Arkansas diners have recently said goodbye to three places built around very different kinds of comfort: fiery fried chicken, family meals delivered by train and drinks shared while dogs played nearby. An earlier look at Arkansas restaurant closures remembered three other local favorites. These latest departures show how a restaurant can become part of a community through flavor, fun or simply giving people a welcoming place [...]
Coconut butter won’t turn creamy? 7 fixes for a grainy batch
If your homemade coconut butter (try our recipe!) stays grainy instead of turning creamy, first check that you are using dried, unsweetened coconut, enough of it for your machine, and a method that keeps the mixture moving past the blades. Stopping to scrape down the sides—or adjusting the batch size—may do more than simply running the motor longer. A little graininess is normal, though. Coconut butter is made from ground [...]
Old-school Connecticut bakery café closes after 21 years of handmade bread and pastry
Connecticut has lost another beloved neighborhood food destination with the closing of SoNo Baking Company & Café. The South Norwalk bakery served its final customers on November 1, 2026, ending a 21-year run at the corner of Water Street. Founder John Barricelli opened the bakery in 2005 after a career that included work at New York’s River Café and Four Seasons Restaurant, years with Martha Stewart and appearances on public [...]
Coffee giant to close five Washington locations, affecting 51 workers
Starbucks customers in several Washington communities will soon have fewer places to grab their favorite coffee. The Seattle-based coffee chain is preparing to close five locations across the state, with dozens of employees affected by the upcoming changes. Five Washington coffee shops affected Starbucks announced plans to close five Washington stores as part of a broader restructuring of its North American business. The [...]
Missouri neighborhood loses supermarket (affects 25 workers) as rising costs force permanent closure
Missouri has another entry in the list of grocery chains closing stores across the U.S. in 2026. KC Sun Fresh at The Shops on Blue Parkway permanently closed October 25, ending a six-year effort to keep a full-service grocery store in this part of east Kansas City. Community Builders of Kansas City, the nonprofit that owns the shopping center and operated the supermarket, said declining sales, economic pressures and rising [...]
Colorado Buc-ee’s faces a key 2027 state decision before it can make progress
Colorado’s proposed second Buc-ee’s has reached another transportation hurdle. After the company filed its detailed Colorado site plan, state officials decided that the requested Interstate 25 ramp changes will require a public decision by the full Colorado Transportation Commission. The commission is expected to begin discussing the interchange in spring 2027, following additional traffic work and an environmental review. [...]
