UPDATE: David Gersenson told the Leelanau Ticker that as of Christmas Eve, Cedar City Market II is still awaiting its final food licensing, so will not be able to open the 26th as anticipated. The culinary team looks forward to serving the community as soon as they get the green light. Check back on Cedar City Market's just-launched Facebook page for the opening day update.

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It’s a double revival of sorts: Cedar City Market II will do a soft opening the day after Christmas, with the market — owned by David and Theresa Gersenson — opening in the former Pleva’s Meats space and adopting the name of another dearly departed Cedar institution. The original Cedar City Market (CCM), located a few storefronts down, was a community anchor offering wines, health foods, local eggs and produce, and lively conversation with the late Phil Thiel, its longtime owner. It closed in 2019

“We are bringing back a familiar name,” says David Gersenson. “And a familiar sign.” The “May Peace Prevail on Earth” sign that graced CCM’s front door for years will be installed above an entryway in Cedar City Market II.

The Gersensons, who also co-own Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse and Leelanau Curling Club in the old schoolhouse in Maple City, and various inns across the peninsula, plan to start operations at the new Cedar City Market by filling the timely need of prepared entrees to-go. The market’s dinner items — lasagna, chicken pot pie, smoked cheddar mac and cheese, pulled pork — will be prepared at nearby Broomstack Kitchen & Taphouse. Cedar City Market II will be open noon to 6pm starting December 26 through December 31, with continuing hours to be announced in the new year. Meanwhile, the Gersensons are working with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) on securing a merchant license to sell beer and wine. Also to come in 2021: curated groceries and a full butcher shop, helmed by new-hire James Westbrook (fans may recognize his charcuterie stylings from his previous butcher/kitchen manager gig at The Franklin in Traverse City, which closed early this summer.

Westbrook (pictured above left) tells the Leelanau Ticker, “We are looking to do a Michigan-sourced, whole animal, full-service butcher shop, with custom cuts, plus a full complement of sausages.” Once a smoking/curing license is secured, Westbrook will add ham, bacon, smoked sausages, and special-occasion smoked turkeys. Look for announcements on the expanding operations at Cedar City Market II on Facebook.

Things are also moving forward with new venture Cedar River Coffee Co., which Cedar’s Cindy and Andy Gale are opening in the former CHASE bank building owned by Lisa Rossi-Brett and Rick Brett, also of Cedar. Minor renovations are underway inside the 500-square-foot space, with signage going up soon and plans to open “very early winter if possible,” says Cindy Gale.

“We have passed the septic zoning, which is very difficult in Cedar, as you may know,” she says. “We are now working on meeting all the specifics for the change in use to allow food service, and to meet all the ADA codes.”

In addition to serving locally sourced Roaster Jack Coffee Company coffee and espresso, tea, and hot chocolate, the Gales plan to offer grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and pastries and likely be open daily from 7am to 2pm.

While the Gales stay dedicated to launching in early 2021, restrictions on indoor dining will remain in place through Jan. 15, with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Dec. 18 epidemic order going into effect today, Dec. 21.

Last week, Elise Crafts, initiatives coordinator of the Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation (LPEF) indicated that the upshot from the latest regular meeting of the Leelanau Recovery Team (where leaders and stakeholders across all industries in Leelanau County meet via Zoom to foster community and idea-sharing during this tumultuous time) is that “restaurant operations and profit/loss remains challenging” for owners across the county.

Each are carving unique ways forward.

Eric Allchin, owner at The Tribune in Northport — and also its sister operation The Union — tells the Leelanau Ticker, “daily service at The Tribune will remain closed for now but we will continue to do dinner kits as long as there is interest.” He asks fans to stay tuned for more developments to be announced, and in the meantime, after an “amazing” response to their to-go Christmas menu, they are now offering a New Year’s menu, for pickup Wednesday Dec. 30 between 2pm and 5pm at The Union space at Wakazooville and Nagonaba Streets. Details can be found here.

Wren, in downtown Suttons Bay, remains closed for the moment. Chef/owner Adam McMarlin, (who shared a homey family holiday recipe with us earlier this month) says, “With our small, changing menu, carryout and to-go doesn’t make sense for us to do. We are definitely happy with where we’ve gotten. Before we make some kind of huge pivot and change what we have spent the last two years becoming, we’ll just wait, and do what we know we are good at.”

Meanwhile, “We’re working on details inside the restaurant — painting, replacing tables, ordering new plates and bowls,” he says, adding, “My gut feeling? I’ll be surprised if we open before the end of January, but I hope we can.”

He says typically Wren is open four days per week in winter. Stay tuned to Wren’s social media: “Once we know we can open it will take a couple of days to get up and running and we will aggressively get the word out there.” 

And at Little Traverse Inn near Maple City, the shanty village on the front lawn of the inn providing temporary outdoor dining has been an instant success, says owner Graeme Leask. The shanties — which are lit, heated, and offer seating for 4 to 6 people — are fully booked this week, with the first openings right after Christmas.

“It works just like reserving a table at a restaurant,” says Leask. “With an hour-and-a-half for each booking and 30 minutes between reservations to fully sanitize.”

What is different with this model — and a first for Leask — he says, is charging a deposit that will fully be applied to the food and drink bill. “I’m doing this simply to know guests have skin in the game,” he says, with the reality being that “I’ve gone to a restaurant with only five tables.”

Walkups are not turned away, but rather invited to order carryout and enjoy a cocktail by the firepits while waiting (pictured above). But with the demand to get in on the inn’s shanty town dining this season, “I definitely recommend planning ahead,” says Leask.