Two women resurrecting cookie shop
Where’s Waldo’s? 2nd opens Tuesday
You may recall our report in September on the closure of Kris & Sam’s The Box Lunch and Cookie Shop, 1208 S. Bowman Road, Little Rock. Then-owner Vicki Mooney Adams explained at the time that the departure of two key staff members meant there would be no chance the shop would reopen at another location. However, sometimes no chance still means there’s a chance: Kris & Sam’s has been resurrected, after a fashion. Heather Hill and Patsy Kane, who have been colleagues at First Orion, have bought all the recipes and equipment from Adams and have moved the business as a takeout-only operation in the lobby of the Simmons Tower, 425 W. Capitol Ave. at Broadway, Little Rock. They’re offering the same signature cookies, boxed lunches and chocolate-covered strawberries, gifts and daily specials, and also promising free delivery “with a smile” to Simmons Tower and to the nearby Lyon and Regions buildings. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. (501) 266-5437 (COOKIES).
Central Arkansas’ second Waldo’s Chicken & Beer opens Tuesday at 6 Bass Pro Drive, Little Rock. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, with an 11 a.m.-6 p.m. weekday happy hour. (501) 353-2391; waldoschicken.com; facebook. com/WaldosChickenLittleRock. The first one opened in March at 4221 Warden Road, North Little Rock. You will recall that Waldo’s is a collaboration involving JTJ Restaurants, which also operates Petit & Keet, Cypress Social and eight Arkansas Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafes, with Nashville, Tenn.-based Fresh Hospitality and a group of other partners, who opened the very first Waldo’s in Tulsa. There’s also a Waldo’s in the works at the partially-Keet-controlled Breckenridge Village Shopping Center, Interstate 430 at North Rodney Parham Road in west Little Rock.
We now have confirmation that the parcel of land at t 13401 Crystal Hill Road, North Little Rock, where it meets Maumelle Boulevard near Walmart, just on the North Little Rock side of Maumelle, will be a Whataburger. Groundbreaking is set for 10 a.m. Monday. And we’re told another Whataburger is on tap for Searcy; an announcement on its location is expected next week. Central Arkansas outlets of the Corpus Christi, Texas-based chain are in progress at 17100 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, and 7520 Alcoa Road, Benton.
The partnership between Tori Morehart’s home-cooking
DownHome Catering and Hot Springs’ McClard’s Bar-B-Que that created McClard’s & DownHome Catering, 9219 Stagecoach Road, Little Rock, has collapsed after less than six months.
The new “fusion” that officially held its grand opening Oct. 14 is splitting back into two separate entities. McClard’s Bar-B-Que will retain the physical restaurant on Stagecoach Road.
Morehart will continue to operate DownHome Catering, with plans for a kitchen in Benton. McClard’s hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. (501) 821-3344.
★★★
We have an update on Crave Hot Dogs & Barbecue,
a Long Island, N.Y.-based chain/franchise operation that we reported in August had named Central Arkansas franchisees — Jamie and Melanie Page — with a Little Rock-area outlet in the works. Now we know where: not in Little Rock, but at 3429 Market Place in Bryant, in a cluster of new properties behind Walmart and near a new location of Pizza Hut. Jamie Page has told MySaline. com that they hope to open around May.
Crave has locations either established or coming soon in 16 other states; this will be Arkansas’ first.
The menu offers hot dogs, sausages and brats with more than 20 toppings, with pulled chicken, pulled pork and smoked brisket available for sandwiches, sliders and plates and “classic BBQ sides, desserts and appetizers.” Crave restaurants have a self-pour beer wall with 32-48 local craft beers, wines and ciders on tap; some offer self-pour mixed drinks.
(That, however, may not be legal in Arkansas.) The restaurants also feature “patios with fun and games, trivia nights, karaoke, music, kids eat free Wednesdays and more.
Axe lanes were also introduced this year.” They’ll offer drive-thru, delivery, catering, curbside pickup and dine-in service.. Visit iwantcrave.com.
And speaking of hot dogs, although its interior is a halfbuilt mess, the signs on the exterior of what was supposed to eventually be The
Original Hot Dog Factory 1424 Main St., Little Rock, have vanished.
Not sure just what that portends, but we’ll continue to keep an eye on things.
★★★
The 7 Brew drive-thru coffee establishment at 11100 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock, opened Monday, and its “Swag Day Celebration” takes place 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. on Saturday; the first person in each drive-thru lane and walk-up line will receive free coffee for a year and customers who buy a large drink will receive a 7 Brew swag item. Hours are 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. 7brew.com; facebook. com/7brewcoffee.
It is probably premature to expect a name change to “Cauliflower-fil-A,” but Chick-fil-A is testing what according to a news release is “its first-ever plant-forward entree, the Chickfil-A Cauliflower Sandwich,” in three markets — Denver; Charleston, S.C.; and North Carolina’s Greensboro-Triad region.
“The sandwich is made with a tender filet cut from a whole, real cauliflower,” the release continues, noting that the preparation is similar to the original Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, “marinated, breaded with a signature seasoning, pressure-cooked and served on a toasted buttery bun with two dill pickle chips.”
And the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Alumni Association holds its 18th Taste of Little
Rock fundraiser, 6-8 p.m. April 4 at the Jack Stephens Center at UALR, 2801 S. University Ave., Little Rock.
The event features “tastes” of some of the best dishes from the city’s restaurants. This year’s honoree is alumnus James Bobo “for his lifetime of support of UA Little Rock.”
Tickets are $35-$75; all proceeds go to the association’s Scholarship Fund. Visit ualr. edu/giving/event/taste-of-little-rock-2023. For more information, call (501) 916-6438 or email alumni@ualr.edu.