Learn about the Taco Steve Recovery Fund at GoFundMe.

To know Stephen "Taco Steve" Powell is to love the guy, so consider a donation to help with his recovery from a broken hip. In terms of business, Steve has staff, and things are on a normal footing.

Here's to fast healing.

Taco Steve Recovery Fund

Heather Morris on behalf of Stephen Powell

My name is Heather Morris and I have decided to start a GoFundMe for my friend and business colleague, Stephen Powell a.k.a. Taco Steve.

On Friday August 10th Taco Steve founder (and head chef extraordinaire), Stephen Powell, was involved in a serious skateboarding* fall resulting in a broken hip. He has since had to undergo a pretty major surgery. He is now partially bionic with a metal plate and two screws holding his hip in place.

Unfortunately Steve was uninsured and will be out of work for an undetermined amount of time. The medical bills will be there (est. $40,000-50,000) and he will have time to figure out a plan for his future, but really needs support for his short term medical expenses and loss of income.

Let’s show this awesome guy and figure of our community the support he deserves and help him through his recovery by giving him some peace of mind that everything will be alright in the meantime!

* He has since submitted his paperwork resigning from the world of skateboarding indefinitely, quoted: “I am too old for that shit.”

You CAN go home again -- and Taco Steve is moving in mid-March to NABC Bank Street Brewhouse.

Last week's sneak preview.

In case you missed it, there was a big announcement last week, and as previously revealed, there already was a reshuffle under way amid the downtown New Albany restaurant and bar scene.

Before linking to media accounts of Taco Steve's "coming full circle" relocation, let's recap.

Stacie Bale, late of NABC, reveals new project: Roadrunner Kitchen, coming soon to 145 E. Main Street in downtown New Albany.

Bale, late of Earth Friends Café, had operated the NABC downtown front-of-the-house since early 2015, just after I announced my impending departure from the business.

As a side note, there'll be more to say about my buyout status next week, when I finally should have positive news to report.

With Taco Steve moving to the (once again) Bank Street Brewhouse, there's a vacancy at the Destinations Booksellers incubator. I'm told we'll be seeing action on that front very soon.

Dragon King's Daughter has an impending ATC permit date, and should be moving soon to its new location on the corner of W. 1st and Market.

Also being readied for a spring launch is Longboard's Taco & Tiki, from Ian Hall and his Brand Hospitality Group (302 Pearl Street).

Finally, Joe Phillips and I continue work toward the establishment of Pints & Union at 114 E. Market Street.

Now, read about the homecoming of Stephen Powell.

Bank Street Brewhouse will soon have Mexican food as Taco Steve moves in, by Danielle Grady (News and Tribune)

NEW ALBANY — After two years of steady growth at Destinations Booksellers in downtown New Albany, Taco Steve is making a move to a different kitchen.

“It’s just a matter of I feel like I’ve kind of outgrown the kitchen where I’m at in the bookstore,” said Stephen Powell, the owner of the popular Mexican-inspired lunch spot. “I love it here, don’t get me wrong. I really enjoy this environment, but we’ve kind of got to move up and on.”

Powell’s destination is the New Albanian Brewing Company’s Bank Street Brewhouse — less than a mile down the road from his current spot. Powell, who worked for the New Albanian on and off from 1989 until he opened Taco Steve, will be replacing the brewhouse’s current in-house menu of burgers and “bar bites” with his own food ...

And:

Boomerang effect: Taco Steve to relocate to Bank Street Brewhouse, by Kevin Gibson (Insider Louisville)

... Powell said he will roll out new menu items slowly, and that the popular tacos mexicanos deal of two tacos and a side for $7.50 will continue.

When Taco Steve reopens, he said, it will probably four days a week — Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Eventually, days will be added, along with a planned Sunday brunch.

Taco Steve and Bank Street Brewhouse: Louisville media ink for New Albany indies.

It's a little known fact that Stephen Powell's employment with NABC predated my own, back when it was Sportstime Pizza. His bricks 'n' mortar taco outlet is only five short blocks from my house, and the food is just as good as Kevin Gibson says in his Insider Louisville piece.

Taco Steve finds permanent space in New Albany; menu expanding

For a number of years, I could always count on Steve Powell to bring me a beer when I stopped in at New Albanian Brewing Co. Now, I can count on Powell to serve up some darn tasty Mexican food.

Speaking of NABC, Kevin also devoted column inches to Bank Street Brewhouse.

Bank Street Brewhouse finds its food stride

... And it’s working. NABC teamed up with Earth Friends Café owner Stacie Bale last year, installing a vegan-friendly menu that also features New Albanian beers in its recipes. The result is an offering that could please carnivores, vegetarians, vegans and even the gluten-averse pretty equally.

Signature burgers and sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, salads, intriguing sides and appetizers, and brown basmati rice bowls all fall into a concept Bank Street refers to as “Culinary Anarchy.”

In his own words: Taco Steve and his journey.

Taco Steve himself recently spoke with Develop New Albany. For hours and updates, stay tuned to Taco Steve's page at Facebook.

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Get to know locally owned Taco Steve's

My journey with the Taco Steve Brand has been pretty short thus far. The concept of mobile taco vending certainly isn't new to the culinary world, but it's new to New Albany. I first had the idea circa 2009 when a good friend and I were leasing a kitchen in what used to be Connor's Place on Market street in downtown NA. We felt that the downtown revitalization was just beginning to get sure footing. We wanted to be a part of the boom.

My tacos are usually served with a choice of 3-4 different meats, usually Chipotle Chicken, Pork Verde and Chorizo with Yukon Gold Potatoes and Cabbage. Occasionally I'll do an Asian style Soy-Ginger Chicken taco w/ Sesame and Rice Vinegar Slaw, or a Pork and Granny Smith Apple Mojo taco.

