Saturday breakfast at Mecca

A week from today, the Mecca in downtown Raleigh will open for Saturday breakfast for the first time in more than 40 years.

It's a big change for area breakfast lovers, who surely will make the trip for a homemade omelet and a fresh cup of coffee.

But beyond that, the Mecca's new schedule may be a sign that things downtown are picking up.

The Mecca will join a number of downtown businesses that are open on weekends. Coffee shop Crema is open seven days a week, and Fayetteville Street Tavern extended its weekend hours a year and a half ago.

But the Mecca may be one of the biggest weekend draws for downtown. It has been an institution on Martin Street for almost 80 years, weathering the Great Depression and a world war.

Third-generation owner Paul Dombalis said the change was driven purely by demand.

"I'm a slow mover," he said. "I don't do anything hastily. But I'll come in here on a Saturday, and there's always people down here trying to come in. People have been asking me a lot."

Dombalis said the Mecca was once open seven days a week.

"Back then, the farmers would come to town and go to Hudson Belk to shop," he said. "But it's been since the late '60s that we've been open Saturdays."

Dombalis isn't ready to go back to seven days a week -- yet.

But if you want a little breakfast on a Saturday, you can now try the Mecca from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

... Also downtown, the family behind Neomonde will open an upscale Lebanese restaurant this summer, partnering with developer Greg Hatem. The yet-to-be-named restaurant will open in Hatem's Heilig-Levine building at Hargett and Wilmington streets. The menu will feature items familiar to Neomonde patrons plus other dishes too complex to serve at Neomonde.

Two Best Buy stores will open this fall. The first is off U.S. 70 across from Brier Creek Commons in Raleigh. It will anchor the new 107,000-square-foot Alexander Place Crossing near the Carolina Ale House. Other tenants have not been determined. ... And in Knightdale, Best Buy will open in the new Midtown Commons at U.S. 64 and I-540.

Ningyo Pearl Bubble Tea House opened at 2526 Hillsborough St. in Raleigh serving bubble tea drinks with tapioca pearls. ... In Durham, Cajun restaurant Papa Mojo's Roadhouse is open in Greenwood Commons at 5410 N.C. 55. Currently dinner only, it will begin serving lunch next week. ... In Cary, Fantastic Sam's will open at 1873 Lake Pine Drive in February. ... And an update on Sugarland Bakery at 140 E. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill: The opening is now set for Feb. 4.

From my blog: Walgreens is planning a store at N.C. 42 and Cleveland Road in Johnston County. No word yet on when it will open. ... In Durham's Pavilion East on Erwin Road, Dunkin' Donuts will open in March. So will the state's first Noodles & Co., serving noodle dishes from macaroni and cheese to pad thai. ... AutoZone started work in the 2400 block of Wake Forest Road in Raleigh in the old Exxon site.