Going with the grain
If there’s one thing Matt Monson and his wife Katherine Younger can attribute to their upcoming business venture, Great Harvest Bread Co., it’s Monson’s quest for the perfect sandwich.
An avid baker, he began making bread at home before getting a job with Great Harvest in Charlotte, North Carolina. Soon after, while Younger, who writes popular food blog Kath Eats Real Food, pursued certification as a registered dietitian, the couple decided they’d like to open a GH franchise of their own. They settled on Charlottesville, Monson’s birthplace, for its mix of culture, arts and great local food.
Younger says they plan to open their business, located in McIntire Plaza, also home to Circa and C’ville Coffee, in mid-April, depending on the state of the space. (When we spoke, the couple had just started construction.) Great Harvest will offer mostly whole grain breads, cooked fresh daily.
“It goes from wheat berries to flour to bread in basically one step,” Younger says. “You can’t really get any fresher than this.”
Café update
In October we reported that Anja Cetic, whose parents own Balkan Bakery, planned to open her own restaurant in the former Under The Roof space on West Main Street. That opening swiftly approaches, if an ABC license request is any indication. A recent filing names the restaurant West Main Café & Bar.
