‘Really, really rough’: Plaza Nordstrom construction delay forces out another eatery

Nordstrom planned to be open on the Country Club Plaza in 2021.

But since the COVID-19 pandemic, the luxury department store chain has pushed the opening back — twice.

Partly because of the prolonged construction, some nearby Plaza eateries have had to close, including Southern Charm Gelato Shoppe and The Oliver.

Now Canihaveabite has closed in Unity Temple on the Plaza and is relocating to the East Crossroads. It plans a soft opening next Friday, and a grand opening on March 19. Howard’s Grocery, Cafe and Catering previously operated in the spot at 1708 Oak St.

“The construction was horrible. It blocked our entrance for three months. Now it’s nothing but a huge crater. And it took a lot of parking away, too,” said Canihaveabite owner Kathy Hale. “It was rough, it was really, really rough. But then I thought, ‘I’ll just start looking.’”

Canihaveabite is mostly a meal prep operation, where customers preorder their organic meals for the week, for pickup or delivery. But consumers also will be able to walk in to purchase prepared meals for carryout — or dine-in once COVID-19 restrictions are eased. It will have some outside seating for warmer weather.

Menu items include gluten-free pot pies made with chicken breast and a corn polenta crust, cashew meatloaf, Brazilian black beans and garlic onion rice, and ginger carrot soup (which is both vegan and gluten-free).

Its drinks are vegan and include “super” smoothies, sugarless with organic fruit and greens.

“Badass Beverages” are named after women Hale admires, such as the RBG with habanero lemonade and cinnamon tea, named after late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and the Lizzo with fresh mint, raspberries, lemonade and sparkling water, named after the Grammy-winning singer.

“Our beverages are very unique, like a mocktail, with balsamic vinegars from the Tasteful Olive — great for digestion — and we added bitters, fresh-squeezed juices, sometimes fresh herbs,” Hale said. “We have some amazing salads, really constructed to bring out the best flavors, textures, and visually appealing. But we are waiting to bring those in in March.”

Her daughter, Amelia Mohr, is doing the marketing for Canihaveabite, including the website, photography and social media.

Hale started out making healthy items to fuel her Pilates clients. That grew into a wholesale business that sold to specialty grocery stores and coffee shops in the metro. She operated a retail store in Waldo before moving to East Brookside in 2017.

She took the former Eden Alley Cafe spot in Unity Temple in 2019, to be next door to the new Nordstrom when it opened.

But then the retailer pushed the opening back to 2022, then fall 2023. She gave herself until the end of the year to find a new spot. Howard’s closed in the East Crossroads in late 2020.

“This spot fits me perfectly,” Hale said, “easy access, easier to get there from the highway or from in town, outside seating.”