Maggie Moo's to reopen as deli

Maggie Moo's ice cream shop on Third Street near College Mall has closed and will reopen as the delicatessen City Deli. Bill Hobbs, owner of Maggie Moo's, attributed the closing to low revenue.\n"We tried desperately to keep it open, but the market for ice cream is very small; the market for food is a lot bigger," Hobbs said.\nSophomore Melissa Hudson said she was surprised to hear the shop is no longer open but said she wasn't too worried about it affecting her future ice cream decisions.\n"I really enjoyed that place (but) Cold Stone is the same thing, and it is in walking distance," she said. "Plus, (Maggie Moo's) was hurting White Mountain, which is a local place." \nHobbs will continue to operate as manager of the new Bloomington restaurant and said he is optimistic about the restaurant's opening. \nHobbs has been the owner of City Deli located in downtown Martinsville since 1999. He said the Martinsville location is very successful, and he believes there is a market for that type of food in Bloomington.\nMartinsville resident and freshman Cassie Mellady said she was excited to hear her hometown restaurant is coming to Bloomington.\n"The City Deli is awesome. They have the best sandwiches," she said. \nThe delicatessen will use fresh-cut meat, none of which is frozen, to make sandwiches and salads, Hobbs said. Pasta, soups and desserts will also be on the menu.\n"We have not given up on the fundamentals. Just like Maggie Moo's, everything is made right there at the restaurant," Hobbs said.\nMellady said she doesn't believe the delicatessen has as much to offer as other local sandwich shops but said she would nonetheless recommend the restaurant.\n"It doesn't have as many choices as a Subway, (but) what they do have I think is better, and I love Subway," she said. "I probably ate (at City Deli) once a week during the summer. It is a really clean and friendly environment. And it must not be too expensive because I can't remember what I paid."\nCity Deli will open Dec. 1 and will deliver to both businesses and dorms. For a preview of the restaurant's offerings, visit www.thecitydeli.com.