FEAST MAGAZINE: Taking the place of an old mill built on an 80-acre farm, a new food hall is coming to Nixa, Missouri.

14 Mill Market will feature 10 stalls – 320-square-feet each – which will offer a diverse selection of food and drinks. The space will also allow visitors to connect with the outdoors through glass garage doors, an indoor-outdoor bar with 36 taps dedicated to local breweries, outdoor concerts and areas for cornhole, bocce and more.

The food hall is the brainchild of Leah and Rich Callahan, who have lived in Nixa for more than 15 years and who have been considering investment opportunities in town for a few years now. “Nixa is one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri,” Leah says. “Housing numbers are exploding, and the average income per family is higher here than in Springfield, so we thought it was a good time to make an investment.”

They weren’t sold on any specific ideas, though, until they visited Mother Road Market in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was a short weekend trip in early April, but the Callahans tend to get their best business ideas while traveling.

“We take what we see while traveling and ask, ‘Could this work at home?’” Leah says. “After we ate at Mother Road Market, we spent the whole drive home debating how that concept could work in the Springfield area.”

14 Mill Market will be a buzzy food and entertainment hub, but it will also fill a longstanding need in Nixa. “According to surveys over the last three years, the number one need of Nixa residents is food and entertainment in Nixa,” Rich says. “Many people who live in Nixa work in Springfield, and they also have to go to Springfield to do anything. 14 Mill Market won’t only benefit Nixa; it will also bring in people from Springfield, Branson and the Ozarks region.”

Neither Leah nor Rich has experience in the restaurant industry, but the couple has done its research. Not only have they visited 14 different food halls and talked to several of the general managers, but they’ve also met with city planners and the Nixa Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss the idea. They’ve relied on restaurateurs and chefs, as well, to help them design the kitchens of the food hall.

Local chefs and business owners have already shown interest in opening concepts at 14 Mill Market, but Rich says they’re trying to be selective. “We really want to make sure that each chef that we bring in has both unique and quality products,” he says. “That’s the difference between a food hall and a food court – the chef-inspired food.”

“In addition to quality menus, we’re also looking for people who can provide really quality service in a timely manner to meet the demand of a fast lunch hour,” Leah adds.

The opening date of the food hall is up in the air, but the Callahans are hoping for fall 2022. Keep an eye on the 14 Mill Market website for updates on vendors and more.

14 Mill Market (coming soon), 203 E. Mount Vernon St., Nixa, Missouri, 14millmarket.com