The Cakery Reopens Under New Ownership

Freddy Trujillo, new owner of The Cakery in Bowie

Pastries are for sale once again in Bowie's Hilltop Plaza.  After being closed for two months, The Cakery is back in business.  According to the new owner, Freddy Trujillo, customers can expect to see the same treats that have been available at the store since the 1990s - cookies, cupcakes, danishes, croissants, tarts, pies, cakes and more.  Many items are available for immediate purchase, including pies and cakes, but Trujillo recommends ordering pies and cakes two or more days in advance.

The Cakery is open from 8am to 5pm, Tuesday through Friday, and 8am to 3pm on Saturdays.  Trujillio may expand the hours in the future.

The Cakery is located on the back side of Hilltop Plaza, 6776 Race Track Rd, Bowie, MD 20715.

Walmart Supercenter Proposed for Bowie

Walmart is moving forward with a proposal to build a new 186,000 square foot "supercenter" in the future Mill Branch Crossing shopping center in Bowie.  The proposed store would feature a full service supermarket, and it would be located across Route 301 from the site of the current Walmart discount store.  If the plan comes to fruition, the supercenter would replace Bowie's existing Walmart store.

Walmart was required to file a special zoning exception application because "it proposes a department/variety store over 125,000 sq. ft., with a food and beverage component above 10% of the gross floor area," according to a status report presented to the Bowie City Council by City Manager David Deutsch.  The Walmart plan will be on the City Council's agenda this fall.

Along with the retail stores, Mill Branch Crossing is expected to include commercial space and a 150 room hotel.

The Mill Branch Crossing shopping center has been in the planning stages for more than seven years.  The project has been delayed by the discovery of remains of a 1700s era structure as well as other archeological items.  Development of the shopping center has also been delayed by plans for the future Green Branch Regional Park.  The Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission owns 319 acres of land behind the Mill Branch Crossing property, and a portion of that land will be converted into soccer, lacrosse and football fields. The park property is land locked, and the county is requiring the owner of the shopping center property to provide a public access road to the new park as a condition for approval.

A lacrosse stadium is also being considered for the Green Branch Regional Park site as a possible home for the Chesapeake Bayhawks professional lacrosse team.  A study conducted earlier this year concluded that a 22,000 seat stadium was not appropriate, and a follow-up study was funded to consider options for a smaller stadium.

The future Green Branch Regional Park also offers a potential viewing location for the annual City of Bowie fireworks.  According to Bowie City Manager David Deutsch, future city firework shows at Prince George's Stadium will include more higher altitude shells for people viewing the show from outside the stadium.  This may make it possible to view the fireworks from the new park, although Deutsch indicated that the city had not yet considered that option.


Links

• July 25, 2013 Status Report to the Bowie City Council from City Manager David Deutsch.   Referenced plans to discuss the Walmart exception this fall.
• Maryland National Capital Park and Planning review of the Mill Branch Crossing development
• Mill Branch Crossing Preliminary Plans (includes maps and photos)
• Maryland National Capital Park & Planning description of the Green Branch Athletic Complex
• City of Bowie, State of the City Report, January, 2013 (see comments on Mill Branch Crossing)
• eWallstreeter:  Study finds Prince George's lacrosse stadium plans may be too grand
• Maryland Stadium Authority Releases Study of Bowie Lacrosse Stadium and Youth Sports Complex
• Bowie Lacrosse Stadium / Youth Sports Complex
• Accord nears about access road for ball fields near Bowie, Gazette, April 19, 2012

Jersey Mike's Subs Now Open in Hilltop Plaza

I had a late lunch today at Jersey Mike's Subs in Hilltop Plaza.  The restaurant opened August 1st.

My order was made quickly and to my liking, but I didn't care for the customer service experience.

I asked for some advice, and I was told that the most popular item is the #13:  the Original Italian (provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami and pepperoni).  The clerk recommended that it be prepared "Mike's Way," which means with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, spices and "The Juice" (red wine vinegar and olive oil blend).  "It will be the best sub that you've ever had," I was told.

I said, "great, I'll have a #13 prepared Mike's Way, but hold the onions."

Another clerk interrupted and said, "sir, I really think you should try it the complete Mike's Way with onions."

