Ben MaceDelaware News Journal
Five food and beverage businesses are among the new companies that recently opened or plan to open in the Dover and Camden area.
First on the menu is not one but two Tropical Smoothie Café restaurants.
One opened in February in the Camden Town Center on Route 13 south, near Walmart and Bob Evans at 370 Walmart Drive, suite 3.
The second is planned in Dover on Route 13 north at 1225 N. Dupont Highway, building 3, near Cricket wireless, Panda Express and Naz’s Halal. The company's website lists the café as “coming soon.”
They are among seven in Delaware, including two in Newark at 3252 Fashion Center Boulevard and 230 E. Main St., two in Wilmington at 4742 Limestone Road and 3216 Kirkwood Highway, with a third planned in the city at 824 N. Market St.
Starting with a smoothie café in Florida in 1993, the company opened its first franchised shop in 1998 and now has more than 1,100 restaurants in 44 states and Washington, D.C.
The café specializes in healthy smoothies like “mango magic” with mango, pineapple and nonfat yogurt, the “avocolada” with avocado, pineapple, spinach, kale, coconut and lime and the “acai berry boost” with acai, pomegranate, banana, blueberries and strawberries.
But the menu also includes wraps, flatbread sandwiches, salads and bowls like the “tropic bowl” with acai, chia oatmeal pudding, green dream yogurt and mixed berry Greek yogurt.
More Dover news: This Delaware city is on the list of 25 'cities on the rise' in Southern Living magazine
New bakery and restaurant in downtown Dover
Three friends opened Pastries, Deli & More bakery and takeout restaurant May 6 at 147 S. Governors Ave., Dover, just north of Loockerman Street.
Andrea Jones, Michael Payne and Gloria Brown create custom cakes, pies, pastries and cupcakes along with sandwiches, salads, chicken wings and probably their customers’ favorite — chicken and waffles.
Jones had been making cakes and pastries at home for years, but when the store on Governors Avenue became available, she talked with Payne and Brown about the possibility of opening a bakery and restaurant.
“This place has a long history as a bakery,” Jones said, referring to the most recent tenant, Sweets & Treats, and to Fleischer’s Bakery which was in business more than 50 years.
“We wanted to continue that tradition, but also bring some different ideas and different flavors to Dover,” she said. “We want to take it and make it our own.”
Payne owned two different restaurants in New York, one specializing in wings. He moved to Delaware and now works with people with disabilities. While he loves that job, when Jones told him about the idea for a bakery and restaurant, he jumped at the chance.
“We like to say, ‘We’re making sweet dreams every day,’” Payne said.
He focuses on the deli and chicken wings at the restaurant.
The third member of the group brings years of restaurant experience to the business. Known as “Mama G,” Gloria Brown recently sold the restaurant named Mama G’s in Cheswold, and she also owns Tropical Delight Café on Bay Road near Dover Air Force Base.
She said she’s happy to join with two younger people who are “dynamic.”
“I said, ‘I want to be part of that.’ It’s like they’re family,” Brown said.
The partners plan to help the community, possibly with programs for those in need of food.
Business hours at Pastries, Deli and More are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with later hours planned this summer until 7 p.m. The phone number is 302-465-8838.
More restaurant news: Dozens of Red Lobsters are closing across 27 states. Are Delaware locations safe?
Liquor store coming to Route 13 in Camden
Now under construction in Camden on Route 13 south is Delaware Liquor Emporium, between Wawa and Grotto Pizza.
The Camden Planning Commission approved the final site plan for the 7,000 square-foot store with access from the service road, East Street, behind the business.
The owner is listed as Kirtan Patel, who was represented at the planning commission meeting by Davis, Bowen & Friedel architects and engineers.
No opening date was available from the town or from Davis, Bowen & Friedel. The owner couldn’t be reached for comment.
Satisfying a late-night cookie habit in Dover
Insomnia Cookies plans to open this summer near the Dover Mall, in the Dover Commons shopping center on Route 13 north, the home of Chuck E. Cheese and Boot Barn. The news was announced on the Dover Mall Facebook page, while the Insomnia website lists the Dover site as “coming soon.”
The company’s signature service is delivery to your door until midnight or later, with some locations open as late as 3 a.m. Cookies can also be shipped throughout the continental U.S.
A college student started the business in 2003 at his University of Pennsylvania dorm room,baking and delivering warm cookies around campus.
Today, the company has more than 180 stores in 39 states and Washington, D.C.
This is the second Delaware location for the chain, with the first at 70 E. Main St., Newark.
The menu features a variety of cookies from the basic sugar cookie and chocolate chunk to more unusual flavors like caramel apple pie and blueberry pancake, with vegan and gluten-free options. Cookie cakes are available.
Ice cream is also on the menu, including the “monster’wich” ice cream cookie sandwich.
The store even sells frozen dough so you can make your own cookies at home.
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business stories. Reach him at rmace@gannett.com.
