New southwestern Illinois restaurant will offer breakfast, brunch and booze
A new eatery with plans to serve breakfast, brunch and lunch and offer a full bar for cocktails is expected to open in Edwardsville this summer.
The Twisted Biscuit Brunch Co. will feature twists on classic dishes and new one-of-a-kind dishes. “Twisted Biscuit will offer all of the classics and customer favorites with our culinary interpretations baked in,” Michael Hussey, Director of Operations & Executive Chef, stated in a Jan. 28 press release.
“The idea is to offer our diners an opportunity to keep their order mild, or go a little bit wild. This ideology extends to our bar program too where guests can expect … the evolution of favorites like Bloody Marys, mimosas and boozy coffee drinks,” Hussey said.
Twisted Biscuit’s owners expressed excitement over the new business in the release. “We think Edwardsville is the perfect location for a new brunch concept,” said Matt Fox, President of Twisted Biscuit. “It’s a thriving small city, with a strong sense of community and lots of opportunity for growth, and culturally it aligns with our company culture. We’re excited to base our company here and look forward to being part of the community.”
One of the owners, Jason Coalter, said, “When someone visits Twisted Biscuit, they will receive first-class service in a fun, hip atmosphere. A visit will be memorable, and a perfect way to start your day on a happy, energetic note.”
Fox said they anticipate hiring upwards of 100 team members for the restaurant.
The Twisted Biscuit Brunch Co. will be located at 1071 S. State Highway 157 in Edwardsville. The site is the former location of EdgeWild, which closed Nov. 28 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Laundry and cocktails, anyone?
Lakeland Square Laundry has opened a second location at 14 N. Belt E. in Swansea. The new location, Lakeland Square Laundry II, opened Friday, Jan. 29, taking up residence in the former Swansea Laundromat, which closed in July.
Lakeland Square Laundry owner Aaron Gass, 25, said the building needed a lot of renovation to get it ready for opening. It was gutted “down to the studs … [they] scrapped everything” and rebuilt, installing new water lines, plumbing, electric and outfitting the space with new equipment, featuring the latest technology.
After the renovation, Gass said there was still about 500 square feet of available space. He has applied for a liquor and gaming license and plans to include a video gaming room within the laundromat. Pending approval from the state, Gass said he should have the machines by June.
The original Lakeland Square Laundry, located at 4555 N. Illinois St. in Swansea, was first opened by Gass’ grandparents, Doris and the late Gene Mueller, in 1987. Gass said he spent much of his childhood there and started helping when he was about 4 years old. He bought the business from the Muellers in 2015 at the age of 19.
Both Lakeland Square Laundry locations offer self-service laundry, drop off, pick up and delivery, and dry cleaning services and free Wi-Fi. An attendant is present at each location during business hours. Hours for both locations are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. For more information about Lakeland Square Laundry II, call 618-234-5432 or visit the Facebook page.
Iconic bar, restaurant apparently closes
After nearly 29 years in business, Schatze’s Bar & Grill, a popular Belleville restaurant and watering hole, has apparently closed.
The restaurant, located at 2301 E. Main St., had been operating seven days a week, but in a Sunday, Jan. 17 Facebook post, Schatze’s posted that they would be closed Sunday and Monday. Their last post, on Sunday, Jan. 24, said, “Thank you for all of your support over the years! Long live your Schatzes memories!”
Within the comments on the Jan. 24 post, Schatze’s wrote that they closed at 11 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23. Comments from others indicated that the closure is due to the COVID-19 restrictions placed on restaurants in the region.
Attempts were made to reach Schatze’s owner Brad Menard. A message sent via the Facebook page and multiple calls to the business during its posted business hours went unanswered.
We’ll try to find out more and share the information with you.
Grafton resort, winery reopens
Aerie’s Resort in Grafton reopened Thursday, Feb. 4, following temporary closure due to pandemic restrictions.
Aerie’s announcement stated reopening includes the winery, gift shop, lodging and Grafton SkyTour, with the Grafton Zipline tours to resume shortly.
In addition, renovations have been made to the Terrace banquet facility to accommodate safe social distancing, according to the press release. The facility plans to reopen near the end of the month.
Hours of operation for the SkyTour are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last ride up) Thursday through Sunday. Winery hours are noon to 8 p.m. (last SkyTour ride down) Thursday through Sunday. The Gift Shop in the Terrace will be open noon to 5 p.m. the same days. Lodging is available seven days a week; the downtown registration office is open noon to 7 p.m. every day.
Aerie’s Resort is located at 14 W. Main St. in Grafton. Visit aeriesresort.com or the resort’s Facebook page for updates. For more information or to book a room, call 618-786-8439.
Get treats for you pup from this dairy
Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greenville has launched a new line of dog treats: Dog-O’s.
The woman-owned Jersey dairy farm produces the treats from “high-quality, all natural ingredients – 100% dried wheels of their own cheese,” according to a Feb. 4 press release.
The creation of Dog-O’s is the dairy farm’s latest effort to adjust to challenges of the pandemic.
Amy and Beth Marcoot and business partner Audie Wall have been developing new ideas to help keep their doors open, according to the release. Their first big adjustment was offering their cheese, beef, salmon, ice cream and frozen whey through curbside pickup.
Dog-O’s products, Cheesy Chompers, hard cheese dog treats, can be purchased online at dogotreats.com and on Amazon. The treats are available in different sizes and quantities.
For more information about Dog-O’s Cheesy Chompers, visit dogotreats.com. To learn more about Marcoot Jersey Creamery, visit marcootjerseycreamery.com.