I thought that was a strange comment.  I just said, "Thanks, but I don't like onions."  I know - just six simple words, but I was mildly annoyed that I had to say them.

While my sub was being made the Mike's Way sans onions, the first clerk said to me, "sir, I'm really sorry that we have to do this to you!"

So I said, "what?"

And he said, "this sub is going to be so good that you'll be disappointed whenever you eat a sub anywhere else from now on."

Now I know the guy meant well, but I felt like the interaction was scripted.  It wasn't genuine.  Normally I'm pretty chatty in situations like this, but I was just turned off by the conversation. It was also a little bit braggy for my liking. It's one thing to say, "I really think you'll like this," but I just thought this guy was a little over the top.  Over all, I found the staff very attentive, but I was a little turned off by the conversation.

And how was the sub?  I liked it.  The bread was good, but the clerk was wrong.  It wasn't the best sub I've ever had.  It was good, but not the best.  Ha, maybe it needed onions after all.  I'll be back to try some other menu items.  Next time I won't make it such a late lunch, and maybe I'll be less grumpy.

Jersey Mike's Subs coming to Hilltop Plaza

Jersey Mike's Subs is coming to Hilltop Plaza in Bowie (between Papa John's and Chesapeake Grill & Deli). Construction in the new location will begin April 30th, and the restaurant will open in late June. Jersey Mike's Subs started out as Mike's Subs in 1956 on the Jersey Shore in Point Pleasant long before anyone ever heard of Snooki, Pauly D or The Situation. The restaurant eventually changed its name, and it now has a franchise business with 500 locations opened or planned. The Jersey Mike's web site describes their subs as follows:

Today, the authentic taste – served Mike's Way™ with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices – is available nationwide. Our secret? Everything about Jersey Mike’s is high quality. Our certified Angus Beef top rounds are trimmed and cooked right in the store. Our meats and cheeses are all top-quality premium brands. Our bread is fresh-baked each day on the premises. And of course, everything’s prepared right in front of you. It’s what makes Jersey Mike’s the most authentic tasting submarine sandwich available. And it’s a tradition of quality we’ll never outgrow.

City of Bowie trying to attract Trader Joe's?

According to the Bowie Star, State Senator Doug Peters plans to file a bill with the Maryland General Assembly to allow a grocery store in Bowie to sell alcohol. The bill was initiated by Bowie City Manager David Deutsch and the City Council as a way of attracting a specialty grocery store like Trader Joe's to Bowie.

The spaces left vacant by Giant Food in Bowie Plaza and Pointer Ridge Plaza are both appropriate locations for a specialty grocery store.

Alcohol is prohibited for sale in Maryland grocery stores as a general rule, but exceptions exists, including exceptions for several stores in Prince George's County.

Trader Joe's said that opening a store in Bowie is not in their two year plan.  Trader Joe's does not currently have a store in Prince George's County.

The Bowie Star article is not yet posted on-line, so you'll have to grab the paper from your driveway to read the article (Bowie pursues liquor license for specialty grocery story, Bowie Star, Thursday, November 24, 2011).

Artisan Sweet Shop to Open in Bowie Plaza

Cookies, gourmet cupcakes, tarts and more will be available when The Cake Courtesan opens in Bowie Plaza in January. Owner and former Bowie resident Sharon White will open her shop in the location formerly occupied by the Home Plate Restaurant (next to Subway).

The Cake Courtesan is currently an Annapolis based custom cake boutique that makes wedding cakes and other celebration cakes. White also owns Nostalgia Cupcakes, a gourmet cupcake retail outlet on Main Street in Annapolis. The Bowie location will offer a combination of cakes, cupcakes and other sweets. The cupcakes will be sold under the Nostalgia Cupcakes name, and White plans to close the Nostalgia Cupcakes Annapolis location.

Here's how Sharon White describes the new new store in her own words.

The Cake Courtesan will be opening in January and will be a full service artisan sweet shop. We will be offering cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, tarts, cake truffles, etc and will be available as a retail store with walk in hours. We will offer customized fondant design occasion and 3-D cakes by special order only. We will also offer cupcakes via Nostalgia Cupcakes, which will be closing out of Annapolis this winter.

Our focus is to bring high end designer styles and exotic cake flavors to Bowie and Prince George's County. All of our products are made from scratch and we use high quality ingredients. Our motto is No Shortenings, No Mixes, No Imitations, No Shortcuts. Ever.

