Since the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic last year, many businesses have had to adapt to new ways to serve customers.
One such adaptation in the restaurant industry has been what's called a "ghost kitchen" - and Jefferson City is about to get a taste. The concept is an almost virtual restaurant - no storefront or dining area but instead a business catering to the rising delivery demand (while still offering pick up).
Starting any type of restaurant may seem risky after the past year, but Arianna Woods is no stranger to that. She opened her first restaurant last summer in the midst of the pandemic, bringing back the familiar Cajun Catfish House in a new location in Jefferson City after the previous owners closed the St. Martins business where she once worked.
The existing business is nearing the end of its first full year open at 829 Eastland Drive and will share staff with the new endeavor Woods is taking on.
"It's definitely been interesting, but we've made it through," Woods said.
Late last year, Brian Coley, owner of Coley's American Bistro in Columbia, launched the Brassy Bird as a way to continue serving the Columbia community while adapting to the pandemic and associated restrictions in the area. The business focuses on a limited menu of chicken sandwiches and salads, delivering to homes and offices.
Woods said Coley contacted her after seeing the article in the News Tribune on her reopening the Cajun Catfish House. He felt a kinship with her, she said, as he was young when he first opened Coley's and wanted to help another young entrepreneur.
"He did really amazing with (The Brassy Bird)," Woods said.
So the pair met and decided on Woods opening the Jefferson City version of Coley's Brassy Bird, replicating the service and menu.
"They're so good," Woods said of the chicken sandwiches featured on the Brassy Bird menu. "They're fresh, and that's the biggest thing. Everything right now, it seems like you get it frozen. Everything in it is fresh."
Plus, Woods said, the sandwiches are huge.
"You definitely get the most bang out of your buck," she said.
With the service relying solely on pick up and delivery service, Woods will be able to share the Cajun Catfish House space with the Brassy Bird JC kitchen, enabling the two separate businesses to share staff. Woods said the delivery aspect will be handled by food delivery services like DoorDash and GrubHub, which helps provide more flexible jobs within the community.
"Those jobs are huge right now," Woods said. "People are still staying in their houses; if they can have food delivered to their doorstep they don't have to meet us, they don't have to meet their driver, it's amazing. They're 100 percent safe."
Woods said she's not sure if there are any existing ghost kitchens in Jefferson City, but she's sure the Brassy Bird JC will quickly become a favorite to many after it opens May 1.
Both the Cajun Catfish House and Brassy Bird JC are hiring, Woods said, noting it's been tough for restaurants to find employees since the pandemic began. Anyone interested in applying should call the Cajun Catfish House at 573-893-4670.
Woods said while a website for ordering will be available, for now people could get more information by following the business at facebook.com/thebrassybirdjc.
Know of any business happenings around Jefferson City? Let us know at [email protected].