After the past three years of being a café and 12 previous years as a clothing store, the Happy Badger
Café will close its doors June 1.
Owner siblings Ben and Sarah Cohen are beginning a new chapter in their family brand and, just as the
café’s name suggests, are staying happy.
"It’s always been a space that’s been evolving," said Ben Cohen. "It’s never been focused
on profit. It’s really been a community space."
Maintaining that community space has proved fun, yet difficult.
The small house-turned-restaurant doesn’t have the room or equipment the Cohens feel they need to make
the food they want.
"All the goals we’ve set with this location have been fulfilled," said Sarah Cohen.
And now, the duo has two new goals once the Bowling Green location, 331 N. Main St., closes.
The first includes a weekly brunch service at Black Kite Coffee and Pies in Toledo.
"It’s right down the street from our house and it’s made a lot of sense to keep working there,"
he said. "Plus, they have an actual range oven, and we don’t."
Thanks to the advanced Toledo facilities, the Cohens can create the gourmet food they once wanted for the
Bowling Green location.
This means future customers in Toledo can look forward to more than just sandwiches.
"We’re evolving toward more elaborate food," Ben Cohen said. "We’re focusing more on
course dinners with longer preparation."
That kind of gourmet food will assist in the second goal. The siblings are planning a variety of
"pop-up dinners" in both Bowling Green and Toledo.
The Happy Badger Café, as the brand name will remain, will travel to different historic homes in the area
and cater to interested groups.
"Those are going to be exciting," he said. "We’re not as bound to just having a weekday
menu. We’re going to make our own space to make our own food."
The details on those pop-up dinners are still being worked out, and customers can check the Happy Badger
Facebook page for more information.
While the café will be leaving the BG location, the family hopes its loyal customers will remain loyal as
they undergo this happy change.
"Even though it took time for people to recognize we’re a café and not a gift shop, we’ve had people
come in here who are fearlessly loyal," Sarah Cohen said. "We want to give a big thank you to
everyone who’s been loyal. This has all gone better than expected."
Those wanting to say thank you can stop by the café May 18 during business hours for a small farewell
celebration.
"The people in Bowling Green have been amazing and they’ve become close friends," Ben Cohen
said. "I’m telling them ‘the stuff we do best is the stuff we’re going to go further with.’ Our
dinner and brunch stuff will get better."