LINCOLN SQUARE — The newest addition to Lincoln Square's retail scene is guaranteed to spice things up in the neighborhood.
Denver-based Savory Spice Shop has officially declared itself "coming soon" to 4753 N. Lincoln Ave. (former home of Sprout) and is aiming for an August opening, according to the store's manager, David Trout.
The shop represents a return of sorts to the founders' roots, Trout said. Mike and Janet Johnston are former Lincoln Square residents who headed west in 2004, striking gold with their first Savory Spice Shop and rapidly expanding the brand to more than 20 franchises in 10 states.
The Johnstons have part ownership in the Lincoln Square store, said Trout, a suburbanite who also once called the Square home.
"We all thought it was a natural fit," he said.
Savory Spice Shop's signature offerings are its proprietary spice blends — all 160 of them — which are ground weekly at a Denver facility. Cooks and bakers will also find hundreds of other spices on the shelves, from basics like cinnamon and nutmeg to exotics like cubub berries.
To encourage experimentation, the store will offer what Trout called "deli-style service."
Though spices are available in pre-packaged jars and bags, customers can buy as little as half an ounce of any given herb or spice, perfect for recipes that call for small amounts of an ingredient or for the adventurous cook who wants to try something new, he said.
Trout eventually plans to hold spice demonstrations and seminars at the shop, but at the moment he's more focused on construction details.
"We're completely rehabbing the inside" and renovating the storefront, he said. "We think it will be a really nice addition."
Between now and August (depending on city permits and inspections), expect to see Trout in Giddings Plaza and at Lincoln Square's farmers market sampling spices and talking up the store.
"It's all about the opportunity to be in this neighborhood," he said.
