New Restaurant Planned for the Savage Depot

It's a new day for the Savage Depot.

The historic building has been vacant since last summer, when its last tenant—a bistro and coffee shop—abruptly closed up shop. At the time, leaseholder Jim Lewis attributed the business' failure to road construction. 

On Monday night, however, the Savage City Council sealed the deal with new tenants, Cindy Feldman Hurley and Carol Feldman Madson, both of Prior Lake. The two sisters have a long and storied careers in the restaurant and catering business. Their newest venture, FLaVOR at the Depot, will likely be a breakfast and lunch spot.  

The council agreed to give the pair six months free rent ($1 a month). The monthly rent will gradually increase, however, to a maximum of  $1,500 a month in the fifth and final year of the lease. City Administrator Barry Stock said that he aggregate rental rate over five years works out to be $950 a month, $150 higher than the last lease with Mr. Lewis.

The council also reiterated its commitment to upgrading the kitchen in the building. The city plans to use $35,000 in grant funds from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community to add an exhaust hood and fan, drop ceiling kitchen wall coverings, kitchen door improvements.