FAIRBORN — The City of Fairborn is in motion — particularly in the downtown area.
Just this year, city officials announced that it would bring a kitchen incubator to the community, a first for the Miami Valley, with the idea of renting out space in a commercial kitchen to allow individuals with ideas relating to a food business to “test them out” and see how they would work before investing in a full-scale business.
The space where the kitchen incubator is planned, 305 W. Main St., formerly housed Roush’s Restaurant. It already includes commercial production kitchen equipment such as ovens, walk-in freezers and deep fryers. Later in the year, the council authorized the Fairborn Development Corporation to purchase the block surrounding the facility, including 309-313 W. Main St. and 14 N. Third St.
The city has since announced that part of the newly FDC-owned property would include an extension of the kitchen incubator, a gluten-free kitchen, as well as a cat cafe aimed at reducing the local homeless cat population.
Late last month, the city announced that a new coffee and sandwich shop would make its home on Main Street as well.
Owner Lawren Williams, of Fairborn, also owns Corner Cone and Williams Eatery in Yellow Springs, according to a Facebook live post. Fairborn City Manager Rob Anderson said the new dining option is subject to open at the commencement of 2018 at 2 W. Main St., on the corner of Central Avenue and Main Street. The menu will include items such as espresso and coffee drinks as well as sandwiches. It also faces the potential to offer delivery services. The name of the business will be announced at a later date.
Around the corner on Broad Street, council just authorized city officials to apply for grants that would improve the roadway in construction projects slated for later years.
But before any road construction gets underway, Hairless Hare brewery, a Vandalia native, will open a second location in the former fire station, 29 S. Broad St. It promises to include a number of freshly made menu items and a variety of beers. Chic-Fil-A has also been hosting a pop-up in the Fairborn Theatre, offering a limited menu during peak lunchtime hours on certain weekdays.
