Vintage Vibe Bakery & Bistro will open Thursday, September 25th at 603 5th St. The location will serve burgers, sandwiches, desserts, and more Mon.-Fri. for lunch and dinner.
On September 25th, Vintage Vibe Bakery & Bistro, a new restaurant, will open in downtown Clay Center. The Vintage Gardens event venue at 603 5th Street will open Monday-Friday for lunch and dinner. Desserts and drinks will also be available, with live entertainment on Friday evenings.
Owner Tiffani Wallace said she wanted to find a use for the space that added value to the community.
“We just were looking for a way to use this big, beautiful building during the week,” she said. “I’m excited to share it with the community. I feel blessed that we got to raise our kids here and now I can give something back and have a nice restaurant with this great ambiance in Clay Center.”
She, along with employees and family members, have been readying the space for months with steps like remodeling, cleaning, and adding function. Aspects like electric and HVAC were hired out.
Two bathrooms were added in the remodel, the main portion is the Brick and Oak Room, the newly opened room set further west is the Ember Room, which includes booths and historic signage and photos from the building’s past.
An outdoor space is called the Heritage Patio, with the Garage Bar sitting between the two.
Wallace said patrons have a choice of where they’d like to sit, with inside holding a more formal experience with real dishes and glassware. Outside will remain more casual, and the Garage Bar is come-as-you-are.
“Even though inside is a little bit fancier feel, I’m excited for the garage,” she said. “People can come have a drink after work; we want them to come in their work clothes. It’s for everyone to gather with their friends and family.”
From 11 to when folks are finished eating dinner, Vintage Vibe will serve lunch and dinner options like burgers, sandwiches, and salads, with more upscale options for a date night, like steaks or pork chop Fridays.
Fare will also include appetizers, a pulled pork sandwich, a French dip, a grilled chicken sandwich, and a chicken avocado wrap. Sides are also available, including the Dallhouse baked beans – named for Wallace’s maiden name, Dall, and with her Mother’s recipe.
Vintage Vibe will also focus heavily on desserts and fun beverages, like cocktails and mocktails.
A large dessert bar will display six to eight dessert choices, and a sundae bar will host toppings. Those who order will receive two scoops of ice cream in a parfait glass and self-serve toppings from a bar.
“Everything will have a real vintage flare, we’re using real dishes,” she said. “All of our cocktails and mocktails will be fun, fancy drinks. We want it to be kind of fancy but fun and delicious.”
Food will range between $6.50-$15, and drinks between $2-$10.
“I’m excited to have a restaurant with atmosphere, good food, and a good quantity of food that will fill up the men. That’s my goal: I don’t want anyone to go away hungry.”
A team of three cooks have been brought on, and catering will also be available. A window was added to the south end of the building for walk-up pickup orders, and Wallace said she hopes to offer meal delivery in the future. The space is still up for rental, she said. A wait staff has also been hired, with more positions still open, like dishwashers.
“The goal is to make it really accessible for whatever the situation. People can just pick up and go,” she said. “Or they can come on a Friday to enjoy a date night out.
After 33 years of owning a local floral business, now located next door to Vintage Vibes, Wallace now splits her time between Clay Center and Manhattan.
“It definitely has been a labor of love,” she said. “There are so many pieces that have come together, things I’ve stored forever and finally found a home for them. Everything will have a real vintage flare – that’s my style, it’s a little over the top, but I want the atmosphere to be perfect.”
