Last updated: April 2025
This site is written and managed by Mara Cole. It exists as a resource for people who run food and beverage businesses or are thinking about starting one — especially when it comes to finding, leasing, or buying the right space. By using this website, you agree to the terms below. If you don’t agree, please don’t use the site.
1. A bit of context
1320 South Monroe began as a real brewery and restaurant. That physical location has since closed, and the original brewpub no longer operates. Some older content about that chapter of the business remains on the site as an archive, for anyone curious about how things worked behind the scenes. Nothing in those older posts should be taken as a current offering or an invitation to visit — the doors are shut, and the story has moved on.
Today, this site is a blog. The focus is commercial real estate for restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and similar food service businesses. Everything I publish now draws on years of hands-on experience, plenty of mistakes, and a lot of research into what actually makes a location work.
2. Acceptance of terms
Using this site — reading articles, browsing archives, sharing links — means you accept these Terms of Service. If you disagree with any part, your only option is to stop using the site. These terms apply to all visitors, whether you’re a first-time reader or a regular.
3. Changes to the terms
I may update these terms from time to time. When I do, I’ll change the “last updated” date at the top. It’s your responsibility to check back if you want to stay current. Continued use of the site after a change means you accept the new terms.
4. Content and intellectual property
All articles, images, and other materials on this site belong to me unless I’ve explicitly credited someone else. You’re welcome to quote short passages with a link back to the original page, but you may not republish entire posts, use my images without permission, or present my work as your own.
If you’d like to use something beyond what’s described here, reach out and ask. I’m usually open to it if it’s done thoughtfully.
5. Not professional advice
I take the information on this site seriously. I write from direct experience and I verify facts as carefully as I can. But I’m not a lawyer, a real estate broker, or a financial advisor. Nothing on this site should be treated as professional advice — legal, financial, or otherwise. Commercial real estate decisions come with real risk, and you should always consult qualified professionals who understand your specific situation, market, and local regulations.
I share what I’ve learned, but your circumstances are your own. Don’t sign a lease or make a major business move based solely on something you read here.
6. Accuracy and completeness
Markets shift, zoning laws change, and what was true in one city last year might not apply in another today. I do my best to keep information current and to correct errors when I find them, but I can’t guarantee that every detail is perfectly accurate or complete at the moment you read it. Use the content as a starting point, not the final word.
7. Third-party links
Some articles link to other websites, tools, or resources. I link to things I genuinely find useful, but I don’t control those sites and I’m not responsible for their content, accuracy, or practices. Clicking a link and leaving this site is your choice, and you should review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
8. Limitation of liability
This site is provided “as is.” I don’t make any warranties — express or implied — about its content, availability, or suitability for any particular purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, I won’t be liable for any loss or damage that results from your use of the site, including but not limited to indirect or consequential losses.
That applies whether the issue stems from an error in an article, a temporary outage, or anything else connected to the site.
9. User conduct
If the site ever includes comment sections, contact forms, or other interactive features, you agree not to post anything illegal, abusive, spammy, or otherwise harmful. I reserve the right to remove content at my discretion and to block access to anyone who violates these terms.
10. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the state where the site owner is based, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of that jurisdiction.
11. Contact
If you have questions about these terms, need to report an error, or want to discuss using something from the site, you can reach me through the contact information available on the main page. I read every message, even if I can’t always reply right away.
Thank you for being here. I hope the site helps you build something that works.