the south side of the Old State Capitol Plaza before finding its final home in Vinegar Hill Mall.
Condolences to the Rashmawy family.
The A La Carte column highlights restaurant openings, closing, renovations and relocations, as well as personnel changes and business news. Natalie Morris can be reached at 737-7254 or by email at natalie.sjr@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: ‘More space is needed’: Popular sub shop relocating
