Is South Bend Avenue cursed?
Good morning, readers!
Thanks for your patience while I was on vacation last week in northern Michigan. My family rented a lake house near Traverse City and it was great to unwind, disconnect and eat loads of cherries for a bit.
Speaking of family, we have some personal news to share ...
Our family is growing by one more this winter! Baby girl is expected to make her arrival around Christmas time so I'm at the halfway point in my pregnancy and we are currently knee deep finalizing all of the details in preparing for her arrival. We're very excited (and trying not to get totally overwhelmed).
Now, onto what's going on locally in food and shopping news!
A new coffee shop opens, a local favorite to close
🍗 After four years, local Southern style restaurant Bantam Chicken and Seafood will close and its last day will be Sept. 10. You may remember that owner Dont’e Shaw opened the concept as a pop-up in downtown South Bend before eventually opening the business into a full-fledged restaurant in 2020 on South Bend Avenue near Notre Dame. Shaw said it wasn't a financial issue that led him to the decision to close, but rather another opportunity outside of the area, plus a desire to do more than catering. Subscribers can read more about the chef's decision here.
That also means the building on S. Bend Avenue near Notre Dame will once again be vacant − Bantam will be the third business to close at the location in a six year span. So I wonder, what would you like to see there? What do you think would work? Let me now your thoughts here.
🚧 Construction at the new Simply Yours Bridal and Formal Wear boutique is nearing completion. Owner Jennifer Shaum told the Market Basket in January 2021 that she and her husband initially purchased the lot at 15684 Indiana 23 just northeast of Cleveland Road in Granger nearly a decade ago with plans to move the local bridal boutique into a new building. Now, the end is near with Shaum sharing on a social media post that the building is close to completion with plans to open late 2022. In the meantime, Simply Yours remains open at its location in Toscana Park.
🍷 Bin 23 has updated its menu. The wine bar and restaurant opened in 2018 in Granger's Grand View development as a American bistro with a Mediterranean influence. Now, the restaurant's new menu has more French-influenced items, including a Raclette burger, truffle veal ravioli in Burgundy sauce and l'entrecote de Paris (a version of steak frites). The restaurant is open for brunch on the weekends and lunch and dinner seven days a week.
☕ A new coffee shop has opened in the heart of downtown Wakarusa. The Garage Coffee Shop opened in May and since then has become a local favorite by offering specialty coffees and drinks, as well as breakfast and lunch items. The building was once a car garage and furniture warehouse before owners transformed the space into the cozy atmosphere that has plenty of seating, plus a flower wall that's perfect for photo ops. Here are more details on this sweet shop.
Notice something around town you haven't seen in a recent Market Basket report and curious what it is? Ask me about it here.
Other local news that happened this week that I found interesting and you may too
Police shooting response: South Bend residents push for mental health crisis units & where the investigation stands now
Five things to do: Stargazing, plays, music and festivals for this weekend
Indiana's abortion law: How officials prepare for November elections in light of the passage of the state's new law
Eli's Places comes to South Bend: The Manning Brothers visit Notre Dame, Freeman sensed frustration
Cheers, Mary ❤
Still want to know more of Michiana's eating and shopping news? Keep up to date by checking out the Market Basket website, 'like' the column's Facebook page and follow me on Twitter at @maryshownSBT or @marketbasketSBT.
Hitting the paywall? You can subscribe here to get more exclusive, in-depth coverage from local journalists at The South Bend Tribune. Thanks to those who've already Shown (😉) their support by subscribing!
You can also contact me at 574-235-6244 (make sure you leave a message because I'm still partly working from home and the messages go straight to my email) and at mshown@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Market Basket newsletter August 18 2022
