The Shadow
For regular customers of the popular “Tropical Spice” restaurant, located at 101 S. Lexington Avenue in Covington, it is going to be a long week. From July 18th until July 26th, the restaurant −famous for its Jamaican food− will be closed for construction.
As locals have noticed, the back of the restaurant has seen a tremendous change over the past week. According to Victoria Scott, one of the owners of the restaurant alongside her husband —and chef— Howie Scott, that change only took seven days. Scott’s contractor, Ross Hammond and his crew (Commonwealth Contracting), have been hired for the project.
As for closing the restaurant, it was necessary to allow Chapman Plumbing and Hammond’s crew to come in to get water and electricity going to the back of the restaurant as renovations continue to be made.
When “Tropical Spice” opened on June 18, 2022, just over a year ago, the restaurant consisted of a few box meals, strictly online orders, and were all delivered by Door Dash. However, the popularity of the restaurant quickly grew, and so did the Scotts’ ideas for “branching off.” They began to carry take-out menus, service call-in orders and allowed customers to come inside to place orders as well. That is when, Victoria Scott says, things really began to take off for their small business.
“It just got crazy,” Scott said. “We got so busy, you know, as soon as we opened, we’d have people waiting for us… but a lot of people ask us, that was the main thing is, ‘we need some tables so we can eat here.’”
That wish will soon come true. Scott says customers will be able to enter the front of the building as before and walk to the back where tables will soon be set up. The restaurant will be able to host about 20 people and will not be a server/patron establishment. Rather, customers can order food and eat inside if they choose, or take it to-go.
When the restaurant reopens on July 27th, hours will continue to be 5 p.m.-9 p.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. on Sundays, and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. “Tropical Spice” can be reached at 540-816-9885.
