Last fall, Nick’s Tomato Pie in Sims Creek Plaza closed its doors after 25 years of business in Jupiter. Since closing, the building has remained unoccupied, but that will soon change. The plaza on Indiantown Rd., just east of Maplewood Dr., is about to become a lot busier.

New businesses in the plaza include: Cookie Cutters, a children’s hair salon, Bolay, Blaze Pizza, Lindburgers and Urgent Care. All of these plan to open in early 2019. They will join the popular new restaurant I Heart Mac & Cheese that opened July 31.

I Heart Mac & Cheese features customizable mac-and-cheese bowls, grilled cheese and creative cookies. Patrons order by picking a type of pasta then adding a range of toppings. The franchise is based out of Ft. Lauderdale and is quickly gathering fans in northern Palm Beach County. However, it has received mixed reviews from Jupiter High students.

“Even though I love mac-and-cheese, I Heart Mac & Cheese was kind of a letdown. My friends told me it was their favorite place, but I thought it was just okay,” junior Maya Milstein said.

Bolay is a fast-casual restaurant that promotes a healthy and 100% gluten-free menu. Diners create their own custom bowls, like the popular “energy bowl” with Peruvian quinoa, baby spinach, smoky cauliflower, BBQ chicken, minted tomatoes and spicy Thai sauce. The Jupiter Bolay will join others in our area, including restaurants in Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach and West Palm Beach.

“Bolay is really good! I love how now there is a healthy restaurant that actually tastes good,” sophomore Megan Palmieri said.

Blaze Pizza is a make-your-own, fast-fired pizza restaurant that started in Pasedena, Calif. Patrons can choose from a range of pizza options and tasty toppings, like a variety of meats, vegetables and gourmet cheeses. After choosing a sauce, cheese and toppings, the custom pie is baked in a 700°F gas-fired oven for an average of three minutes. This fast-fired method is proving popular with diners. The franchise is now in 48 states, Canada, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

“I love Blaze! It tastes so good and it never takes too long to get my pizza. The only thing that isn’t great is how poorly the pizza travels. However, if you haven’t been yet, I highly recommend you go and eat in,” freshman Samantha Wooley said.