By Charlene Dean

The 50s dining car located at 760 Highway 160, has been empty for several months. The building was the location of Java Xpress, a drive-through coffee shop, which opened in mid-July and closed before the end of the year.

Now, The Sweet Corner Coffee Shop, at 421 Frontage Road, and almost directly across Highway 160, will open its second location in the diner Feb. 4, pending approval from the health inspector.

The Sweet Corner is owned by Wendy and Mathew King and Michael and Cassandra Selbach, who purchased the already existing business in August 2012.

Wendy King said they had looked into purchasing the building when Java Xpress closed and made an offer on it. “When Java Xpress was open, his numbers were good,” King said in reference to the cars stopping for coffee to go. “The place was really busy early in the morning.”

The contract fell through. “It didn’t work out,” King said. “We are a Christian business and just accepted that it wasn’t in God’s plan for us.”

The building was purchased by the woman who owns the lot on which it sits. “We’re glad now that we didn’t buy it,” King said. “We wouldn’t own the lot and if the building had to be moved, we’d have to do it with a crane.”

The Sweet Corner leased the property from the new owner after the deal closed and began setting up the drive-through. “It worked out perfectly.”

“The building was empty,” King said. “We’ve been getting set up with the vendors and getting the equipment installed.”

The new Sweet Corner Xpress will serve the same coffees, smoothies and drinks as its sit-down version across the highway. King said the drive-through will have limited pastries.

“We bake everything fresh every day. All our sweets and breads are homemade by a baker we have coming in at 4 a.m. every morning.”

King said the reason for opening a second location was to generate more revenue. “It’s been tough,” she said. It will be a nice boost for us.”

Opening the second location also resulted in three more jobs. “We are glad to add to the local workforce,” King said. “We all have other jobs. If none of us were working, we could run the business without help. All of us are busy people.”

King said she thinks the way to improving the local economy is to shop local and support the small businesses. “We live here and we’re business owners here.

“We bought this business and have donated the use of the space to Bible study groups, and for the community to use as meeting space, for fundraisers and anything they need. It’s a business, yes, but it’s here for the community.”

The Frontage Road location offers daily lunch specials, sandwiches and salads.

The drive-through hours will be from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and closed Sunday.

Open for Super Bowl

When the Town Hall Casino at 2450 W. Mesquite Ave., was purchased by Bill Anderson and Dave Sullivan in mid-July 2012, the two didn’t plan on it being this long before Sullivan’s opened to the public.

They thought it would only take until mid-September to at least be able to open the bar and begin serving alcohol.

At last Tuesday’s commissioner’s meeting, Sullivan’s was granted a conditional alcohol license. The reason it has taken so long, according to co-owner David Sullivan, is getting clearance from his previous operations in Great Britain.

Sullivan said, “Even though we’ve finally got the license, we still have to order the beer.” He plans to open the doors at 4 p.m., Feb. 1, just in time for Super Bowl festivities.

Sullivan said he will have the first draft beer ever served in that location and plans for three English beers and three American. He said during the big game, “Hamms will be on special.”

The bar will have free food on Super Bowl Sunday, even though Sullivan said he still can’t serve from the bar’s kitchen.

“We’re going to fire up the barbecue,” he said. “And have a barbecue buffet.” The food will be free.

Sullivan said plans are to be open 24-hours. “We have some issues to work on to get food service in place. It should take us about two-and-a-half months once we get open.”

Sullivan plans to serve the well-known fish and chips plus other items from the menu at the old Sullivan’s on Pahrump Valley Boulevard.