Coldwater Cafe' - Sheffield - Bad Neighbor?

 

The Coldwater Cafe' has been a fixture in Colbert County for quite some time, albeit in different locations. Its current home is at the corner of Hatch Boulevard and Robertson Boulevard in Sheffield. 

If you're not familiar with Coldwater, here's a description of its fare from a Facebook page:

Coldwater Cafe is a local short order cafe with famous fried chicken tenders. We also serve hamburgers, chili dogs, grilled chicken salads, philly cheesesteaks, hamburger steak plates, smoked pork tenderloin plates, and amazing desserts!

Now the casual eatery has been accused of being a bad neighbor due to the location of its portable sign. 

The speed limit on this section of Hatch Boulevard is 35 mph. According to residents of the area who use Robertson Boulevard as an exit to parts North, visibility in an SUV is highly diminished, while almost non-existent in a more traditional vehicle.

While Sheffield has no sign ordinance per se, the portable advertising may well fall afoul of a zoning ordinance. It will be interesting to see the result of this complaint to the chronically lawsuit-prone Colbert town.

Hwy55 - Florence Closed, Mgr. Arrested

 

Four months after the Hwy55 Burgers, Shakes, & Fries closed in Muscle Shoals, the new Florence location on Cloverdale Road is also shuttered. A recent health department rating gave the casual eatery a score of 81, but that wasn't the reason for closing the Lauderdale store.

If you're wondering what happened to their former operator, he's currently in the Lauderdale County Detention Center in lieu of a $606,000.00 bond. Florence Police say 38 year-old Garrett David Wilkins had an inappropriate relationship with a young teen girl. His official charges are:

6 counts of Pornography/Obscene Material

6 counts of Possession of Child Pornography

2nd degree Sexual Abuse

2 counts of Transmitting Obscene Material to a child

Enticing a Child

Electronic Solicitation of a Child

Wilkins had fled to Utah, but was brought back to Florence earlier this week. Considering his charges and bond amount, he may not be flipping any burgers for the next few years at least.

If you're desperate for one of the chain's fast food specialties, the Boaz and Ft. Payne locations remain open.

Roma Italian Bistro - Shut Down by Authorities

 

You've heard it before - the Hatch Boulevard building is cursed! Or perhaps it's Sheffield. Or maybe it's all a huge coincidence.

Call it what you want, but Roma Italian Bistro, currently on Sheffield's nuisance property list, has been shut down by authorities. According to a source connected to the restaurant, the Italian eatery had "employee problems."

There are other unverified reports that are more descriptive; however, we'll wait for an official announcement before discussing those. In the meantime, may we suggest Olive Garden?

You Can Still Get a Cheesy Bob Sandwich

 

The Cheesy Bob is the ultimate blend of Smoked Gouda, Provolone, Vermont Cheddar, and Wisconsin Shape Cheddar on our Dave’s Killer Multigrain Bread.

Remember Cheesy Bob on North Pine Street? The small eatery was open for only a micro-minute, but its grilled cheese sandwich had its followers.

If you thought you'd never again enjoy one of these masterpieces, you're in luck. Midtowne Butcher at Seven-Points now sells sandwiches, and the Cheesy Bob is one of them.

The cheesy concoction is only $4.99, so go for it!

Starbucks Leaked Fall Menu Featuring Raccoon Cake Pop!

 

Starbucks has two locations in Florence: 

1 Harrison Plaza and 372 Cox Creek Parkway

Each Autumn, Starbucks brings a little taste of Fall to its customers with special coffees and deserts. These limited offerings are usually kept top secret until the last minute, but this year there's been a leak! Here's the list:

That's only 18 days, so try not to melt before then...

Jody's to Close in August

 

It's been a fixture in Tuscumbia since 1958, now it's closing on August 4th. Besides being known for its 24-hour service, Jody's Restaurant became infamous for a much seamier event in 2015. In January of that year, the roadside eatery was the site of the grisly double murder of a Florence couple that has never been fully solved.

The owners of Jody's are asking that customers from over the years visit the restaurant before its final day on Sunday.

Murder at Jody's

Is Roma Italian Bistro a Nuisance?

 

The Roma Italian Bistro is located at 4840 Hatch Boulevard in Sheffield. The business, or at least the building in which it's located, has been declared a nuisance by the city. Is it?

Over the years, the location has been home to Face's Bar & Lounge, the French Quarter, and Joker's Indian Kitchen. The latter was frequently the scene of both minor and major violence.

Now, Sheffield has announced a plan to rid the town of run-down and nuisance buildings, using federal grant money. The long list of derelict properties contains everything from vacant lots to homes that are being slowly remodeled.

Does the Roma building still belong on this eradication/seizure list? We welcome reviews of both the building and the cuisine.