04/22/2026
So exciting!!
A longtime Carbondale restaurant is preparing to expand into Williamson County, with a second Harbaugh’s Cafe location planned for Tower Square Plaza in Marion.
Owner Laura Harbaugh said the idea of opening another restaurant has been on her mind for years, dating back to her early experience in the industry.
“My first job in restaurants was when I was 15 in Wheeling, IL. I wanted to open up a restaurant,” Harbaugh said. “Time goes on. Graduated college with hotel and restaurant management. I worked locally serving doing all facets of restaurants. I pulled the trigger and went for it when I was 28 in 2000 and opened Harbaugh’s Cafe.”
Her interest in Marion developed over time, particularly through visits to the downtown area.
“I have always thought about doing another thing. I was thinking of other concepts,” she said. “I have been enjoying the Square since Seasonings moved there. I enjoyed the Square and the antique stores and coffee. Going to shows at the Civic Center, etc. I have always thought maybe I should open another one.”
The opportunity came together when a familiar building on the Square became available.
“Once Granny Puckett’s closed it was such a beautiful building,” Harbaugh said. “I talked to my manager at the Carbondale location. I talked that over with her. It was on a whim I got a hold of Jeff. It all started clicking.”
Work is still underway before the Marion location can open. Harbaugh said upgrades inside the building are needed, including improvements to the kitchen system.
“We have two modifications that need to be made. Ordering a new hood capacity system,” she said. “Plumber who is heading that, says that turnaround is going to be 4 to 6 weeks. That needs to go.”
Additional planning is also in progress as the space is prepared. “Formulate the game plan. Dining room modifications. We need to buy some cooking equipment,” she said.
The new location is expected to follow the same approach as the Carbondale restaurant, with an emphasis on simple ingredients and efficient service for customers, especially during the lunch hour.
“We try and be aware of what we are putting in our food. It’s a fresh healthy alternative,” Harbaugh said. “We try and do single ingredient foods. We don’t want to open the bag and throw it in the warmer. We make everyone fresh with single ingredients.”
She said keeping wait times reasonable will be an important part of the operation. “We try and have people in and out quickly. No more than 20 minutes to wait for your food,” she said. “We are going to try and recognize that people have an hour or less for lunch.”
Harbaugh said early feedback from the community has been encouraging as plans move forward. An opening timeline has not yet been announced as work continues at the Tower Square Plaza location.
