Greensburg's Sun Dawg Cafe to expand, add bar this year

Sun Dawg Cafe in downtown Greensburg has big plans for 2019.

The Main Street restaurant will expand into the building next door to provide more seating, extended hours and alcohol sales.

“Business is actually really good, and we grew right into our space a lot faster than we thought we would,” co-owner Rachel Flowers said.

Rachel and Ray Flowers opened the restaurant in 2012. In 2016, it moved from a small basement space on Main Street to a nearby storefront. By summer, it will expand into the storefront formerly occupied by Trice Professional Optical Services.

The expansion will make room for about 40 additional seats, almost doubling the restaurant’s capacity. The Flowers are working on getting a liquor license and plan to include a bar in the new space.

Sun Dawg has long been a breakfast and lunch spot, but Rachel Flowers hopes it will soon be a dinner destination. Once the expansion is complete, the restaurant will add additional evening hours.

Currently Sun Dawg is open until 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and closes in the afternoon the rest of the week.

It employs 10 people and will add several more once the hours expand, Flowers said.

The Flowers are also taking the opportunity to reimagine their menu, though it will maintain its signature Mexican-Caribbean fusion style.

“We’re probably going to redo our entire menu, breakfast and lunch,” Flowers said.

A larger space also will allow Sun Dawg to step up its catering services and its newly-introduced pastry offerings, Flowers said.

Greensburg is getting in on the project. The city awarded the restaurant a $4,250 grant to pay the architectural fees for designing the new space.

“I think currently they’re a really viable, vibrant business in our downtown, and they’re bringing people in all the time,” said Kelsye Milliron, city administrator.

Sun Dawg is the first beneficiary of a new city program that will provide grants to cover some costs for new and expanding small businesses. The city is considering applications from several other businesses, but is not ready to announce more recipients, Milliron said.

Rachel Flowers said there will be some surprises in store when Sun Dawg expands.

“We’re not afraid to try something new, and we’re really very excited to try some additional things that I can’t talk about right now,” she said.