Happy 10th birthday to Toast on Market.

There is an inevitability to the comings and goings in the food and drink biz. Make it a year or two, and that's laudable.

Ten years after Toast on Market's New Albany location opened, the joint's still thriving, and in pleasant weather customers are waiting outside to be seated.

That's really something.

It's Toast on Market tomorrow morning. (NA Confidential on Monday, September 28, 2009)

Because I just read Jessica touting the magic moment of 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning as the long-awaited Toast on Market opening, I'm repeating it here.

That's Market Street in New Albany. The place we call the Fair Store Building. Tuesday morning.

Toast on Market sez: Open September 29.

Taking it a step further, here's the Spring 2010 profile of the "new" New Albany in Food & Dining Magazine. It's interesting to see who's still here, and who isn't.

To me, it seems like 10,000 years ago, not just ten.

Indie food & drink behind the booths: Adrienne & Co. and Toast on Market.

Harvest Homecoming's annual occupation of downtown New Albany is almost here, and in 2016, "booth days" take place from October 6 - 9 (Thursday through Sunday). We're here to have a look at what's taking place behind the booths, where our independent local businesses operate throughout the year.

On Market Street in the epicenter of the orange occupation, Adrienne & Co. (133 E. Market) adapts and analogizes.

With Harvest Homecoming looming around the corner (like a clown in the woods) you might wonder what we have in store for you down here at Adrienne & Co New Albany... Our Bakery & Cafe will be open during our normal hours 8a-2p serving up a full menu! We will also have a booth that will be serving up our sweet & delicious desserts and pastries for your fall eating pleasure!

Just a few doors down at 141 E. Market, Toast on Market will use festival time to take the week of for spiffing up, returning on the Tuesday the 11th.

As listings are posted, we'll add and update here.

For officially sanctioned activities, go here: 2016 Harvest Homecoming Festival Guide.

Toast on Market in New Albany is on hiatus until February 19.

The sidewalk's been uprooted in front of the New Albany location of Toast for quite a while. Finally it was put back into place, and now this. I don't know the details, and the primary reason I'm posting this is that there seems to be no information on-line about the temporary closing, and if knowing it saves someone a trip, it's a good thing. If this closure is Indiana American Water's doing, and such matters usually are in these parts, I renew my call for utility monopolies to be brought to heel. But for once, I'll refrain from referring to INAWC as rat bastards, although they quite simply are.

Scenes from Block Party & Toast -- both on Market.

Rest assured that the Block Party got bigger once the sun went down, at which point I had a beer in hand and was unable to take photos. Views from Toast are from lunchtime, yesterday.

Sweet Stuff open today, and Toast, and Dueling Grounds to follow ...

The Tribune covered this story a few weeks back (what happened to September, anyway?), but as of this morning, the Sweet Stuff Bakery has transitioned to its new 325 East Spring Street location and is open for business.

The plastic sheeting has come down to reveal the forthcoming Dueling Grounds Cafe at Destinations Booksellers, located just blocks east of Sweet Stuff at 604 E. Spring.

Lunchtime was clear yesterday, so Gregg Rochman and I investigated the scene at the debuting Toast On Market (East Market opposite the Grand). New Albany's branch of Toast boasts a stunning contemporary interior coexisting with exposed brick providing historic accents. The menu is identical to Louisville's, and there is a small top shelf liquor and wine selection befitting its morning and lunch hours (Toast closes after lunch). Toast is open on Sunday mornings at 7:00 a.m. Is this New Albany?

Well, is it?

The common theme of those in attendance at last evening's Block Party was something approximating incredulity. There were at least three hundred people in the middle of a newly paved street having fun on a Wednesday evening in downtown New Albany. I thought the last Waterfront Wednesday (Louisville) of the season might detract from attendance, but it did not, and the people I saw cut across age groups, demographics and beer preferences.

The vibe was celebratory and positive, just the sort of occurrence that public savants like Dan Coffey and Steve Price always avoid so as not to contradict their gloom and doom scenarios. It's their loss (and, unfortunately, ours, since they're unable to separate their personal prejudices from what passes for public policy meant to apply to all, not some).

Wick's Pizza is next on the horizon. By the time Harvest Homecoming is through, most of the elements will be in place. Now all we need is Councilman Bob Caesar's permission to operate in the vicinity of his mercantile turf. I'll be working on that one, and will explain in a future posting. By the way, has anyone seen Coffey's hoary abacus lately?

And so it is that six years after Mrs. Confidential agreed to our first Five Year Plan downtown, it has become possible for me to begin a free day with breakfast and a Bloody Mary, then continue imbibing, eating, listening and conversing through a whole day, drinking straight through into afternoon and evening, and never once depart from walking - from my home, into downtown, and back.