Appetizers include Fresh Guacamole (made to order), Chorizo Nachos, Black Bean Mash w/ Cheddar, and sometimes Chicken Wings in Valentina Buffalo Sauce. The wings are a hard sell for lunch, so they'll usually only be available in the evening.

I've been very fortunate to have a group of friends and loyal customers that believe in me and the business. To date, I've only had one investor. But the group that helped me put together the physical entity is equally important. That includes Randy Smith and Ann Baumgartle, owners of Destinations Booksellers where Taco Steve is now located. They've been undeniably integral in the process. 

Also, Chris Schipper, Chris Dixon, and Craig Wilson, who helped me with remodeling (and forced me to keep my chin up when things looked bleak). The good people of New Albany's own Underground Station have been very supportive. Cisa Barry of Sew Fitting, Katie Traughber of Katered To You, Reecee and China of Underground Classic Cuts, and Andy Carter have all been very supportive. 

But the most important person of all has yet to grace us. My betrothed beauty, Liz Skelton, and our child Orion Juliet, is really what inspires me.

- Steve Powell

Taco Steve's storefront is coming.

What began as Powell's Pigs and Cows eventually became Taco Steve, a phenomenon that has been slowly percolating throughout 2015.

Stephen Powell, who for a great many years was an employee of mine at the New Albanian Brewing Company, started rolling his taco cart to downtown street corners, and began developing a following.

Stephen "Taco Steve" Powell, his taco cart, and downtown New Albany.

Another instance of his business's evolution took a step forward last night, when Taco Steve did an invitation-only "soft opening" of his forthcoming bricks 'n' mortar location in the former Dueling Grounds Cafe space at Destinations Booksellers (604 E. Spring).

Thanks to everyone who came out for the opening. Next time I'll make more food. Regular hours will be posted soon for the Spring Street location, after some analysis and fine-tuning. Tacos for Everyone!

For further information, check the Taco Steve page at Facebook. I'm happy and hopeful for him. In an era of immediate gratification, Steve is taking a modest gradualist's approach, seeking to get small things right and basics put into place, and only then growing ... incrementally.

There'll be much to come, so stay tuned to Taco Steve.

Stephen "Taco Steve" Powell, his taco cart, and downtown New Albany.

Meet Taco Steve of Powell's Pigs & Cows.

You may know him as Stephen Powell, formerly of NABC, and now a taco entrepreneur in downtown New Albany.

This is Stephen's Taco Cart, which he's setting up on the corner by Hugh E. Bir's on Fridays and Saturdays starting at 6 p.m., past midnight -- or until he runs out of food.

Stephen gets his smoked pork and chicken from Shawn Pitts, operator of Shawn's Southern BBQ on State Street.

The tacos look like this ...

 ... and Ed Needham is a satisfied customer.

On Tuesdays through the favorable weather season, Stephen will be setting up by Comfy Cow on Market Street between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Credit and debit cards are accepted, and he's been known to produce vegetarian black bean tacos.

Most of you know Stephen from his decades of bar service, so now you can visit him for all your taco needs.

New: Lunch hours at Connor's Place.

Many readers know Stephen Powell and Richard Atnip, current and former NABC employees, and both of whom are interested in the developing downtown New Albany scene. For the past few weeks, they've been working out ideas and recipes in Dave Himmel's kitchen at his pub, Connor's Place. Among these experiments have been excellent chicken wings (Jamaican-style is my favorite) and sandwiches.

Beginning on Monday, May 4, they'll be opening Connor's Place for lunch, billing "sandwiches, salads, and more!" The dining hours will be from 11:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., with my educated (?) guess being Monday through Friday lunch hours, and the two switching off for evening food at times yet to be announced. As far as I know, seeing as both are licensed, the bar will be open during these hours, too.

Connor's Place Pub is located at 13 E. Market Street in New Albany, and the phone number is 812-725-7055. Questions? E-mail the entrepreneurs here (remove "at" - you know the drill):

s.powell09(at)insightbb.com
richardatnip(at)yahoo.com

Sportstime 20th gala musical views, and an unrelated digression on the theme of craft beer growth.

From top to bottom, they're Roz Tate, Stephen Powell and Jared Williamson, as captured peforming at last Saturday's Sportstime Pizza 20th anniversary party. Longtime friend and sidekick Paul Nevitt played alongside Roz, who has remained a pub regular even if it had been 12 years since he played music live on site prior to last Saturday's gig. Many readers are familiar with Stephen, who has bartended and served for NABC for many a year, and of course Jared, along with Jesse Williams, brews Progressive Pints in the NABC garage brewhouse.

I'll be traveling with Jared today to Indianapolis for the 12th edition of the Indiana Microbrewers Festival (3:00 p.m. to - 7:00 p.m. at Opti Park at 820 E. 66th St.) It's the state of Indiana's biggest microbrewing celebration, always a great show, and worth using as a pretext for noting that our business sector has much to celebrate. Consider these statistics:

Growth of the craft beer industry was 12% by volume for 2006. The craft beer industry eclipsed 6.7 million barrels of craft beer produced in the U.S. in 2006.

The fastest growing craft beer sector in 2006 was microbreweries (up 16%), showing customer support for local breweries.

Craft beer is the fastest growing segment for supermarket scan data. 17.8% growth was stronger than all other alcohol beverage categories.

Craft beer sales share is 3.20% by volume and 4.99 % by dollars.

Craft beer industry sales have grown 31.5% over the last 3 years.

Total U.S. Craft Beer Industry Annual Dollar Volume: $4.7 billion.

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All that, and it tastes damned good, too.