Noodles & Company, Which Wich among new local eateries


Central Michigan University students have a wider selection of dining options than before, with new locations for Which Wich Superior Sandwiches and Noodles & Company joining the list of new restaurants opening in Mount Pleasant.

Which Wich

Location: Grawn Hall
Opening: Aug. 28

Which Wich, a sandwich shop that specializes in customizable submarine sandwiches with more than 60 topping options, is one of the many new additions to Grawn Hall that students can enjoy after the hall's $10.8 million renovations are completed at the end of August. Charles Crespy, dean of the College of Business Administration, hopes the restaurant helps students feel more comfortable in Grawn and encourage them to spend more time in the building.

When laying out plans for renovations, the CBA officials asked students what restaurant they would like to see added to the building, and Which Wich was the most requested company by far, Crespy said. 

Noodles & Company 

Location: 4493 East Bluegrass Road

Opening: Aug. 30

Noodles & Company first opened in 1995 after founder Aaron Kennedy decided there weren't enough noodle restaurants in the United States. The company has expanded its brand since then, being named among "The 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America" by Forbes Magazine in 2016. 

The restaurant specializes in noodles, salads and soups, and takes pride in the freshness of its ingredients. 

According to the company's website, "dishes are inspired by the individuality, creativity and cultural heritage of cuisines from around the globe. From Penne Rosa to Japanese Pan Noodles, The Med Salad, and of course our famous Wisconsin Mac & Cheese, only the most authentic ingredients make the cut."

Taco Bell

Location: 5760 East Pickard St.

Opened: July 12

Located just outside of Mount Pleasant near Soaring Eagle Casino, this is the second Taco Bell location in the Mount Pleasant area, with the first being located at 1143 South Mission Street.

Central Precinct 

Location: 1327 South Mission St.

Opened: July 13

Central Precinct is the long-awaited Mount Pleasant location of the Cops and Doughnuts franchise, which first opened in 2009 in Clare. The bakery made national headlines thanks to its unique story — a doughnut shop owned and operated by police officers.

When the Clare City Bakery was going out of business around its 113th anniversary, nine officers from the Clare County Police Department pooled their money together to buy the company. The bakery has expanded to include six locations across Michigan and Indiana. 

"(Cops and Doughnuts) is true Americana," said Greg Rynearson, co-owner of Cops and Doughnuts. "We put our heart and soul into it, we put a lot of hours into it, and so we were successful."

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Location: 1720 South Mission St.

Opening:  To be announced 

A new Chipotle restaurant is in development between McDonald's and Gordon Food Service on South Mission Street, located in a multi-suite building adjacent to CMU's campus. No date has been given for the opening, though Chipotle communications director Chris Arnold said that the plan is open around October of 2017.

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