Rendering of the new Bread & Board space

The Bread & Board’s expansion continues with a third new restaurant planned for the 7,200 square foot retail space in the bottom floor of 100 West Bay Street, part of VyStar Credit Union’s corporate headquarters. The new restaurant will be joined by a brand new concept: a specialty market called Bread & Board Provisions, which will feature stalls for a selection of local retailers and eateries.

The restaurant will be the company’s third. The original location opened on Oak Street in Riverside’s Five Points district in 2016, and was later followed by a second eatery at the St. Johns Town Center. It will follow the menu of the other restaurants, with artisan sandwiches, sandwich boards, salads and a focus on local and seasonal ingredients.

Bread & Board Provisions, meanwhile, is a new concept for the business. It will combine elements of a public market and a food hall, creating a new option for Downtown residents, workers and visitors. Announced retailers include Good Dough donut shop, Alewife Craft Beer Bottle Shop, Bee Friends Farm honey, Layered: Cakes & Sweets, Martin Coffee, local produce purveyor Saturiwa Trading Company, and Bark Urban Dog Boutique.

“We are excited to have been approached by VyStar about leasing the space, and for the chance to expand our restaurant concept to create this farmers-market bazaar of sorts,” said Bread & Board Dwayne Beliakoff co-founder in a press release. “It’s been designed to be an alternative to a traditional campus food court. The market will allow guests to immerse themselves in the best tastes, retail and authentic experiences from top local vendors, artisans, specialty purveyors, pastry chefs and craft beer certified Cicerones.”

The former Life of the South Building, now part of VyStar’s headquarters. The Bread & Board and Bread & Board Provisions are planned to take over the building’s ground floor retail space.

The restaurant will occupy approximately 5,000 square feet of the retail space on the ground floor, with the remaining 2,200 hosting the marketplace. The marketplace “will feel uniquely Florida in its design and ambiance,” according to the press release, with reclaimed local wood, a coastal-inspired color palate, and communal seating along with typical restaurant tables. A breezeway outside the building will accommodate outdoor seating, and the space will include a large kitchen for lunch traffic and catering orders. The design of the space is being developed by Thomas Duke Architecture in partnership with Micamy Design.

The market is part of a larger strategy by VyStar to increase its Downtown footprint and contribute to the vibrancy of the area. “As we continue settling into our new home downtown and building out our VyStar Campus, we are committed to finding creative ways to bring the community together,” said VyStar President and CEO Brian Wolfburg. “We are eager to forge partnerships with local businesses such as The Bread & Board that have a shared vision of contributing to a more dynamic Downtown Jacksonville by stimulating the local economy and growing a tightknit community that can be enjoyed by all.”

Article by Bill Delaney. Contact Bill at wdelaney@gmail.com.