I chose Bowie because I used to be a Bowie resident and have always loved It. I owned a home in Highbridge Park and always wanted to come back. I think the Bowie demographic deserves cupcakes and designer cakes! So, I'm excited to be opening, and I hope that Bowie is excited to have me!

The Cake Courtesan's new location in Bowie Plaza next to Subway

The Cake Courtesan's new location in Bowie Plaza next to Subway

Links

• The Cake Courtesan photo gallery
• Nostalgia Cupcakes photo gallery
  

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Elevation Burger Coming to the Bowie Area

Elevation Burger is opening a Bowie area restaurant in the Vista Gardens Marketplace (Martin Luther King Jr Highway at the intersection of Routes 450 and 704). The organic burger joint will open in about five weeks (near the end of September) in the group of stores across from Home Depot (near Chipolte, Quiznos and Ledo's). Elevation Burger touts their burgers as 100% USDA certified organic, from 100% grass fed cows, 100% free range beef and the beef is ground in the same location where the burgers are sold. They also have fresh cut fries cooked in olilve oil with no trans or saturated fats. My family visited the Hyattsville location on Route 1 today. The burgers and fries were very good. The manager came by to see if we needed anything. He said that he recognized that we were new customers, and he asked us to let him know if there is any suggestions that we had for the restaurant. It was a very nice experience. Visit the Elevation Burger web site for more info: http://www.elevationburger.com/ (the Hyattsville location is pictured here).

We took some time to check out some of "downtown" Hyattsville when we visited the restaurant. The Elevation Burger opened in April, 2011 in a new building that houses a Chipolte and a Tara Thai restaurant (opening soon). There's also a frozen yogurt store around the corner, the Hyattsville Arts District across the street, and a lot of new development nearby. It's a blend of old and new.

Elevation Burger in Hyattsville

Hyattsville Arts District

Hyattsville Arts District

Townhouses under Construction in Hyattsville

The former Lustine Chevrolet building is now the Lustine Center with an art gallery and a gym

Bang Bang Mongolian Grill Coming to Bowie

A Mongolian grill/stir-fry all-you-can-eat restaurant is coming to the former Pomogrille location in the Free State Shopping Center. The BangBang Mongolian Grill has plans to open six restaurants in Maryland, and the first two will open this fall in Bowie and in Baltimore's Canton neighborhood. According to the Washington Business Journal, there are a handful of restaurants offering similar fare ...in the D.C. region, but BangBang plans to differentiate itself by providing fast service and only healthy options (no fried food). Customers pick their own food on a buffet-style "makeline," and then the food is stir-fried on a grill. Separate grills are used for customers with food allergies. The first BangBang opened in West Des Moines, Iowa in 2010. It looks like the Maryland locations will be the first BangBang restaurants outside of Iowa. On-line reviews of the West Des Moines BangBang are mixed. For more information, see the restaurant's web site: http://bangbangmongoliangrill.com/

UPDATE:  As of December, 2011, Bang Bang Mongolian Grille estimates the opening date to be late February, 2012.

Borders in Bowie Rumored to be Closing

The Borders Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today, and the company announced that it will be closing about 30% of the chain's book stores. Although the company has not officially announced which stores will be shuttered, a document has surfaced on the Internet listing the closing stores. The Borders on Mitchellville Road is on the list. If the list is accurate, the store will be closing in "the next several weeks," according to information posted on the Borders website.

The following image was created from the document. Click the image for a better view. The entire list can be found by clicking here.



Click here to see FAQs about the Borders bankruptcy and store closings.

Martin's Deli in Old Bowie Under New Management - Again

It was only last June that the Bowie Star reviewed Martin's Deli in Old Bowie after it was purchased by Linda and Ray Hayden. The Haydens planned on changing the name of the restaurant, and they solicited input from customers. I heard that they decided to change the name to Ma's Kitchen or Mom's Kitchen. Before they got around to changing the sign, the couple decided to get out of the the restaurant business. A "bad back" was the reason that I heard.

The "Under New Management" sign has been hanging above the entrance of the restaurant since the time the Haydens took over last spring, but now it refers to the new new management, not the old new management.

The restaurant is now being run by a family from Silver Spring. They could not be nicer people, and the service is very fast.

