A local restaurant has changed its name, but the menu, service and staff have remained mostly intact.
Gainesville establishment KC Crave transformed into The Mix Bistro, debuting under the new title Feb. 26 in the same Second Avenue location.
The name change comes after local owners Tiff Murphy and Tom Mowry bought out other ownership partners for the KC Crave Gainesville location, said assistant general manager Mystry Faith. The partners at the other location in Jacksonville Beach still own their shares.
Faith said the owners wanted a fresh start after taking control of the restaurant.
“They wanted to envision what we do here, which is a mix,” she said. “We do live music, we have a bourbon bar, we’re revamping our wine list … We needed a fun, energetic name to go along with that.”
Faith said the core menu is not changing.
However, the restaurant will put more emphasis on its seasonal specials.
It will also focus on using produce and meats grown by local farmers.
Rosellen Hatch, 58, said she and her husband attended the grand opening.
They routinely drive from their home in Keystone Heights to visit the restaurant, especially when it hosts “Gator Hotline,” a radio call-in show featuring head coaches of Florida Gators athletic teams.
Faith said shows like “Gator Hotline” have become a factor in the identity that the restaurant has tried to establish — something that won’t change with the name change.
“We want people to be entertained when they’re here,” she said, “and that’s a form of entertainment.”
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 3/12/2014 under the headline "Restaurant mixes it up with name change"]
The Mix Bistro, formerly called KC Crave, changed its name when local owners Tiff Murphy and Tom Mowry bought sole ownership from other partners.
