Goodies Eatery, a beloved Tallahassee shop, is reopening on October 15 under new ownership.The new owner, Will Johnson, is a former employee and will keep the original menu and feel.After a five-month closure, the restaurant is moving to a new location at 106 E. College Ave.
Good news for all the Goodies Eatery fans — the beloved breakfast and sandwich shop located in downtown Tallahassee is reopening Oct. 15 with a new address and new owner and the same feel the city’s loved for over 38 years.
In an interview with the Tallahassee Democrat Oct. 10, former owner turned business consultant John Henningsen and new owner Will Johnson, 24, gave the Democrat a tour of their new space on 106 E. College Ave., just steps away from their old site after permanent closure turned into a five-month break.
The dining area sits towards the back of the Highpoint Center lobby and was home to previous ventures including Brewed Awakening and Atomic Coffee now shuttered, and Catalina Cafe now on Gaines Street.
“Super excited for the opportunity he will have,” Henningsen said of Johnson, adding that he’s a little jealous of all the features the space offers. “I think he’s got all the tools in his shed to be very successful. This business is tough and he’s going to be forced to adapt to a lot of situations, but he’s already done that in the last 32 days.”
No worries, the new owner is a familiar face in the capital city.
Looking for a free mini puzzle? Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now.
Johnson, a Tallahassee native and FSU alum, worked for Goodies and although he initially was a little shy talking to Henningsen when he met him at 16, he was able to secure a job on the spot and worked it all throughout high school and his undergrad years while managing his own pressure washing company (Will Washers, with the motto “you say it, we spray it”). He eventually became a managing partner for Goodies in 2021.
“I want to get back to our customers that have been here for 30 years and love Goodies so much that they keep coming back everyday. I want to be able to provide the same sort of thing that they’ve known and loved and bring it back to the downtown area,” Johnson said.
“From there we can start innovating, start introducing new things. We’ll start being more creative when it comes to how we structure our menu, but off the jump we will have the exact same thing we used to have.”
Post grad, Johnson worked on political campaigns and more recently with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as a Deputy Federal and Legislative Affairs Director, but for now his full-time love is Goodies, a playful nod to the store’s history of sparking both jobs and relationships among Henningsen’s children.
All jokes aside, Johnson says he has big shoes to fill, a thought Henningsen brushes off with confidence telling him “you’ll be fine.”
“There is no Goodies without John and Stephanie Henningsen,” Johnson said.
“The ability for me to take care of the brand they created and transform into something that is going to be bigger,” Johnson said is an honor, with big plans to spread the Goodies brand even further.
But for now, with all of the excitement to come and all of the ideas flowing, he says Henningsen keeps him grounded and focused on current objectives, offering tips and tricks to navigate before reopening day.
“I want Goodies established in 1987 to last until 2087,” Johnson says with a bright smile as he looks at the new mural etched on the wall.
In old news: ‘End of an era’: Longtime customers mourn closure of Goodies Eatery after 38 years
In May the local hotspot closed due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Longtime patrons were devastated and the outpouring of goodbyes were incredible. Social media users reacted to the post sharing it to their own pages and left well wishes in the comments section of the post announcing the news. Henningsen said old friends and their families even made their way to the store to say their goodbyes, eat and buy merch from as far as Miami.
For nearly four decades, the spot with all the goods had been a consistent presence for business people, families and students with its specialty sandwiches, quiches, bagels and friendly customer service in all its tenure.
All of those things will return as old staff make their way back to the store to create the same menu and ambiance guests remember.
Some customers just couldn’t bear parting ways with the store so on behalf of the restaurant, loyal patrons went scouring for a new home for Goodies. The team eventually toured their new downtown spot in July, signed the lease in September and have been working to transform the space.
They both agree that it is “by the grace of God” that it all came together.
Johnson says he’s been getting his hands dirty working 12 to 18 hour days fixing the layout, tearing down walls and cleaning the space for the last month, ” but it’s all been a blessing,” he assures.
The space is coming together with fancy coffee machines on the counters, fresh art on the walls and the slicer sitting in the middle for all to see to embrace that true deli culture.
Finishing touches are being added and inventory comes in Oct. 10, then, Johnson says “we’re off to the races.”
If you go
What: Goodies Eatery
Hours: Opening Oct. 15 for breakfast and lunch
Where: 106 E. College Ave.
This article includes previously reported information. Kyla A Sanford covers dining and entertainment for the Tallahassee Democrat. New restaurant opening up, special deals, or events coming up? Let me know at ksanford@tallahassee.com. You can also email your suggestions for a future TLH Eats restaurant profile.