Calistoga

Sorry if this is not news - just noticed it in Business First. The article is longer, but I think it is subscriber protected:

John Schnatter’s Calistoga Bakery Cafe, an upscale sandwich, soup and salad concept originating in Florida, is slated to debut in Louisville later this year.

Calistoga is scheduled to open this fall amid the high-traffic, high-density Dupont Circle hospital and office cluster at 4000 Dutchmans Lane in a building that originally housed a Bennigan’s restaurant and has been several concepts since then.

Work is under way at the 0.65-acre site at the southeast corner of Dutchmans Lane and Dupont Circle on the south side of St. Matthews.

[Robin Garr]

Sorry if this is not news - just noticed it in Business First.

Thanks, TP. I think maybe we touched on it a while back, but it quickly fell into a chain-related discussion and started to stink up the place. Thanks for bringing it back in current context.

I work right across the street! At least it will be a different place to get lunch. As much as I like the places to eat close to where I work, they get old fast, although I do question the decision to build it in that close a proximity to a Panera Bread.

When I first saw this in the newspaper a few months ago, they were talking about putting it in the area by Costco off Ky 22. I guess it's too expensive to build something new, so they must have looked for a building they could renovate. Plus, there are lots of restaurants over there. Still, it was closer to me than where they are going to put it, and I was looking forward to it. Doubt that I will go there unless I happen to be in that area.

Close to a Panera because that would be their closest similar competitor? Papa wants to rumble here in his home market. Looking at the concept I might try it while in the neighborhood.

I haven't set foot in a Panera Bread since a manager at one made my wife stop breastfeeding our son. It was being done discreetly but he wasn't having it in his place and none of us have been back since. Funny how one incident can give the whole operation a black eye.

No worries about feeding the six foot tall 11 year old now. He eats what he wants!

Almost forgot: Welcome to the forum MaryB!