The new owners are soliciting input for a new restaurant name. The top choice appears to be Old Town Deli, which was one of the names under consideration by the Haydens.

The new owners are currently offering most of the items that were on the Hayden's menu, but new daily lunch specials will be added soon including chicken fried rice, shrimp fried rice, chicken teriyaki, curry dishes and dumplings. Daily breakfast specials are being offered starting at 7am on weekdays and Saturdays, and the restaurant is open until 5pm on weekdays and 3pm on Saturdays.

Stop in and say hello to Helen.

Follow-Up on Giant Lease in Bowie Plaza

I previously posted a story about the return of the Spirit Halloween store to Bowie Plaza in the former Giant location. I later heard from a vendor in Bowie Plaza that Giant's lease in that space expires in June, 2012. Vendors heard one rumor that a Food Lion was opening in that location, and they later heard that World Gym might be moving in. Hopefully we won't have to wait until the summer of 2012 to see a store occupy that space permanently.

Noodles & Company Opening Next Week in Bowie

Noodles & Company announced that it will open its 15th Maryland restaurant at the Bowie Town Center on Thursday, August 19th in the former Chicken Out Rotisserie location. Get ready for some Japanese Pan Noodles®, Pad Thai or Penne Rosa.

The menu includes Asian, Mediterranean and American noodle dishes, soups and salads. Buttered Noodles and Wisconsin Mac & Cheese® are available for the kids, and Square Bowls to Go® are available for large groups.

The restaurant plans on being active in the Bowie community through fundraisers and other events to benefit local schools and neighborhood organizations. Look for Noodles & Company at the annual Back to School Bash at the Bowie Gym on Saturday, August 21st.

Noodles & Company's Bowie location will be open the following hours:

• Monday to Wednesday: 11am to 9pm
• Thursday to Saturday: 11am to 10pm
• Sunday: 11am to 7pm
  

Related Links

• Noodles & Company Web site
• Noodles & Company Facebook page.
  
• Press release announcing the opening date
• Menu from Annapolis location

Directions

3916 Town Center Blvd, Bowie, MD 20716


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Martin's Deli in Old Bowie Under New Management

Martin's Deli Under New Management
According to a Bowie Star article, Martin's Deli in Old Bowie was taken over by Linda and Ray Hayden in April. Ray Hayden is the "Ray" in Ray's Towing Service, another popular Old Bowie business. The Haydens plan to change the name of the restaurant, and they are accepting suggestions. Click here to read the story.

Muffin Man Caribbean Cafe Coming to Bowie

by Mimi

When I was a kid in Bowie in the 70s and 80s, if you wanted ethnic food in Bowie, pizza (Happy Italian) or Chinese (Golden Pavilion) was about as exciting as it got. But that was then.

Three decades later, we have Thai (East Moon); Japanese (Sakura); Mexican (Mi Hacienda) and great barbecue (KBQ). We can even get tandoori at the Bowie Town Center food court (White Tiger).

And this summer, our culinary options in Bowie will be expanded further with the addition of the Muffin Man Caribbean Cafe, which is slated to open in Hilltop Plaza later this year. The original “Muffin Man” is in a strip shopping center on Lanham-Severn Road in Seabrook. We decided to check it out this weekend.

Recognized as one of Washingtonian Magazine’s “Cheap Eats,” Muffin Man serves up two dozen varieties of muffins – from the exotic (guava, mango, tropical lime) to the more familiar (blueberry, chocolate chip, banana nut) – and spicy Jamaican fare.

We had originally thought we’d go by in the morning to grab a muffin, but oddly, the place doesn’t open until 11 a.m. – a little late for breakfast. I don’t often feel like a blueberry muffin for lunch. But maybe that’s just me.

The place is decorated like you’d think a Jamaican joint would be – cool Island colors, the requisite Bob Marley mural on the wall, and reggae singer Shaggy tunes blaring.

If you go for lunch, be prepared. Like the softball-sized muffins, the portions are huge.

Unfortunately, when it comes to eating, our kids are typical kids. We aren’t like those pretentious Montgomery County types who brag about their kids’ adventurous palettes and eschew high fructose corn syrup. Without any familiar kid favorites on the menu, our kids ate chocolate chip muffins for lunch (bad parents).

