There are quite a few new businesses either under construction or in the final throes of preparations downtown. Here is the roundup of a few and their status. 
-The new Greenhouse Nutrition meal replacement business at 431 Texas Street (in the Slattery Building), is just a short time away from opening. If you remember what it was like in the old Hallmark store at Marshall and Texas, you will be amazed at what it looks like now. Steve and Staci Kemp are in the final stages of getting downtown’s new Greenhouse Nutrition ready to serve. They have a couple of additional hurdles to jump this week, but we’ll keep you updated on their progress. Opening date, coming soon. Menu, coming soon. Facebook page, coming soon! (For Staci and Steve, it’s not soon enough)
-Things are looking great inside 420 Marshall Street, the new home of the Retro Downtown Cafe. This is the ‘sister’ restaurant to Retro 521, a popular coffee 
bar/restaurant in the East Bank District. Retro’s Kristi Tift says they are just ‘days away’ from some soft openings to try out their downtown concepts which will include breakfast all day, fresh baked goods, daily lunch specials, specialty coffees and more.
UPDATE 9/8/19- KSLA TV Story on New Businesses
UPDATE 9/8/19- KTBS TV Story on The Standard @ 509 Market
No definitive word yet on hours of operation, but all that will be coming soon! The interior of the building, which for years was Theo’s diner, has changed for the better. The kitchen is more spacious and much better equipped, the seating area is attractive and comfortable, and everything is spic and span, cleaned from head to toe. Expect a funky, artistic, and casual vibe of the sort that Kristi and her team have become known for. By the way, The Retro team will also be hosting and catering at the 421 Texas Event Center, better know to those with a longer memory as the old Jordan and Booth Men’s Store downtown.
From above, courtesy Twin Blends Photography, LLC
After a short pause for the ‘official’ groundbreaking of the Every Man A King Distillery, work has started back up again. The first order of business is hauling out the thousands of pounds of debris inside the old hotel. The roof, about 50% of which had caved in over time, is being demoed and hauled off, as are interior flooring and walls, rotted and irreparably damaged by years of water and neglect. Twin Blends Photography grabbed these great drone photos showing what those years of neglect have wrought.
From the front, Cotton St. @ Louisiana Ave.
A closer view of the interior.
See how Weiland Construction has shored up the walls to prevent collapse while the roof is being removed? Roofs give buildings the structure necessary to prevent the walls from falling; without one, things can get dicey. Plans are for the distillery to open in 2020.
We’re told the new Holiday Inn Express at 201 Lake Street is just days from opening. The Express will offer an express breakfast buffet, WiFi, coffee, tea and other ‘in room’ conveniences.
