After announcing plans earlier this year to convert Mama Lu's taco shop into a fast-casual Asian restaurant called The Happy Cat at 149 East Front Street, co-owner Adrienne Brunette tells The Ticker both concepts will now be in Traverse City. Mama Lu's will remain where it is on Front, while Brunette and her team will take over the Identity Brewing space at 108 South Union Street this fall for The Happy Cat.

Brunette says that after announcing the conversion plans this spring, she suffered a major medical emergency that required putting those plans on hold. During the pause, the owners heard from both guests and staff that they strongly wanted to keep Mama Lu's, she says. Brunette and husband/co-owner John Larson then started discussing options for having both concepts in the market, she says.

Amanda Thomas of Identity Brewing says she and her partner Josh Thomas knew the Mama Lu's team from the industry and heard they were looking for a space. She says Identity Brewing had accomplished several of its goals for Union Street, including "giving back to the community and building a safe space for our patrons and employees." Deciding to exit the site "was a decision we made intentionally," she says. "We were not forced to close our doors. We love our patrons. This was best for us, best for Adrienne and her company, and best for the community." 

Barring any unforeseen delays, Thomas says Identity Brewing's last day open will be September 25. The company will also continue to be the liquor license provider for the City Opera House until October 1, after which COH is taking over with its own liquor license. Thomas hints that they plan to return with a "future venture in the downtown area," though the exact timing is undetermined. Identity Brewing "brought us a lot of joy and thankfulness, and we're looking forward to doing that again in other ways," she says.

Brunette says The Happy Cat is slated to take occupancy of the Union Street space in October. Renovations will then follow, with a planned late fall opening. The restaurant can sit 50 people inside and at least 40 on the seasonal outdoor patio, she says. The company plans to bring a “casual but elevated” approach to Asian-American cuisine at Happy Cat, she previously told The Ticker.

“It will be an approachable cost and easy to carry out,” she said. In addition to a sake-forward beverage program, Happy Cat will feature dishes like drunken noodles, beef and broccoli, spring rolls, pot stickers, pork belly bao buns, green beans with chili crisp, and cucumber salad. The restaurant will also have “playful” touches like its own take on fortune cookies, Brunette said. She confirmed Tuesday those are still the plans for the site, with The Happy Cat to serve both lunch and dinner and offer a strong takeout program.