dandalia

Business is good in Sanford, North Carolina, it appears. Today marks the re-opening of the popular cupcake and coffee destination, Dandalia Bakery, now under new ownership.

New owner Susan Torlone announced the shop’s return on Feb. 16, just over a month after its closing in January after former owner Mykal Harp announced she was moving out of state to deal with “family issues.”

Dandalia is Sanford’s only cupcake-focused bakery (it sells other baked goods and lunch items as well) at a time when the cupcake market has become over-saturated thanks to national chains like Gigi’s and Crumbs Bake Shop. The Sacramento Bee reported this week the “cupcake trend” actually peaked in 2011.

Dandalia is located at 1907 Bragg Street in Sanford. Go online to see their entire menu or like them on Facebook.

Bed Bath & Beyond, Hobby Lobby

Look to the south of Tractor Supply and Dunham’s Sporting Goods in Sanford, and you’ll see bulldozers clearing out the land along South Horner Boulevard where the 2011 tornado left a path of destruction before ultimately plowing through the Lowe’s Home Improvement store across the street.

That land will be home to several chain stores, and there’s a very good chance two of those will be Bed, Bath & Beyond and Hobby Lobby (this is more than just “rumor,” but is not confirmed). Bed, Bath & Beyond is coming off a disappointing fiscal year, but continues to add to its collection of more than 1,000 stores nationwide. And Hobby Lobby is known more for its fights with the government and Obamacare now than it is its product, but the company announced this month it was planning to open 70 new locations in the U.S. this year. So there’s a good chance Sanford will make the cut.

Rumor has it …

We reported last month that Dunkin Donuts is eyeing Sanford (particularly the Tramway area) for a new store in the next year or so. Add Dairy Queen to the growing list of Tramway establishments. The Kangaroo gas station has posted a sign announcing the restaurant’s arrival in the next few months (within the store), and the new DQ will come complete with a drive-through and entrances both in the store and outside of it.

Sanford NC Restaurant Reviews on Facebook reports the construction permits for the new Sonic Drive-In in Sanford are “ready” … which means a new Sonic, we guess. No word on what will happen to the old one on Horner closer to downtown.

And in the “totally unsubstantiated rumor mill” category, Buffalo Wild Wings and Kohl’s have been floated out there as possible Sanford additions. And no, nobody’s mentioning Target or Starbucks yet.