Tobi Mares was beginning to think his dream of opening his own restaurant might never come true.
“It took a long time,” Mares said. “I had almost given up. I couldn't find a place and I was so depressed. I didn't want to settle. I wanted to stay in Carmel. When all the places fell through for different reasons, I tried not to get upset. But when the last place fell through, I thought, 'Maybe this isn't what I should be doing.'”
She noticed a vacant building that she'd liked for a while and suddenly saw a “For Rent” sign.
“It's a miracle we got this place,” the Carmel resident said.
Goodness Gracious Kitchen and Cupboard opened May 29 at 24 N. Range Line Rd. in Carmel. The 2,000-square-foot restaurant seats 42 and serves breakfast, brunch and lunch. Owner Tobi Mares plans to employ about a dozen people.
“The décor draws people in,” she says. “People come and take pictures of everything. They ask who the designer is, and it's me.”
The restaurant, which has a full liquor license, is open Tuesday to Sunday from 8am to 3pm and is closed on Mondays.
Goodness Gracious also offers pre-prepared picnic baskets and an online takeaway service.
“I created a sandwich called the Ground About, which is a Carmel original,” Mares said, “It's my interpretation of a Sloppy Joe, and it has a variety of flavors.”
Mares began making picnic baskets to sell in 2019. She plans to host corporate events and private parties at the restaurant, and is already planning art shows and women-only comedy nights.
For more information, visit ilovegoodnessgracious.com
