Courtesy Boardwalk Waffles
Waffle sandwich with gooey butter cake ice cream
Photo by George Mahe
When Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream moved down the street in August of this year, reopening on a prime corner in downtown Maplewood, the bold signage and marquee lights were impossible to miss.
“It's been gangbusters ever since,” says owner Eric Moore, who adds that adult shakes, cocktails, and a Sunday waffle brunch—all of which he says is imminent—have yet to be introduced.
Truth be told, it’s been gangbusters ever since the flagship shop opened nearly four years ago in a nondescript 550-square-foot, 12-foot-wide storefront in Maplewood. Accolades followed, event business took off, billboards were erected, and more locations were secured.
Courtesy Boardwalk Waffles
The most recent, a 1,200-square-foot corner space in a new building at 1001 Russell, was announced today. The multi-use building is owned by Simpson Closser LLC; the broker on the deal is King Realty Advisors LLC.
The store will not be as all-encompassing as the Maplewood location, but Moore does plan to apply for a license to sell alcohol. "The new space will reflect the nuts and bolts of the business model on which the concept was based," says Moore, namely cooked-to-order Belgian-style waffle sandwiches, similar to those found on New Jersey boardwalks.
Moore was busy readying the plans for the two locations in South County—a 1,000-square-foot space at 4348 Telegraph (slated to open in February) and a larger store at 465 Union (opening in the spring)—when he was presented with a deal that he says he “could not walk away from.
“There are no dessert spots in that particular area and not that many places for sweets,” Moore says. “It’s not very scientific, but one of my parameters when looking at new spaces is whether I can pay a month's rent with one weekend’s sales, and in Soulard the answer was ‘easily.’”
Construction will commence in two weeks. Moore hopes to have the location open by April 1.
