Brown Bag moves to Star Plaza
By CHUCK BALLARO
After spending 13 years at a small location near the Caloosahatchee, the Brown Bag Eatery has moved down the road to the Star Plaza, just across the street from Pondella Road on Business 41.
The new location will allow the eatery to bring in more dine-in customers while expanding their take-out and catering base, and so far, the early results have been positive, in spite of the pandemic.
Janet Kapus, owner of the Brown Bag with her daughter Randi, said after the old location shut down last August so it could be replaced by a steak house, they closed down for six months before finding the new location, which used to be a pizza place, which opened on Feb. 14.
Three weeks after reopening, the pandemic hit, forcing them to limit themselves to takeout.
“It’s been a challenge, but fortunately our business was always more delivery and takeout than sit down. It took us a while for customers to know we were back, but it’s okay because it could have been a lot worse,” Kapus said, who said new customers are coming as well as the old ones.
The Brown Bag offers large portions and classic dishes such as appetizers, soups, salad, subs, specialty and classic sandwiches and wraps, lighter options, sides and even desserts. Main entree fare is prices in the $8 to $10 range.
“We have the best taco salad in town, I think. But we have a lot of things, even lighter options for those who don’t want the heavy breads,” Kapus said. “We have everything someone would be looking for.”
Kapus said they are trying to build up the dinner business because they were never open for dinner before at the old location, except for catering.
Speaking of that, they are rebuilding their catering as well, specializing in pharmaceutical reps who take lunches into doctors offices.
“That’s our bread and butter. We do parties and birthdays, but I had never heard of it until I moved here. A friend of my brother told me about it,” Kapus said. “Many people in the office end up taking the food home with them. There are a lot of people struggling, and I hope they do that.”
The Brown Bag is at 1232 N. Tamiami Trail, No. 3, and is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, call 995-5800 or go online to www.brownbagnfm.com.