FLASH: Keg Liquors New Albany will be open this Friday (November 18).

Straight from the store's Facebook site:

Todd Antz
8:44am Nov 17
I think we can safely say that the New Albany location of Keg Liquors will be opening on Friday, November 18th at 10:00 AM. No huge grand opening ceremonies, we'll save that for the next week! Stop in and say hello! And spread the word!

Merchant Mixer notes (1): New businesses, landscaping, parking, signage and dog poop.

This morning’s Merchant Mixer at Preston’s yielded much information, and so a hearty thanks to Curt Peters for emceeing and Preston Art Supply for hosting the gathering. Roughly 30 people were in attendance.

New businesses: Mike Kopp noted two new businesses moving into the spaces adjoining and above Colokial on Spring Street. One is called Dress & Dwell, and the other will be a wedding/bridal boutique (as yet unnamed).

Mike said a development company from Mishawaka had placed an offer for the old Reisz building on Main, with an eye toward rehabbing it into a senior citizens’ assisted living facility. The two frame buildings to the east would be demolished. Also, he noted that the Bobo building at 213 Pearl finally had received historic preservation tax credits, and would begin renovations into six housing units.

Finally, Mike provided these nuggets: The Impellizeri’s deal is off … the “Frenchman” is coming to the nicely repainted former Fish House space in the Bergman Building … Quill’s Coffee (also on Market St.) should be open in a few weeks … and establishments described as “Asian” and “steak” are interested in opening.

Flowers and landscaping: Mayor England told us that the fire department had gone out to water the $16,000 of flowers provided by Horseshoe Foundation (through Clean & Green?) because not all merchants were doing their share of watering. Michelle from Main Source observed that the bank would be ding landscaping around its building, and Dave Thrasher suggested folding this into a public art project.

Parking: A public parking map of downtown was handed out. It shows full-time parking lots and other places where there is free parking after 5:00 p.m.

Directional and way-finding signage: Scott Wood displayed the nice new directional signs that have been in the works for years; 29 of them will be erected “as rapidly” as possible in the next few weeks, as the street department can get to them. There’ll be a second phase next year, all of it funded by a grant from the Tourism Bureau.

State Representative Ed Clere then outlined the myriad difficulties in getting interstate highway signage for downtown New Albany, and said he’s working on it.

Doggie litter bags: They are to be hung from trash receptacles so that dog owners can clean up after their dogs. No mention was made of education to convince dog owners to do so.

(Part Two coming as soon as I get the notes typed)

La Bocca in Louisville Restaurants Forum.

There's a thread at the Forum for La Bocca, New Albany. Here's the opener:

My wife and I visited La Bocca in New Albany last night. We had a very good experience. The food was very good. My wife had a well prepared Chicken Piccata and I had Rigatoni Bolognese. The Bolognese was very light with tomatoes and meat and I enjoyed it. My wife would have preferred, on my meal, a heavier sauce. She enjoyed her meal a great deal.

If you've been, leave a comment and let us know how it was. I've been busy and have not dined at La Bocca yet. Perhaps after the Wisconsin trip.

Note also a fact that we neglected when discussing post-city council options on Mondays: La Rosita. After the new location opens with full bar, and (I trust) NABC on tap ...

Wick's Pizza on State is illuminated as opening day draws near.

Photos above courtesy of Mike Kopp, below from the senior editor.

Wick's should be open tomorrow (Wednesday), having received ATC alcohol license approval today. This is a guess, not an official announcement! The opening comes just in time for a Harvest Homecoming look-see, so get down to 225 State Street and welcome the business to New Albany.

For a look at what Wick's has been doing all these years in Louisville, visit the company's web site.

The following were snapped earlier today -- there's a huge crew in the building, and dough in the walk-in. The beer comes only after the state's permission slip. First is the new southerly bar (constructed from bricks and timbers found in the basement), then an original window now being used as overhead decor, and finally the new carry-out counter built along the northern wall.

Today's Tribune column: "Downtown upsurge causes conjoined heartburn."

Evening News columnist Debbie Harbeson offers a neat bookend today: Maintaining misguided laws not the answer for alcohol licenses. I have a few "right on" thoughts about her piece, which can be read here.

BAYLOR: Downtown upsurge causes conjoined heartburn

Accordingly, the riverfront redevelopment district is an incentive for entrepreneurial food, drink and entertainment purveyors to come downtown and do their bit to reuse the city center in precisely the way it was intended. We’re now seeing the result take shape. It’s an organic, local, homegrown restaurant and bar quarter, one made possible largely without the far more expensive expedient of paying the Cordish Company to import cookie-cutter chains ...

... New Albany’s most prominent of nattering and negativistic nabobs ... whisper that there are too many restaurants, bars and entertainment venues downtown, and that the new businesses are bound to fail, but what Dan Coffey, Steve Price and their squalid platoon of acolytes really are saying is that since they, themselves, cannot fathom success, then no one else should be permitted to rise above their self-imposed limitations, either. To justify their doomsday pessimism, we all must fail just as profoundly as them.

Playing it coy this time. Read between the lines. Nudge, nudge -- wink, wink.

336 Pearl Street is the former home of Treasure Mine Mall, and for many years before that, the Fashion Shop.

We were walking past it one night last week and stopped to chat with the nice folks who were busily working on preliminary cleaning, with plans to use it the space, hopefully soon.

I'm hesitant to make this a matter of public record for fear of jinxing the project. All I'll ask is this: Are any readers interested in the best Mexican food in the area being available in the heart of downtown?

(photo courtesy of the Hoagland real estate firm)

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.

ATC hearings: Steinert's to Redmen Club, Redmen to former B & B, and Wick's not yet on the docket.

Wondering when Wick’s Pizza will be coming to the former home of the Speakeasy?

Me, too.

Taking a glance at the schedule for the next two local alcoholic beverage board hearings (July 7 and August 4), which take place for the purpose of issuing final approval on permit applications, Wick’s isn’t yet on the docket for either of them -- yet.

This implies an answer of “September at the earliest.” They'll also presumably need an Indiana resident to make it happen, which I'm assuming will be the building's owner unless another local partner has come on board.

But here’s the answer to another pressing question, also gleaned from the local board’s published agenda for August.

SMOKEY BEAT INC
RR2226083
221-3 Historic River Vessel
New
DBA: STEINERT'S GRILL & PUB
401 E MAIN ST
New Albany IN 47150

IMPROVED ORDER OF REDMEN 276
RC2203244
211-4 Fraternal Club
Transfer
DBA: REDMEN CLUB
211 E MAIN ST
New Albany IN 47150

And so the declining Redmen hastily vacate their shiny new building for the tiny former home of Ermin’s and B & B (adjoining Studio’s), while the name attached for generations to the historic Charlestown Road building destroyed by fire last year resurfaces on Main Street.

Also, to R: There appears to be no limit to the number of “riverfront” three-way permits allowable within the delineated geographical boundaries, and subject to the usual considerations of proper distance from churches, which I view as a violation of church-state separation.

Downtown's getting crowded.

Who'd have thunk it?

Information, please: Jackson's Seafood and Liquidz Bar & Grill.

Above is the remodeled Orchid, now Jackson's Seafood on West Main. The sign on the door suggests it will be open this week. Below are two views of the storefront on East Main, opposite the old Reisz Furniture building, billed as Liquidz. Readers, do you have any information on these new businesses?