After Sitting Vacant for 20 Years, A New Restaurant Is Moving In

A new restaurant is moving into the old Indian Village Trading Post.Photo byScott EckersleyonUnsplash

Good things come to those who wait. If the classic saying is true, then those who have been waiting for the official opening of Cornish Pastry Company. The restaurant has been in the works for nearly a decade, and over the past several years there have been numerous rumblings about upcoming openings and move-in locations. However, for various reasons, the restaurant has continually floundered. For such a restaurant, the vibe needs to match the food, and as such, the marriage of the classic English food as well as a historic address here in Tucson is finally making it all come together. 

In fact, the address, 72 East Congress, has been sitting in near ruin for the last several decades. Longtime Tucson residents might remember the old Indian Village Trading Post, but that shop closed a generation ago. Despite the rather prominent address, nothing has worked. As one might expect, After years of sitting vacant, it is in need of major internal upgrades and renovations, though that could be said for any building well over 100 years in age. 

The age of the building does bring about several other unique issues, as all renovations must adhere to historic preservation requirements - another reason as to why it proved so difficult to land a new tenant. 

If you spend time around the rest of the state you may have come across the Cornish Pasty Company, as there are several locations around Phoenix and north into Flagstaff. 

Unless you are from Michigan, you may not have any experience with a pasty (the food is a staple dish, specifically in Northern Michigan and its Upper Peninsula). The best way to explain a pasty is to compare it to a large empanada. While the dough is slightly different, the baked dough pocket is filled with meat, potatoes, and other ingredients. This Cornish variation of the pasty originated in Cornwall, though there are all kinds of versions that stem from Europe (again the basic empanada came from Spain before taking on different versions throughout the Americas). Both the pasty and empanadas can be traced back to Middle Eastern origins, as cooking meat and wrapping it in a dough helped prolong the life of the meal, which was important for long treks and voyages. 

There is no exact date planned for the launch of the Tucson Cornish Pasty Company as it can be difficult to forecast certain renovation requirements for historic buildings, but finally, both the restaurant and the address will see business here in the Old Pueblo.