Streetwise: Panera, Noodles in the works for Oshkosh

Happy Thanksgiving!

Streetwise may be a bit late with our well wishes, but we've got a few more tidbits of Thanksgiving goodness for you to digest.

We'll start with this: Oshkosh is getting a Panera Bread.

Streetwise has confirmed with city of Oshkosh planners that the company has submitted plans for a location on North Washburn Street just south of Highway 21, near Kwik Trip and Lowe's.

For those not familiar with Panera, it's a cafe-style chain probably best known for its deli sandwiches, coffee drinks and bevy of fresh baked goods. Currently, both the Appleton and Green Bay areas boast one location each, if you'd like to make a visit and see what's in store for Oshkosh. Streetwise would recommend the bacon turkey bravo, ourselves, but Panera boasts the kind of menu that has a little bit of something for every kind of taste.

We expect the city will conduct necessary reviews over the course of December, which means construction probably won't start until early 2015.

•That's not the only good news we've got for lovers of the chain restaurants. Oshkosh's Inspection Services department has also told us construction should begin in January on the long-awaited Noodles and Co. location on South Koeller Street.

•Streetwise also heard from several Operatives that it didn't take long for Vitale's, 215 W. Murdock Ave., to sell its building after closing up shop on Nov. 8. Three days later the Oshkosh Assessor recorded that MP Development 2 LLC, a company that lists Grant Schwab as its registered agent, purchased the property for $625,000. We'll just have to wait and see what's in store for that location.

•Please join us in congratulating Horicon Bank, 2251 Omro Road, and WDS Construction for winning a Green Building Practices award from the Wisconsin Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors for the Oshkosh branch. WDS successfully installed a geothermal energy system to heat and cool the bank building.

•Finally this week, we got word that while Thimke Jewelers is closing at the end of the year, the Thimke name will live on in a new spirit. Jewelry designer Kim Gordon — not of Sonic Youth fame, — has purchased the name and intends to open Dream by Thimke Jewelers in the same spot in The Shops at City Center in February. The store will specialize in fine fashion and custom bridal jewelry. Gordon also intends to offer a computer-aided design program that will let customers build their "dream" ring from start to finish.

Gordon has been in the jewelry business for more than 20 years now and her store will help her achieve a personal dream while helping make others' dreams come true, too. Good luck, Kim! We look forward to seeing what you bring to Downtown Oshkosh.

Jeff Bollier: (920) 426-6688 or jbollier@thenorthwestern.com.