Here’s a look at the businesses that are moving in and out of Methuen.
COMING SOON
• All Else Fit Club coming soon to the former WOW New England gym at 436 Broadway in the Village Mall plaza.
CLOSING
• JOANN Fabric and Craft Store, located at The Village Mall on Broadway, is among the 500 stores closing nationwide following the company’s bankruptcy announcement, it was revealed last month. No specific date has been announced for this location.
EXPANDED HOURS
• The Smoke Shop BBQ on Pelham Street has wrapped up its soft opening. Their new hours are Sunday, 11:30am-9pm; Monday-Thursday, 3-9pm; and Friday and Saturday, 11:30am-10pm. Enjoy award-winning barbecue and an incredible array of bourbons, courtesy of chef Andy Husbands.
NEW MENU
• LJ’s Café introduced its new menu last month, which includes empanadas and expanded breakfast sandwiches and lunch items. This Ecuadorian coffee shop, located at 88 Lowell St., is open 7 days a week until 3pm and serves breakfast all day.
NEARBY
• Dreo: Duyen and Bill Andreoli, well known as the owners of MaryAnn’s Diner in Salem and Derry, have opened Dreo at 254 N. Broadway in Salem, N.H. Full menu and bar.
• Tavern in the Square: Now open at 16 Via Toscana in Tuscan Village. This is the chain’s largest restaurant in the area, offering two floors of seating and a spacious outdoor patio.
• Tierra Paisa Colombia Café & Catering held its grand opening in January at 122 S. Broadway, Lawrence, near St. Patrick’s Church.
IN THE WORKS
• Brothers International Food Market: Open at Village Mall in the former Queens Gambit location at the far end of the plaza. Grocery store and butcher featuring Middle Eastern and Turkish food and drink, plus to-go specialties.
• More Mexican: It’s confirmed that the former Margarita’s at The Loop (which closed in November) will soon sublet to a replacement tenant. And that new tenant will be another Mexican restaurant, per a Loop official. Stay tuned.
• Dunkin’ Donuts: A new DD is being built on Broadway, next to Rostron’s Liquors … and across the street from a longtime Dunks, which is expected to close.
• Aroma Joe’s is going into the former Glen Forest Cleaners site on Haverhill Street.
• Best Auto on Merrimack Street, next to the Methuen Sons of Italy, received a new paving job and is expected to re-open, per Community Development Director Jack Wilson.
• Heav’nly Donuts Commissary is in the process of taking over the former Donahue Bros., building, where pastries will be baked and delivered to locations around the Merrimack Valley.
• Wengs Garden, which has the same owners at Salem, N.H.,’s Yang Ming, is completely renovating the former Knights of Columbus Gaythorne Hall on Broadway. Still months from completion, Community Development Director Jack Wilson told us in December. Per our May issue, owner May Chen-Weng is looking forward to bringing live entertainment (“like music, a dancing space or hopefully a comedian”) to the venue. Max occupancy for this space is 150.
• KPOT, an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and hot pot experience, is coming to The Loop. Seating for 196 guests. Next up: final inspections. The chain is also planning to open locations in Dedham and West Springfield as well as Nashua, N.H. Thekpot.com.
• Sweet Learning Center is coming soon to the Jackson Street site previously occupied by Methuen Animal Hospital and is currently under construction. Next up: final inspections.
• Froggy’s Play School (child-care center chain) opening on Merrimack Street, near Dollar Store. Per their Haverhill location, which will also oversee this site, there is no opening date at this time. Next up: final inspections.
