GREENFIELD — Residents will soon have two new dining options to choose from in downtown Greenfield.
Construction crews are in the process of renovating the building that formerly held Red Ribbon Antiques, 101 W. Main St., which will soon open as Griggsby’s Station, a high-end eatery serving local farm-to-table fare.
Less than a quarter mile away at 16 N. State St., workers are hammering away inside another restaurant, Mama Roux, a spin-off of Indianapolis-based Papa Roux, an eatery specializing in Cajun food.
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Though construction schedules are still in flux, representatives from both restaurants say they plan to open by April.
Griggsby’s Station, which takes its name from a James Whitcomb Riley poem, is owned by local entrepreneur Chris Baggott, who also owns Tyner Pond Farms and The Mug in Greenfield.
Baggott, co-founder of ExactTarget, a software company that sold for $2.5 billion in 2013, has shifted his focus to sustainable farming practices in recent years.
Griggsby’s Station will continue that trend, sourcing exclusively from local farmers and producers, Baggott said.
Ian Rossman, who formerly served as head chef of The Garden Table, an Indianapolis restaurant, will be in charge of the menu, Baggott said, adding that items will rotate seasonally.
The interior of the restaurant is designed to accommodate 75, with room for another 30 in an outdoor seating area, Baggott said.
Inside, an array of local craft beers will served from a 30-foot bar constructed of salvaged wood, he said.
Construction crews are meticulously restoring elements of the historic building, which served as an automotive shop when it opened in the 1920s.
In recent weeks, workers have been delicately chipping away at a coat of white paint on the exterior of the building. Exposed brick walls on the exterior and interior will be sealed with a clear coat finish, said Jay Cook, construction manager.
Baggott predicts the restaurant will be a boon for downtown Greenfield, drawing residents from surrounding communities.
He points to The Mug in Greenfield, 117 Apple St., which attracts more than 40 percent of its diners from out of town, as proof of the potential.
“It’s going to be a destination place,” Baggott said.
The second story of the structure will have a small office and a private event space, he said.
Though hours haven’t been decided, the restaurant will likely serve only dinner, Baggott said.
Another Griggsby’s Station in Indianapolis will open this summer at 130 S. Audobon St. in Irvington.
Around the corner, workers have gutted the interior of the first floor unit that previously held HEY Café, which closed its doors last fall.
Colleen Kenna, owner of Papa Roux, which opened in Indianapolis in 2007, said she chose to expand to Greenfield because she sees potential for the area.
“As soon as the door swung open, and I walked in, I knew it was the right location,” Kenna said.
The restaurant will have seating for about 75 and will also serve take-out, she said.
Menu items, which include breaded catfish and grilled ham sandwiches, will be carried over from the Indianapolis location, as will the hours, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Retta Livengood, president of the Greenfield Area Chamber of Commerce, said the two new restaurants will add to the community’s growing selection of local restaurants.
“It’s good to have that diversity,” Livengood said. “The more choices we offer, the more people we can bring to the area.”
