FRIDAY October 16, 2020
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
RESTAURANTS
THE MATHIS REPORT
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Magnificat coming back to life Downtown under new ownership
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JACKSONVILLE
SEE MAGS CAFE, PAGE 2
SEE MATHIS, PAGE 2
Mags Cafe will open Oct. 19 serving many of the same dishes at 231 N. Laura St. A brother and sister team are gearing up to open their version of the recently closed Magnificat Cafe Downtown that they’re calling Mags Cafe. Melina and Bobby Reynolds intend to open the restaurant at 9 a.m. Oct. 19. Most of the menu and the interior of the restaurant at 231 N. Laura St. will look similar to the Magnificat Cafe, which
closed Aug. 27 under Kathy and Benoit Desclefs’ ownership. It had been operating since 2003. Several factors caused the Desclefs to close the restaurant, including the pandemic conditions and their health. Kathy, Benoit and their son, Luke, all were diagnosed with cancer in December. The Desclefs sold the restaurant’s contents and recipes to Bobby and Melina Reynolds so the buyers could reopen the restaurant under a new name in the same
Plans show an estimated $2.6 million construction cost for the 118-unit project.
location. Melina Reynolds declined to state their investment in the restaurant. Aside from the name change, she said almost everything will stay the same. There will be some new menu items but most dishes from the Magnificat Cafe can be ordered at Mags Cafe. It still will offer sandwiches, salads, wraps, soups, quiche and vegan options
Photo by Katie Garwood
STAFF WRITER
Permits sought to turn old FBI building into apartments
Developers Marc Peter Kozman and Magdi Samuel applied for permits to convert the former FBI building in Arlington into a 118-unit apartment building with an amenity center and gym. No contractor is listed for the estimated $2.6 million construction project at 7820 Arlington Expressway. It is in review as the Arlington Apartments. Fisher Koppenhafer is the architect. Codes-ABC Inc. is representing the project through code compliance. Plans show the six-story, 95,526-square-foot building will be converted into apartments and there will be a 6,745-squarefoot amenity center. Kozman, based near Toronto, said Sept. 18 his group is working through the selection of a general contractor and hopes to renovate the former FBI building into apartments “as soon as possible.” “It’s an attractive market,” he said. Previously filed plans show the building will be converted into 70 one-bedroom and 48 two-bed-
Melina and Bobby Reynolds plan to open Mags Cafe in the former Magnificat Cafe space Downtown at 231 N. Laura St. The brother and sister bought the restaurant and recipes from Kathy and Benoit Desclefs, who closed the Magnificat in August.
BY KATIE GARWOOD
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Mandarin Winn-Dixie to open Nov. 11 Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers Inc. announced Oct. 12 it will open its new Mandarin Winn-Dixie store Nov. 11. The store is a converted Earth Fare at 11700 San Jose Blvd. Winn-Dixie is moving across the street from a 51,282-square-foot store at 11701 San Jose Blvd. in the Merchants Shopping Center of Mandarin. The new store in the Mandarin South Shopping Center is smaller at 28,000 square feet. Winn-Dixie said previously the current store will close by Nov. 1 depending on how quickly it sells inventory.
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