Michael Howett and John McWilliams are working on getting a new home built on the top two floors of 2101 Christian Street, but once they have a place to live (priorities people) they will begin work on the sandwich shop for the first floor, if all goes well with their ZBA hearing next week. Architect Rustin Ohler, of Harmen Deutsch Architects, will be working on the design of the shop, which they hope to open in late winter/early spring of next year. Howett plans on re-creating the corner store, “staying true to its original formula,” to offer a small selection of baked goods (bagels, muffins and pastries) sandwiches, coffee, cupcakes, brownies and hand-dipped ice cream that is “simple and hearty, not fussy or fancy,” says Howett. The facade will be green with large plate-glass windows and the interior will feature hexagonal tile floors, pressed tin ceilings and zinc counters.

The sandwich shop will be open from 7am – 3pm and the lunch menu will feature 6 – 8 sandwich selections and a variety of daily soups. Strong coffee and tea will be available all day and ice cream will be available into the evening hours in the summer. “I was in the restaurant business for 26 years before I started restoring houses,” says Howett. He is a proactive member of the Graduate Hospital neighborhood, and promised the board at SOSNA last week that the shop will not serve candy, 25-cent bag of chips, cigarettes or groceries. Looks like the Christian Street Food Market won’t have any competition.