CENTRAL MASS. BY THE NUMBERS

378

When Robert and Judy Nguyen opened NOLA Cajun Kitchen in West Boylston in 2019 they weren't sure whether their dishes, heavy with New Orleans-style flavors, would strike the perfect savory notes for the area's foodies. Five years later, their food has proven to be a hit. Wednesday, the couple will expand to a second, much bigger location in Shrewsbury near Route 9. The new location will be found inside a space at MarketPlace Shrewsbury, 378 Maple Ave., which will dwarf the original location by five times, with 40 indoor seats and 10 outdoor spots.

15

An Indian-cuisine restaurant chain opened its first location in Massachusetts in January at a plaza off Route 9. EggHolic, a restaurant with about 15 locations across the country and Canada, opened Jan. 5 with a menu inspired by Indian street food — often served out of street carts known as “lahris” in India. Kush Patel, who lives in Ohio, said he and his father-in-law, Bharatkumar Patel, of the Shrewsbury area, have partnered to run the location. EggHolic will open its doors in one of the spaces of MarketPlace Shrewsbury, a multispace retail plaza at 378 Maple Ave., once home to Price Chopper.

50

James Yantsides, owner of the Kenmore Diner in Worcester, is retiring after 50 years in the hospitality business. In celebration of the Kenmore's Diner's 50th anniversary, Yantsides and his wife, Pauline, will say their final goodbyes from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 15 at the diner. Yantsides sold the business to Christon Paddock of Auburn, who will officially take over on the closing date, Jan. 16. Yantsides remains owner of the building. Yantsides said he chose Paddock because he felt she was a good fit for the diner. “New owner, same diner name,” he said.

1000

Don't you just love a bargain? Christmas Tree Shops across the country may have closed their doors, but pieces of the Shrewsbury store have hit the auction block and could soon be yours, for the right price. Shelving, displays, registers, printers, phones, computers and even employee lockers are among the nearly 200 items listed for auction by Grafe Auctions. After 50 years in business, the retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in May, closing stores across the country, including the 1000 Boston Turnpike location. An in-person preview will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Jan. 9 at the former store.