What started as a necessity so that Jessica Shillato could have more time with her newborn daughter has now grown into a well-known catering company and, soon, two cafe locations in Columbia.
A smaller version of her beloved Richland Street spot, which is known for Shillato's twists on Southern delicacies, will open at 1441 Main St. in mid-October, Shillato said.
"As soon as I knew it was available, I was interested because it's Main Street and a lot of people seem to be moving to Main Street and working on Main Street. I personally love Main Street," Shillato said.
The restaurant and cafe, which will sit in the former location of Drip, will have limited indoor seating and be mostly takeout, but staple menu items like the BLT pasta salad (which Free Times included on our list of best pasta salads recently), the larger-than-life oatmeal creme pie and the spotted salad will be offered. Shillato teased having her well-known deviled eggs (which are served with with hot sauce and potato chips as toppings, among others) at the spot, but said that's still to be determined.
The new cafe comes almost eight years after the owner had celebrated the cafe's fifth anniversary. At that time, Shillato had teased a second location coming to Forest Acres, where she hoped to offer dinner service and cocktails. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic downturn came only month later, shelving those plans. She's now set her sights to Main Street.
Her spot adds to the growing list of restaurants and businesses flocking to Main Street following the COVID-19 pandemic. The street faced a severe economic downturn during the pandemic — specifically spots popular with office workers who were no longer working from their downtown offices.
But despite the ramifications of the pandemic, the district has begun to make a comeback with new businesses joining the street monthly.
"We are very excited about this. I mean they are another example of an already established Columbia restaurant that sees the value of Main Street, that sees the pedestrian activity and the connectivity and the students," said Matt Kennell, President and CEO of the Main Street District, an economic development and advocacy group for the city's downtown.
Over the last two years, a number of restaurants in the Main Street district closed their doors — Drip on Main closed when the pandemic started and never reopened its doors and Indah Coffee left in 2021 after the coffee shop's lease wasn't renewed. Later this year, The Whig, a nearly two-decades-old dive bar on the street will leave for the same reason.
Now, with spots like Spotted and the recently-announced Kao Thai Cuisine opening on the street, and forthcoming spots like MOA Korean BBQ, Ambrosia Taverna and Prohibition, the restaurant scene in the district continues to grow.
"I think the connections that are made (on Main Street) like between people and between the restaurants, it's sort of becoming a true restaurant district now," said Kennell.
Shillato said she's excited to be on Main Street because of the growth in the area, but also admitted to being nervous to start a new business venture — noting that the fear of a recession or not knowing what the economic future holds is daunting.
"(It's scary) knowing that people might come. I don't want to let them down," Shillato said, about opening a second location. She said opening her first location wasn't as daunting because she "didn't think anybody would come."
Spotted Salamander Cafe and Catering at 1441 Main St. is set to be open Monday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