There's always more to be done. But that's fairly impressive, isn't it?

It's Toast on Market tomorrow morning.

Because I just read Jessica touting the magic moment of 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning as the long-awaited Toast on Market opening, I'm repeating it here.

That's Market Street in New Albany. The place we call the Fair Store Building. Tuesday morning.

Toast on Market sez: Open September 29.

Toast on Market sez: Open September 29.

The good news is that Toast on Market will be open soon. The bad news is that I (still) can't take good photos.

The sign says: "Open September 29, 7:00 a.m." That's a Tuesday.

There is a phone number to call for those interested in employment: "Apply within 9 am - 2 pm, or call 812-941-8582."

The hours are just barely visible to the left on the door: Closed Monday, open 7:00 a.m. otherwise from Tuesday through Sunday, closing at 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

I haven't heard any recently updated scoops on Wick's Pizza, to be located in the building that formerly housed the Speakeasy, although my assumption is a first Tuesday of October date with the state's alcohol regulatory authorities and an opening soon thereafter.

Better hurry, before Papa Cappuccino does the copperhead shake and takes away the riverfront development district. Perhaps he plans on swapping it for an autioneer's license.

Dueling Grounds coffee shop (at Destinations Booksellers) and a downtown status report from Mike Kopp.

Randy Smith at Destinations Booksellers provides this look at progress toward completing the store's coffee shop project (both at 604 E. Spring St.) Contact Randy with questions.

Coffee Shop Update

There's a certain amount of madness, or as one local political aspirant would say, a "curtain" level of craziness going on right now. If you haven't visited recently, you will have missed the new construction work, but that's nothing compared to what's in store over the next two months.

I'm trying to run the store (luckily, we've hired some great new employees to work with Mark and Sophie) while planning a full kitchen build-out and we've just about finalized all of our equipment selections for the new coffee shop. It will be called The Dueling Grounds Café at Destinations Booksellers, and despite previous conjectures, we're going to incorporate the shop into the bookstore building. Next year, we'll probably build a deck out back for al fresco dining where you can enjoy your hot or cold beverages, soups, sandwiches, and desserts.

We're trying to get our final plan drawings completed in the next few days so we can submit them to the state building inspector's office and then we can begin the construction of the kitchen and coffee bar. You smarties who've discovered the rear parking lot may want to avoid the back entrance for awhile, though. We'll be sealing off everything south of my office while the build-out takes place.

While I'm committed to roasting our beans on-site, the capital expenditure right now is enormous, and we are giving strong consideration to sourcing our roasted beans from one of the fine local roasters until next year.

Mike Kopp, local realtor and president of Develop New Albany, recently circulated the following to DNA’s mailing list.

It's official: HobKnobb Coffee will be landing downtown at the former Joy's Coffee Nook on State Street (near State and Spring). Owner Barb Fischer will offer basically what she has at her other location in Floyds Knobs, and I think it will be a welcomed establishment with a good product.

Also official: The vacant building at 501 Pearl Street (formerly the John Vernia & Son Monument Co at the corner of Pearl and Elm) has sold and chances are if you drove by today you will see improvements already being made. This space is being prepared for office occupancy and may be completed by the end of October with a new tenant.

Though we have not closed on the building, there is a new owner coming to spruce up the service station at the corner of Oak and State Streets (former known as EZ Auto). This will be a new look, and it is planned for an official NAPA Auto Center. They, too, will be a U-Haul center but the new owners plan to provide fresh landscaping, renovation and a new look for the entire building, including resurfacing the parking lot and all new lighting for property as well. This will be noticed by September 1st.

A major retailer has downtown New Albany in its sights, so we're still in the running. These folks are out of Chicago and will need 5-10k square feet. They are an “apparel and more” retailer. This will not happen until after the first of the year, should I be successful in convincing them this is where they belong.

Liquidz Bar and Grill will be opening soon at the former Russ's Tavern on E. Main Street (between Pearl and Bank), and 211 E. Main (formerly Ermin’s and B & B, next to Studio’s) is the new location for the Redmens Club as Steinert’s moves in to their new location at 401 E. Main, which had been constructed by the Redmen in 2005.

The Parthenon at 203 E. Main continues to get a facelift as the columns are being repaired, and is it being made ready for a new tenant to be announced. There are new tenants at the southeast corner of Pearl and E Main (Merchants National Bank building). It is a spa of some kind, and that’s all I know, as I did not do the deal. The people from Louisville’s Green Building hope to meet with the city this week, as we have requested an appointment. They have their eyes on the Baptist Tabernacle Church (318 E. 4th) and the Reisz Building on Main Street.

