Year in Review 2019: Michiana business openings, closings and announcements
2019 was an eventful year for Michiana’s business landscape. Here’s a look back at some of the big goodbyes, hellos, and announcements of the year.
New food and drink
The Garage Arcade Bar opened in October in the old Lasalle Body Shop offering both arcade games and beers after lengthy renovations on the building.
In early December, Zen Café announced that it will open a second location in early 2020 in downtown South Bend on E. LaSalle in a spot that the owners hope will be more accessible that the current Lang Lab location. The new location will also feature a cream and sugar station!
In September, the Prized Pig opened a new location in downtown Mishawaka on Lincolnway East. The barbecue restaurant used to serve its signature pulled pork sandwiches at its original location in Niles.
Notre Dame fans found dozens of new signature dishes at the concession stands inside of Notre Dame Stadium during the fall football season, including a Midwest inspired pork tenderloin sandwich and gluten-free deserts.
In September, Dunkin’ opened a new location on Grape Road in Mishawaka.
South Bend’s Emporium Building saw some changes with the May exit of Baker & Rose, which is planning to open a more permanent location inside of the old Dainty Maid building. Taking its place in November was PKR Noodle Bar serving up ramen bowls for the Michiana community.
Mishawaka’s Main Street Chick-fil-A closed in July for renovations that included doubling the kitchen’s capacity, adding outdoor seating and implanting a double drive through lane. It reopened in early September.
Niles native Laura Hollister opened her dream tea shop, Apothica Teas, in downtown Niles.
Rosati’s Pizza opened in Mishawaka on Main Street in December offering its Chicago-style pizza.
In August, a salad, soup and coffee bar called Souper Brew opened in Middlebury.
New retail
Half Price Books opened in Mishawaka on Grape Road in October.
University Park Mall saw quite a few changes in 2019. A pop-up shop space opened where children's clothing store Crazy 8 used to be. Charlotte Russe shuttered its doors for good earlier in the year but in November, it was celebrating its grand reopening. New shops Jubilee’s Boutique, Hometown Indiana, Morning Willow Boutique, and Trollbeads were added to the mall’s roster. A Pac-Man Zone arcade is set to open in 2020 near the food court.
Two medical marijuana provisioning centers opened in southwest Michigan. Zen Leaf in Buchanan made its first sale in May while the ReLeaf Center in Niles opened in October.
The opening of Cambria Boutique in South Bend’s Emporium Building in February was a dream come true for owner and longtime local hairstylist Angie Cave.
The Casperson family got back into the book business this year with the opening of Casperson’s Books in Niles in November. The shop will also soon feature an art gallery.
In September, a new Menards Mega Store opened on St. Joseph Street. It was formerly located at Erskine Plaza.
Mishawaka launched a new Farmer’s Market in May in Central Park.
Dussel’s Farm Market and Greenhouse in Cassopolis reopened after experiencing a break-in, a fire and an incident involving a vehicle crashing into their building.
Mishawaka’s Aldi closed in September for the last phase of a multi-million dollar local Aldi renovation project that expanded the produce section and added registers, among other changes. It reopened in October.
A farmer-owned and operated market opened in the Commerce Center in October, offering locally grown and made products.
Plymouth-based pet grooming salon Gordon’s Grooming opened a new location in Granger, also in October.
Goodbyes
In August, Sears Holdings announced that the Mishawaka location would close. After a liquidation sale just before the holiday shopping season began, Sears in University Park Mall shut its doors for good.
Payless ShoeSource closed its remaining 2,100 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including multiple Michiana locations.
A sign on the Mishawaka Granite City Brewery location in October announced an abrupt closure of the 11-year-old restaurant.
In November, Amish Acres announced that it will permanently close at the end of 2019, after the owners made the decision to retire. The Nappanee farm and tourist attraction will go to auction sometime in spring 2020.
Giannetto’s Neighborhood Italian in Granger announced via Facebook that it would “close indefinitely” following the death of pizza maker Victor Giannetto.
Up in Eau Claire, Tree-Mendus Fruit Farm said in a December Facebook post that 2019 would be its final season. The farm’s owner, Bill Teichman, contracted the mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) earlier in the fall.
JC Penney announced in February that it would be closing several department stores, including the Orchards Mall store. As of December, the location no longer appears on the chain’s store locator tool.