‘Sinful Orchard’ restaurant plans hit major snag at The Greene

Eatery focusing on locally-sourced foods  was slated for space that has been vacant for more than 3 years

The concept sounded so promising.

So did the menu.

But progress toward opening "The Sinful Orchard" restaurant at The Greene has ground to a halt. The "coming soon" signs and the tantalizing menu have been removed from the windows. The restaurant's web site has been taken down. Sinful Orchard's name long ago disappeared from the retail center's "coming soon" list on The Greene's web site.

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And now, one of the restaurant’s founders has told this news outlet that the project, which had launched nearly a year ago, appears to have come to a halt.

“We fought for that place with everything we had,” the co-founder said.

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It’s not clear what will become of the space at 81 Magnolia Lane on the eastern side of The Greene’s retail complex, across from the Von Maur department store. It has been vacant for more than three years.  Its most recent fully-operating tenant was Crazy Mango Bistro & Bar, which shut down in July 2015 after about two years in business. The space preciously housed Joya’s Bistro until it shut down in 2012.

Messages left late last week and over the weekend for Steve Willshaw, general manager of The Greene, had not been returned as of this morning, Dec. 31.

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Sinful Orchard was to be an independent restaurant that would focus on local sourcing of its food, including its meats.

In January 2018, shortly after the restaurant applied for a liquor license, Sinful Orchard’s former web site promised its menu would “go beyond the commonplace fare” with “fresh, homemade food.”

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“What sets The Orchard apart is that all vegetables and meats will be raised and hand-selected locally,” the web site said. “Breads and specials will be prepared fresh daily and made from scratch using actual handed-down recipes.”

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“Specialties will include smoked meats, appetizers, daily specials, happy hour deals, drinks and more. Prepare to be blown away by the vast array of hand-crafted beers, some of which are currently not offered in this area.”

A few months later, a printed menu was taped to a restaurant window, raising the anticipation level even further.

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It listed entree choices such as Smoked Pork Baby Back Ribs, Smoked Chicken and Beef Brisket, featuring meats from local producers in Greenville and South Charleston. And  it promised sandwiches such as a Brisket Reuben and a Cuban Sandwich, described as ”Smoked pork marinated in Mojo and slow-smoked, layered with sliced country ham, Swiss cheese and house-made dill pickles, piled on a rustic Italian roll with mustard and mayo.”

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Appetizers were to include Poutine, Fresh-fried Pork Rinds, Sauerkraut Balls and Charcuterie. Desserts were to feature Bread Pudding, Brownies and a Seasonal Pie offering.

But that menu has been removed, as have the “coming soon” signs.

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