We shared the ziggy (honey glazed) wings and jerk wings served with rice and peas and cabbage. While I’m not fond of chicken that isn’t white or boneless (I know. I hate me too), the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the jerk wings had a nice peppery bite. The cabbage and rice and peas were nice accompaniments.

We washed down our meal with sweet Jamaican pineapple sodas and limeades.

The dense muffins were so heavy; they were almost leaden, but moist and fresh. We’d definitely go back for those. But for one meal, sodas and three muffins, our meal came to about 30 bucks – not really a “cheap eat” for fairly simple fare at lunchtime.

We'll definitely give it a try when it comes to Bowie. Next time we'll bring our appetites and leave the kids at home.

Changes Taking Place in Old Bowie

The Fabian House Cafe closed earlier this month, the Shops at Fabian House will be closing June 30th, and Simple Pleasures Ice Cafe will be moving from from its current location behind the Bowie Antique Depot to the historic Fabian House during the first week of July. Some of the current Fabian House vendors will be leaving the location, and it's possible that some may be staying. The owners of Simple Pleasures Ice Cafe are looking for vendors to fill some of the empty spots.

The Fabian House is located at 8519 Chestnut Avenue in Old Bowie (see map below). The building once housed the Joffe Family General Store. Click here for a bit of the Fabian House history.

A June, 2009 Bowie Living post about Simple Pleasures Ice Cafe can be seen by clicking here.

Fabian House

8519 Chestnut Ave, Bowie, MD 20720

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Red Robin Restaurant Considered for Bowie Town Center

Plans are being evaluated to convert the Bowie Town Center Famous Footwear location into a Red Robin Gourmet Burgers restaurant. A revision to the Bowie Town Center Specific Design Plan is being considered, and a public hearing will take place during next Monday's City Council Meeting. A bid for construction has been posted, and a permit for construction has been submitted.

The following details for the public hearing are posted on the City of Bowie Web site.

Public Hearing at City Council Meeting

Council Chambers
Bowie City Hall
2614 Kenhill Drive
Bowie, MD 20715

June 21, 2010, 8:00pm

Red Robin lnternational Inc has submitted an application for a Revision to a Specific Design Plan SDP for the purpose of converting approximately 5328 sq ft of existing retail use at Famous Footwear to a non-fastfood food restaurant. The project also includes constructing a 318 sq ft cooler to be attached to the restaurant within an existing service court area and constructing a 43 sq ft vestibule to the front northern building elevation. The subject site is located in Bowie Town Center, on the south side of MD Route 197 Collington Road directly opposite the Bowie Corporate Center and is currently zoned MAC Major Activity Center where the proposed use is permitted by right under the Prince George's County Zoning Ordinance.

The City has scheduled the following public hearing Bowie City Council Monday June 21, 2010 at 8 p.m. Your attendance and participation are welcome at this meeting. In the interim should you have any questions regarding this project please do not hesitate to call 301-809-3047.

Pomo Grille Follow-Up: Squisito Opens in Crofton

When the Monte Development Group closed the Pomo Grille in Bowie last January, the owner planned on opening a Squisito Pizza & Pasta restaurant in the same Free State Shopping Center location. The owner of the property, Federal Realty Investment Trust, had an alternate plan. Monte Development Group was forced to abandon the property, but they vowed to return to Bowie.

The plan came to fruition earlier this month with a slight modification. Monte Development Group opened a Squisito restaurant in Crofton at the Crofton Centre shopping center (near Kmart and Shoppers).


Squisito customers order food at the counter, and servers deliver the food to the tables. Some people compare it to The Italian Market. Takeout is also available.

We've visited the new restaurant twice since it opened. I liked the pizza crust and sauce, but the pineapples on my pizza during the second visit were not not sweet at all.

Related Links

• To-Go Menu
• Squisito Pizza & Pasta web site
• First Bowie Living post on the Pomo Grille closing
• Second Bowie Living post on the Pomo Grille closing
  

MOMs Organic Market Now Open in Bowie

MOM's Organic Market held a grand opening last weekend for its 6th store at the Hilltop Plaza in Bowie. The crowds showed up, and parking spaces were hard to find. Click here for the related company press release, store hours and directions.



