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SW Indiana plant-based eatery opens amid virus crisis

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - What's it like to plan a highly specialized restaurant for literally years, lease and remodel a building, install equipment, test recipes, hire and train staff and then, two days before your soft opening, be told there will be no dining room service?

Brandie and Nick Scott know all too well.

'œOh my gosh,'ť said Brandie. 'œWe were planning to try to do a secret opening, but we had to open for curbside instead and we've already overcome so much; it was, you can imagine, devastating.'ť

But the couple soldiered on, got those last-minute inspections despite the coronavirus chaos, and opened only a few days behind schedule.

Flourish Plant-Based Eatery is their restaurant, located on the West Side next to the new Noble Roman's.

Concrete plans for the upscale vegan restaurant began coming together almost a year ago. The location was leased six months ago - when Brandie was about six months pregnant.

Then, it turned out that the space had no power for two months while they figured out the wiring'¦ and all the bank loans they applied for were denied, so she and Nick had to self-fund everything.

'œI was like eight and nine months pregnant, and we were redoing the floors,'ť Brandie said. 'œBut it's done and it's more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.'ť

Now the Scotts' second daughter is four months old and teething as they navigate through their first experience as restaurant owners during a national crisis.

It will make for good stories later'¦

Actually, there are already some good stories.

Brandie said she expected the opening to be a trial, but maybe 'œeasing into'ť service with carry out and curbside would actually work to their advantage.

Yeah, well, the easing part didn't happen. All the people waiting for Flourish to open flew into action the moment the phone lines opened on Friday, Mar. 20.

'œIt was insane,'ť Brandie said. 'œWe pretty much sold out as soon as we opened orders. The online menu got backed up and sent 17 orders to the machine at the same time, and the phones were ringing'¦ We'd spent eight or nine hours prepping, and it all sold out in two hours.'ť

On Saturday, using phones and text only, food was once again sold out in two hours - despite problems with phone lines.

Customers overwhelmingly left positive reviews about the food, including smoothies, a meatless meatball marinara, Philly seitan steak sandwich and chili, despite the chaotic evenings.

'œThe food was fantastic!!! Amazing job for you(r) first day!!!'ť said one social media poster.

'œWe got curb side pick up tonight and we're not disappointed even with them selling out of some things so quickly (how awesome!!!) Laying in bed happily stuffed thank you,'ť said another.

When you're in business for yourself, especially a novel business like the first larger-scale all-vegan restaurant in Evansville, being ridiculously busy is a good problem to have'¦ but the Scotts are taking a week off to rework the menu and fine-tune order taking, carry-out and curbside service.

'œI can't believe the response has been so huge,'ť Brandie said. 'œWe'll do some of the more simple menu items we can get out quickly, like the tofu scramble, the smoothies and wellness shots, and soups to go; we might start some subscription services. We will take this as it comes. We're brainstorming ways make social distancing possible, thinking of how we might not need as many employees in the kitchen.'ť

The Scotts mean to be re-stocked and back open for business on Monday, Mar. 30, but watch the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FlourishPBE for more details, menus and how to order.

If you go

Flourish Plant-Based Eatery is located at 222 S. Red Bank Rd.

Phone: 812-457-2840

Hours: Carry-out and curbside pickup only, hours may be changeable.

facebook.com/FlourishPBE

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Source: Evansville Courier & Press

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