ANDERSONVILLE — Middle East Bakery & Grocery is taking over the former Icosium Cafe space at the corner of Clark and Foster avenues.
A handwritten message on the door at 5200 N. Clark St., next door to the bakery and grocery store, announced that Icosium Cafe was closing in December, and that its owner was "done with the crepe business."
That message outside Icosium has since been replaced by a sign that reads: "Middle East Bakery & Grocery is expanding!"
The bakery and grocery store at 1512 W. Foster Ave. sells an array of Middle Eastern foods, including meat and vegetable pies, olives, pickled vegetables and cheeses, as well as various cookies, cakes, pastries and other Middle Eastern sweets.
Middle East Bakery owner Jim Khalifa was out of town Tuesday, but employees at the store shared some details of the expansion plan.
The new space will open some time in the spring, possibly in late April, they said.
The expanded shop will serve Middle Eastern food, and have a deli counter with chairs and tables for patrons to sit down and dine at, Khalifa's employees said.
They said that Khalifa, the landlord for the entire building, already owns the former Icosium space and is seeking various licenses and approvals from the city to reconfigure the space and do business there.