Cracker Barrel didn’t exactly shoot down speculation and it’s also not fanning the flames, which might give off a hint of optimism to its local devotees. “We’re always considering opportunities for new locations, but we have no announcements to make at this time about opening a new store in South Bend.”Ĭlassic corporate answer. Here’s the statement delivered last week to my inbox: There’s no harm in reaching out to Cracker Barrel, even if there were no real signs of anything imminent. So, after months of mulling it over, I decided to just ask. 31, near the Holiday Inn Express that’s under construction. Specifically, it would be around where the U.S. Many folks asking about the possibility of a new location referenced a rumor circulating around the south side of South Bend that Cracker Barrel could be targeting that side of town. In fact, over time these notes have taken on a familiar form. “Is this accurate?”Īlthough not overwhelming in volume, the messages have been persistent: One nearby restaurant and store at 110 Northpoint Blvd. “I had also heard a Cracker Barrel is due to open,” another wrote when asking about multiple projects. “We would love a Cracker Barrel,” one reader emailed in August. How often could it possibly happen? Surely there wasn’t some movement to bring Cracker Barrel to town that would keep me busy. Among the wisdom imparted to me by my predecessors and editors upon taking over the Market Basket column was this nugget: Expect to hear from readers who want to bring Cracker Barrel, the comfort food chain restaurant, to South Bend.

When will cracker barrel open