News Summary
Scott Moore, founder of Maple Street Biscuit Company, is set to open a breakfast taco restaurant named Calico Cactus in Murray Hill, Jacksonville. Located at the former Maple Street site, Calico Cactus aims to offer a diverse breakfast menu, including signature tacos and a coffee bar, while also accommodating catering services. With space for 95 customers and a focus on community, the restaurant plans to hire around 28 employees and will open around October 2023.
Jacksonville, Florida – Scott Moore, the founder of Maple Street Biscuit Company, is set to launch a new breakfast taco restaurant named Calico Cactus in the Murray Hill area. The new establishment will occupy the former Maple Street location at 1171 Edgewood Ave. S., with plans to open around October 2023 after necessary construction and build-out are completed. Moore signed the lease for this space on May 22, 2023, coinciding with the expiration of the lease for Maple Street in August 2023.
Calico Cactus is the second location for the breakfast taco concept, following the successful launch of the first restaurant in St. Augustine on January 14, 2023. This new eatery will span 4,000 square feet and feature a dedicated catering kitchen to serve Jacksonville’s catering demands, which have already proven significant in St. Augustine, where catering accounts for about 30% of sales.
Inside, the restaurant will accommodate approximately 95 customers and will include a convenient pickup window for mobile orders and online food deliveries. The restaurant plans to hire around 28 full-time and part-time employees, with a focus on providing weekend job opportunities for young workers. Amanda Urbizu, formerly a leader at Maple Street, will head the team at Calico Cactus.
Menu and Dining Experience
The menu at Calico Cactus will feature a diverse range of items centered around breakfast tacos, alongside queso, coffee, chips and dips, sides, salads, bowls, and sweet treats—all made from scratch daily. Signature items expected to attract attention include the four-cheese queso, and the breakfast tacos named “Scrambled Eggs On Your Face” and “Texas Hold’Em.” A barista-style coffee bar will complement the menu by offering espresso, lattes, fresh-roasted coffee, as well as various beverages such as mimosas and agua frescas.
Operational Hours and Service Model
The restaurant will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will function as a fast-casual dining experience where customers place orders at the counter. Moore has emphasized that Calico Cactus is designed to be family-friendly, catering to both families and college students in the community.
Background of Scott Moore and Maple Street Biscuit Company
Moore has a deep connection to the Murray Hill area, having lived just five blocks away for the past twelve years, which adds a personal touch to the new restaurant venture. His previous establishment, Maple Street Biscuit Company, has grown significantly since its founding in 2012, expanding to 69 locations across 10 states and eventually selling to Cracker Barrel for $36 million in 2019. Moore’s non-compete agreement with Cracker Barrel expired in late 2022, paving the way for him to embark on the Calico Cactus project.
Future Plans for Expansion
In addition to the Murray Hill location, Moore is eyeing future growth, with plans for additional restaurants in the Alpharetta, Georgia area and aspirations for potential franchising after establishing several company-owned outlets. Drawing from his experiences with Maple Street, Moore intends to implement effective operational strategies and a strong customer service model to ensure sustainable growth for Calico Cactus.
As the anticipation builds for the opening of Calico Cactus, the culinary landscape in Murray Hill is poised to add a unique breakfast option that emphasizes quality, community, and a back-to-basics approach to dining.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Scott Moore to Open Calico Cactus in Murray Hill
Additional Resources
- Jax Daily Record: Calico Cactus Owner Signs Lease
- Wikipedia: Breakfast Taco
- Jacksonville.com: Calico Cactus Opening in St. Augustine
- Google Search: Breakfast Taco
- Jax Daily Record: From Biscuits to Breakfast Tacos
- Google Scholar: Scott Moore Maple Street Biscuit Company
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Tex-Mex Cuisine
- Google News: Calico Cactus
