The old Loki Cafe spot (2114 N 45th Street) has been empty since August, and guessing what’s going to replace it has become something of a parlor game in Wallingford: a new Thai restaurant? Lunchbox Laboratory? Condos?
In the hopes of getting some answers, we contacted Kate Perry, the Marketing Coordinator for Chow Foods (who operate The 5 Spot, The High Life, Coastal Kitchen, Atlas and others, and who we understand hold the lease). She replied:
Thanks for getting in touch. We’re still in negotiations with a number of people associated with the location–nothing is finalized at this point. I’ll be sure to get in touch with you if and when we have more definitive info!
But why wait, when more definitive (albeit second-hand) info can be had in our very own Wallyhood Forums? From Mike:
According to a long-time Beeliner and Jitterbug staffer, the Chow Foods owners split up. They split their restaurant empire in “half” (half in quotes because one of them ended up with most of the locations leaving the rest of the staff to gossip endlessly about why). Anyhow, the BeeJitterFlowLoki Cafe is going to become office space for one of the Chow Foods owners (can’t remember which one) as well as a test kitchen.
They claim it’ll be returned to restaurant status eventually.
My question is if they need test mouths for the test kitchen…
“Office space” with a door right on 45th?!!???
It has to have an espresso window, at least. How will anyone inside get anything done with people knocking on the door asking for a latte’??
Office space is soooo boring. Wallingford needs a Pho restaurant!!
Nuts. I was really hoping for Lunchbox Labs. Or a resurrection of Spot Bagels.
Spot Bagels! Best idea yet!!
Yes! Bagels!!
Also, I volunteer to be a test eater for any future test kitchen. Just throwin it out there ….
Chow says good buy to Jeremy: Drama Queen
According to a long-time Beeliner and Jitterbug staffer, the Chow Foods owners split up. They split their restaurant empire in “half” (half in quotes because one of them ended up with most of the locations leaving the rest of the staff to gossip endlessly about why).
Well some of the old staffers have gotten together to put the story together:
The skeletons in the closet are coming out…. The past GMs of the different restaurants universally could not understand why Peter didn’t boot Jeremy years ago.
Peter was always the vision, brains, balls, moxie and morals of the Chow Foods organization. Jeremy was mostly fluff and PR. He seemed to spend most of his time reading books on how to manipulate people for fun and profit. Jeremy as it turns out is an ethically impaired individual.
The situation that sent Peter over the top was when he found out Jeremy (married) had started an affaire with an employee (married), mother of two small children. Peter found Jeremy’s deceptions to be simply repellant and incompatible with his business ethics. Chow Foods espouses a moral, family oriented caring work place. Jeremy’s philandering self-serving approach to life had worn out it’s welcome. So that was the last straw for Mr. Jeremy… he’s on his own.
Peter has been planning the split for years.
Jeremy your ex-staff hopes you get all that is rightfully yours.
Who will you support with your patronage?