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by Mike Cullinan · mcullinan@sbj.net Metro Eats, an 11-acre Sunshine Street development on the city’s west side, is poised to make its debut next month. The venture co-owned by Christina Shellhart and wife, Amy, includes a multiday farmers market, food trucks and outdoor event space. Christina Shellhart said the land is owned and being developed by Tony Still of Still In- vestment Co. LLC. It sits west of Red’s Giant Hamburg restaurant near the Sunshine and Kansas Ex- pressway intersection. “I wanted to do a food truck park and farm- ers [market] together for seven years. I just couldn’t find the right location,” Shellhart said, declining to disclose the couple’s in- vestment or lease terms with Still. Shellhart has roughly 30 years of res- taurant industry experience, including past work with Carino’s Italian in Califor- nia and Famous Dave’s in Springfield. She moved to the Queen City in 2010 and since 2013 has owned Half Crocked Chef LLC, which specializes in locally sourced honey and seasoning blends. The farmers market has capacity for around 120 vendors, Shellhart said. She’s visited with nearly 90 potential vendors and most are on board for at least one or two days a week. First-year dues are $300, with Circle B Ranch, Springfield Brewing Co. and Reborn Co. among the planned vendor lineup, according to the Metro Eats website. The market plans to be open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. “We hope to soft open in April with the farmers market. We just can’t have a bunch of cars out there on the dirt,” she said, noting the front 5 acres of the property will accommodate parking for 200 vehicles. “So, we have to get the asphalt and concrete down.” A roughly 10,000-square-foot building un- derway will serve as a food court and also can host events, Shellhart said. An acre on the northwest portion of the property also is available for event space or overflow parking. Event catering is being handled by Ozark Pre- mier Food Co., a venture owned by restaurant industry veterans Angel Kim, Angelo Wanith- antri and Chris Perkins. Wanithantri and Perkins did not return messages seeking comment by press time. Food trucks will be operating daily, Shellhart said, Sunshine Street development on 11 acres plans to open in April NEWS start reading on page 9 $2.00 · SBJ.NET MARCH 22-28, 2021 · VOL. 41, NO. 35 40 YEARS • YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY Metro Eats bringing farmers market, food trucks to west side Michelle Johnson: Dove Creek sales at Metro Eats will benefit a nonprofit. MCKENZIE ROBINSON AT THE METRO Christina Shellhart co-owns Metro Eats under construction west of Red’s Giant Hamburg on Sunshine Street. See METRO on page 33