Forage Kitchen, a specialty salad and cold press juice bar, and a 7-Eleven convenience store will open on the corner of State Street and North Lake Street.
The restaurant, started by UW-Madison graduates Henry Aschauer and Doug Hamaker, will “use fresh ingredients with inspiration from around the world,” according to Hamaker.
“Madison is very into fitness and getting healthy, local and organic ingredients, and that is what we are going to be featuring,” Hamaker said.
The menu features exclusively healthy items, from superfoods to creative house-made specialty beverages.
“Our goal is to make creative food that tastes good,” Hamaker noted. “People won’t even realize how healthy it is for them.”
Hamaker and Aschauer are currently also owners of Roast Public House, a sandwich shop which opened in 2012 on the 500 block of State Street.
Keeping their latest business venture close to campus was a goal for Hamaker.
“That corner is the corner of campus because it is the division between State Street life and campus life,” Hamaker explained. “This is a very vibrant corner, and Forage will be able to deliver fast, fresh, health-oriented meals.”
The establishment is scheduled to open Oct. 5, though construction delays could postpone the opening day.
Forage Kitchen will replace the former site of College Barber Shop, which closed in 2014 after being in business for 86 years.
The 7-Eleven convenience store, which will open next door at the former site of State & Lake Clothing Co., will be open 24/7 for consumers to get a variety of services and food, according to an application sent to the Alcohol License Review Committee.
James Fiene, with 30-years of convenience store experience, will run the store.
The committee will hold a public hearing on the license, as well as alcohol licenses for three other 7-Eleven stores around Madison this Wednesday.
