I. Mesh restaurant opening date postponed
Mesh, the fine-dining concept being developed by Indianapolis-based Cunningham Restaurant Group, at 3612 Brownsboro Rd., has had its opening date postposed until February, 2015. The former site of Azalea and, before that, Bauer’s 1870 Tavern has been under construction for some time. The delay has been occasioned by just the normal glitches that affect any major tear-down and re-build.
When completed after the $2.8 million construction, the 7,600-square-foot restaurant will seat about 240 people, with additional seating on an outdoor patio. It will be the second Mesh in the Cunningham Group’s portfolio, and will have a menu similar to its Indianapolis counterpart.
II. CeFiore closes, reducing to 2 the number of frozen confection shops on Eastern Pkwy. corner
After seven years in business, CeFiore is closed its doors Sunday, Oct. 26. The California-based chain of frozen yogurt shops has locations in 8 states and 4 foreign countries. The Highlands location was the only one in Kentucky.
Patrons dying for ice cream or frozen yogurt had a plethora of choices at the busy Bardstown Rd. crossroads. Comfy Cow anchors the northeast corner, and Lula’s has the southeast. Tucked away behind Qdoba on the southwest corner, CeFiore soldiered on, but finally decided that their run was over.
III. Mixer to become Planet Bar & Bistro
The corner property in the heart of Bardstown Rd.‘s Restaurant Row that most recently was the piano bar and lounge Mixer, is slated to become Planet Bar & Bistro, under the ownership of Marge VanGilder and Jennifer Gilland VanGilder. After some renovation and the designing of a kitchen to serve light dishes for bar patrons, the couple hopes to open this winter, by or before New Year’s Eve.
Marge VanGilder retired after 26 years with Humana, and has been a long-time member of the band Flaming MuuMuus. Running the bar will be the couple’s full-time gig now. Their goal is to create “a neighborhood bar that will focus on a quality service experience — from professional table service to craft cocktails to unique food preparation.”
IV. Fortune magazine gives kudos to Flavorman
Fortune magazine has named Flavorman, 809 S. Eighth St., as one of the 100 fastest-growing urban businesses in America. The business works with new beverage makers to devise the best flavor combinations. One of the products the company helped develop, a flavored wine called BeatBox, being brought to market by Texas-based entrepreneurs, will be among the hopefuls on Shark Tank, trying to win development money from the panel of investors.
Flavorman is owned by David Dafoe, whose beverage architects helped create four flavors of BeatBox’s mixed drinks packaged in neon-colored boxes.
The Flavorman facility on Eighth St. is also the location of the Distilled Spirits Epicenter, which gives classes in distilling technology for entrepreneurs looking to develop more potent beverages.