The store is stocked with packages containing all the buzzwords and phrases you would expect to see in an organic grocery store: certified organic, no preservatives, no chemical additives, gluten free, wheat free, all natural, dairy free, vegan, kosher and meatless. Popular organic brands are available including Kashi, Cascadian Farm and MOM's own brand.

MOM's sells much more than fresh organic produce. Available for sale are dairy products, bulk foods, cereals, bread, baked goods, prepared foods, chips, cookies, ice cream, frozen foods (including pizza and other entrees), pet foods (including refrigerated chicken and beef offerings), health and beauty products and household cleaning products.


The employees are super friendly, and even the store manager, Nick, helps carry bags out to customers' cars.

MOM's has a mission to "protect and restore the environment," according to a mission statement on its Web site, and the press release announcing the opening of the Bowie store includes the following details about the new location.

MOM's mission is to protect and restore the environment, and the newest store was designed with that purpose in mind. Like all MOM's markets, it is fueled by 100% wind power. It also features highly efficient closed-door coolers with L.E.D. lighting; eco-friendly counter tops crafted from renewable bamboo and sunflower hulls; and energy-saving reduced wattage lightbulbs overhead. Underfoot, the site's original terrazzino flooring has been recycled, giving it a new lease on life at MOM's.

I was on my own for dinner last night, so I decided to check out MOM's selection of prepared foods. I chose a Buffalo Wing Sandwich.


I also bought a Chick Peas Salad. I'm not sure who determined that this 7 oz salad contains 8 servings. I pigged out and ate all eight servings.


Wait a minute! Check out the inside of my Buffalo Wing Sandwich. I don't think anything inside this sandwich ever clucked! It's best not to look at the faux meat. It did taste like Buffalo Wings, and I'm sure it's more healthy.



And for dessert...



I also picked up some organic produce, including my favorite apples - Fuji.



And some of MOM's own milk...



And all the way from Skagit Valley, Washington, Fruitful O's for the kids...




6824 Race Track Road, Bowie, MD 20715


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Pomo Grille Closing - Some Bad Information

I previously posted about the closing of the Pomo Grille. When I heard that the restaurant was closing, I went to Pomo Grille and talked to the hostess. She informed me about the plans for the Monte Restaurant Development Group to convert the location into a Squisito Pizza & Pasta restaurant, and she told me that Squisito would be opening on Monday, January 18. I said to her, "January 18th! They're going to be able to do the renovations in one week?" And she said something like, "Yep. I heard that a crew will be starting tomorrow (January 10)."

I did send an e-mail to the Monte Restaurant Development Group last week to confirm the conversion plans, but I never received a reply.

I have yet to see any signs of renovations at the restaurant. This is how things looked on Saturday morning, January 16.

Multiple notices of the closing hang on the door, and nobody took in the new phone books. Phone books? Do they still print those things?

A closer look at the notice - note the 15% discount at the 4 Seasons Grille through February 28. I didn't see any promotional posters for the new Squisito.

Pomo Grille Closed

Saturday was the final day in business for Bowie's Pomo Grille restaurant. The wait staff first heard the news two weeks ago.

The Monte Restaurant Development Group, the owner of the Pomo Grille, has decided to convert the location into a Squisito Pizza & Pasta restaurant. Renovations are expected to take just one week, and the new restaurant will open on Monday, January 18th.

Monte Restaurant Development Group owns and runs several restaurants in the area, including eight Squisito locations (predominantly in Anne Arundel County), the Four Seasons Grille in Waugh Chapel, Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen & Wine Bar in Annapolis and Sazzio in Hanover and White Marsh.

Squisito offers a more casual dining format than the Pomo Grille. Customers place orders at a counter before sitting down. I'm not sure if the staff delivers food to customers or if customers pick up the food at the counter. Click here to see the menus at other Squisito restaurants, and click here to see a picture gallery of Squisito restaurants and menu items.

My wife and I ate at the Pomo Grille a handful of times since it opened in 2007. The food was always great, and there always seemed to be plenty of customers. Obviously the owner believes that a Squisito will be more profitable in this location, but I'm interested in hearing more details.

I'm also looking forward to trying out the new Squisito. The reviews I found on the Web suggest that people visit Squisito for the pizza. This will be the first pizza joint to return to Free State Mall since the closing of the Happy Italian Delight.

UPDATE: It seems that I received some bad information about Squisito opening on January 18th. Please see this new post with more details.