Jason Murray’s $3.3 million redevelopment of the former Union Biscuit warehouse a couple blocks west of Park Central Square has secured its third and final commercial tenant.
The Hub Coffee and Bicycles changed its name and relocated March 14 to 211 S. Market Ave. in the Union Biscuit Warehouse, where Murray has developed some 20 residential lofts on the second floor. Now operating as Kingdom Coffee & Cycles, co-owners Jason Strother and Isaac Neale moved from 811 Boonville Ave. after landlord Mark Steiner had listed the building for sale.
At Union Biscuit Warehouse, Kingdom Coffee joins A2 Accounting and Tax Service and Labor Max Staffing, which quickly filled a vacancy created by Demi Creative’s move across the way next to Moxie Cinema in the College Station Lofts building.
“We wanted to be in the downtown district and really took note of strong growth to the west,” Strother said this morning, the coffee shop’s second full day in operation.
After a soft opening Friday night, Kingdom Coffee officially opened yesterday.
Moxie Cinema Executive Director Mike Stevens said he’s grabbed a cup of joe there every morning this week.
“I think my coffee intake is going to spike,” he said after walking the half-block back to his cinema office. “We’re between the three great coffee shops in town. I guess I’ll have to split my time with Coffee Ethic - and the Mudhouse.”
While the cinema sells coffee to its patrons, Stevens said he’d allow Moxie patrons to bring in drinks from fellow downtown purveyors, and the cinema might consider discontinuing its coffee sales. He said additional amenities nearby could only improve the experience for moviegoers.
“I like that they’re going to downtown coffee shops,” he said.
Strother said he and Neale began looking for downtown space a year ago and narrowed the options to two. The other was in Wilhoit Plaza, which
lost anchor tenants Farmers Gastropub and Moxie in recent months.
“Everybody kind of deserted that place,” Strother said.
Their Union Biscuit choice also was influenced by plans in the works for a
Brewery District redevelopment between Springfield Brewing Co. and Mother’s Brewing Co.
“We heard whispers of that,” Strother said. “That was definitely an appeal.”
Strother and Neale still have some infill work cut out for them. The bicycle repair and sales side of the business has yet to open.
“We’ve got to build it out, still,” Strother said, noting the adjacent 1,100-square-foot space should be operational by month’s end and the partners are seeking to hire a few more employees.
