The latest on Sandusky's new food hall

SANDUSKY — After digesting the information presented on the legislative menu, or agenda, Sandusky officials favor a food hall project moving forward. During a recent public meeting, city commissioners received construction plans and permit applications for an Ohio-based company, Collective Projects, to redevelop the former Kreimes Cardinal Grocery store. "The highly anticipated Market Street Food Hall is coming to downtown Sandusky," according to a company statement. "The latest in the area's resurgence, it will include a public piazza and patio to provide space for public art, entertainment, indoor/outdoor dining and private events." It continued: "The project will include a mix of food stalls, a cocktail bar and cafe. The chef-driven concept will place food entrepreneurs in an incubator-type setting, allowing them to experiment in an exciting environment while delighting their guests." Officials also learned of a tentative timeline. "Work is expected to begin soon and be completed by summer 2022," according to a city memo. "The developer of the project is currently accepting applications for food hall vendors through the website sanduskyfoodhall.com." Company representatives originally wanted to debut the space a year later, in 2020, but COVID-19 pushed back this timeline. In 2019, Collective closed on the East Washington Street property. Dave Yanko, a business partner with Collective, stressed how details from the original proposal, while postponed, shouldn't change. This means the overall investment, about $2 million, won't waver. "After nearly a decade in southern California, I'm excited to come back home to reinvest in the places where I'm from and where my family lives," said Yanko, who's originally from Cleveland. "I have traveled both domestically and internationally to seek out the world's very best food experiences and use that knowledge to inform our project here in Sandusky." With so much change in store, the property should retain Cardinal's existing footprint, housing these amenities — and keep the ever-so-famous letter sign spelling out "Sandusky" on a street-side-facing marquee. Maintaining tradition while reinvigorating a beloved space makes for a win-win, city manager Eric Wobser said. "We are excited about the addition of a food hall to Sandusky," Wobser said. "It's an opportunity for several entrepreneurs to start or expand their business in yet another destination development in (Sandusky, named as) America's Best Coastal Small Town."