Imagine all your favorite restaurants and food trucks under one roof. Street tacos, pizza, ramen, sushi, burgers, booze. What more could you ask for besides optional calories?



Soon, the progressive cheat meal of your dreams will be possible in downtown Springfield’s first large-scale, European-style food hall. Blackwell Hall, the brainchild of Joshua Widner and Jim Wilson of Good Spirits Concepts, is slated to open in September 2018. Located at the always busy intersection of South Avenue and Walnut Street, the food hall will take over the space previously occupied by Bistro Market.

"The downtown traffic and downtown demographic is going to be key to the concept," Widner says.



In a press release, Good Spirits Concepts notes that “The number of food halls in the United States grew by 37 percent, reaching 105 total, in 2016. That number is predicted to double by 2019 in the United States, according to data from commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield as cited by the Wall Street Journal.”

Ten to 15 local and regional vendors are expected to fill the space, offering food, beverage and retail options. The food destination will have an open layout, private and common seating, an outdoor patio and on-premise parking.

Closed since June 2017, Bistro Market once offered groceries, beer, wine, spirits, grab-and-go food options and more. According to Good Spirits Concepts’ release, Blackwell Hall will cater to young Americans by serving fuss-free food.