Be sure to participate in one or all of the happenings in downtown. Great things continue to be said about our Farmers Market and the new activity on Fridays at the Amphitheater. Help clear up a few things: Both Wick’s Pizza in the former Speakeasy building on State, and Toast on Market on E. Market will be open soon, and both will have liquor licenses.

Eating out.

Over at the Tribune's "New Albany Forum" the owner of Ninny's reveals that she's closing the restaurant at the end of the month. I must confess to having never eaten there.

The restaurant business is volatile. You may recall that when we were making the rounds of banks in the midst of last fall's bottoming (out), the standard greeting was "no start-ups funded -- especially restaurants." It took a while to find an institution of higher lending that would actually read the business plan to learn that our primary motivation was brewing beer for distribution. When it became apparent that Main Source would be the partner for us, I cried. Literally.

Yesterday I spent an hour and a half at the Bank Street construction site with Grace Schneider, the Courier-Journal's reporter who now provides at least some of the coverage for Floyd County since Dick Kaukas opted for the newspaper's broom and dustpan retirement plan. We chatted at length about the brewhouse project, and then I moved in the direction of the Farmers Market with a mind toward a bison wrap and Andy's and Joy's portable kitchen.

Before sinking my teeth into the succulence, there came the opportunity to step inside the space that Toast on Market will someday occupy. Currently it is undergoing renovation, and is coming along nicely, even if there's no firm date for the eatery's arrival.

My point, if any, is that entrepreneurs of any variety bizarrely enjoy spinning the wheel of fate and cash, but the house always has the best odds. For me, the best way to jig the process is to be relentlessly contrarian, and to offer a product like no one else's.

The same should hold true for downtown as a whole. If we can hold things together downtown for a year or so, I see good things coming from the effort.

Amid predictable Luddite derision, Toast on Market coming to downtown New Albany.

The Tribune's Daniel Suddeath broke the story yesterday:

Toast on Market coming to New Albany.

Toast on Market — a Louisville-based restaurant noted for its breakfast selection — soon will be opening in New Albany, sources confirmed Monday.

This potentially tasty tidbit first bubbled to the surface last week after if became known that the old Fair Store building finally would be changing hands after more than one false start. Matt Bergman, one of the buyers, describes a reality utterly alien to the clueless Coffeys and pernicious Prices of the local reactionary political scene:

“We want to do our part as much as we can,” he said. “Downtown is getting ready to pop and we want it to be pretty again.”

Bergman believes historical buildings throughout downtown can be filled with residents and businesses, providing New Albany with a solid form of tax revenue.

Whoa, Matt. That's still a revolutionary concept to generations of New Albanians raised to doubt their own capabilities and to loath those who don't, and it's sure to arouse the sneering hackles of our community's Gary McCartin Cornfield Paving Development Cadre ... but your observation has the simple merit of being absolutely true, and that surely counts for something, even in McCartin's beloved cookie-cutter exurb.

It's also important to note that reporter Suddeath eschews the usual local interview subjects and looks instead to a Louisvillian who knows what he's talking about (are you reading, Cappuccino?) to preview Toast and handicap the situation.


Louisville food critic Robin Garr — whose restaurant reviews can be found at LouisvilleHotBytes.com — said he has been impressed with the original Toast.

“They have a fairly narrow focus — breakfast and lunch in an affordable price range, but with imaginative touches that separate it from a mere diner,” Garr said by e-mail. “I think it was amazing the way it took off so fast when it opened on East Market a while back. It was a hit from day one, and continues to be popular.

Garr continued by saying he hopes Toast does well in New Albany, but noted the city’s recent less-than-stellar track record in supporting “innovative restaurants.” He cited the closing of Bistro New Albany, Treet’s Bakery and Connor’s Place. The latter is expected to reopen, however.

“New Albany may not yet be a strong market for this kind of independent restaurant” Garr said. “If Toast comes over, I hope they can break this pattern.”

That's a fair assessment.

Each time I observe the antics at our bi-monthly city council dunking booth and pie-throwing gallery, it occurs to me that the absence of a creative imagination is the single biggest example of the city's stunted growth. The small pond Coffeys and Prices can't imagine dining at Toast in million years, which is fine -- but what isn't fine is drawing the conclusions that (a) no one wishes to dine there, (b) the sort of people who would are personally objectionable to the conjoined councilmen, and (c) we should all continue to live in abject physical and psychological squalor lest we learn something better.

So, good luck to Toast. An increasing number of us "get it," and we'll do our best to support you. Just remember to sit with your back to the wall, especially if your benumbed councilman comes to visit ... and keep a roll of bologna around just in case. Did you know it's perfect for barbecuing?

Toast on Market