Last spring, much of the food news at Oxford Commons was still on paper. In a March 2 Oxford Eagle story, developer David Blackburn listed plans for a coffee drive-thru, a Mediterranean restaurant, a frozen yogurt shop, and a shop selling casseroles and pies. Each was described as something still to come, with dates like "May or June" and "late summer."
By the first week of October, four of those businesses were serving customers. Taken together, they cover the whole day. Coffee starts at 5 a.m. on Sisk Avenue. A sit-down Mediterranean lunch or dinner is a block away. Frozen yogurt is in The Pearl, and a ready-made casserole for tonight is at the Terrace. The one thing missing from that list is a grocery store, and that is the project that has run into the most trouble.
Here is where things stand as of early October 2026.
Sisk Avenue now opens at 5 a.m.
Dutch Bros Coffee had its grand opening at 704 Sisk Ave. on Wednesday, September 30, according to the Oxford Eagle. It's a drive-thru. The menu covers hot and iced coffee, cold brew, blended drinks, teas, lemonades, and the company's Rebel energy drinks, and many drinks can be customized with flavors, milk options, and toppings.
The hours are what change the corridor most. The Dutch Bros Oxford location page lists 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. You can also order ahead. That's a 17-hour window Sunday through Thursday and 18 hours on weekends, on a street that already has Chick-fil-A and Chipotle. It also passed its first test quickly. Dutch Bros was on the list of Lafayette County facilities that earned an A grade in the Mississippi State Department of Health's September inspections.
The Eagle described the shop as adding "another national coffee brand to the growing Sisk Avenue corridor." That word "growing" sets up the next stop.
A table for lunch and dinner at 803 Sisk
A short way down the same street, Aplós Simple Mediterranean has opened at 803 Sisk Ave. The Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce held its ribbon cutting, which the Oxford Eagle reported on September 2. Oxford is the brand's third location, after Jackson and Ridgeland.
Founder Chef Alex Eaton told What Now Memphis this summer that the restaurant "has been designed to be a place where students, families, and locals can gather for everything from a quick lunch to dinner and drinks." The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber directory lists Maggie McCullough as general manager.
Aplós calls itself fast-casual, and you can order online ahead of time for pickup or delivery. Its print menu covers all locations, not Oxford alone. It includes:
- Greek wings
- Mediterranean street corn dip
- Whipped feta
- Hummus bowl
- Grilled chicken gyro
- Chicken shawarma wrap
- Falafel wrap
- The Aplós burger
- Neapolitan pizzas
The Aplós locations page lists Oxford hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, with the phone number (662) 267-5675. That page dates from July, before the ribbon cutting, so it's worth calling before a late dinner while the restaurant settles into its schedule.
Aplós and Dutch Bros sit about a block apart, and between them Sisk Avenue now has a coffee drive-thru that opens before sunrise and a full menu at a table from late morning into the evening.
The new spots at a glance
| Business | Where | What it serves | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch Bros Coffee | 704 Sisk Ave. | Drive-thru coffee, tea, lemonade, energy drinks | Sun–Thu 5 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri–Sat 5 a.m.–11 p.m. |
| Aplós Simple Mediterranean | 803 Sisk Ave. | Fast-casual Mediterranean, pizzas | Listed daily 11 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| YOBY | The Pearl at Oxford Commons | Frozen yogurt and coffee | Not yet published in our sources |
| Able Mabel | The Terrace, next to 20/20 Lux Spa | Prepared casseroles, cakes, pies | Not yet published in our sources |
Dessert and tomorrow's dinner, off Sisk
The other two openings are just off the Sisk Avenue strip, and they cover the parts of the day the restaurants don't.
YOBY is a frozen yogurt and coffee shop in The Pearl at Oxford Commons. In March, the Eagle said it would offer frozen yogurt, specialty coffee drinks, and casual seating. The forecast then was May or June, and it took longer than that. YOBY appears on the state health department's September list of facilities with an A grade, which confirms it is up and running. I haven't found official hours or a full menu yet. If The Pearl's website still says "opening soon," that page simply hasn't been updated.
Able Mabel is at the Terrace shopping center, next door to 20/20 Lux Spa. The Newcomb family developed it, and it specializes in pre-made casseroles, cakes, and pies. Of the four new places, this is the only one built around food you take home and serve later. It's also on the September A-grade list. Hours and the day's lineup haven't been published in the sources I've reviewed, so a quick call or a stop on your way past the Terrace is the best way to find out what's in the case.
One retail opening from earlier this year belongs here too. Fran, a women's boutique and sister store to Jane on the Square, opened in late February, according to the Eagle's March 2 report.
Announced, but not confirmed open
Several more projects from the March announcement have no confirmed opening yet. Here is what was said about each one, so you know what was promised and what is still unknown.
- Whataburger, on Sisk Avenue, on the next lot over from the Dutch Bros site beside Chipotle. In March it was expected to break ground in early summer.
- Baskin-Robbins, at the Terrace next to the Oxford Commons Design Center. It was expected to open this summer, and I haven't found confirmation that it has.
- McDonald's, planned for the lot next to Tractor Supply where the former daycare building stood. Blackburn expected construction to begin this summer.
- Citizens Bank, next to the Whataburger site and across from Chick-fil-A. In March it was expected to break ground within 90 days.
- Legally Tan, in The Pearl. It was projected to open in June.
When Whataburger opens, Sisk Avenue will have three national quick-service names within a few lots of Chipotle, plus a bank between them.
The grocery is the piece still waiting
Every opening so far adds a meal, a drink, or a dessert. The project that would let you do a full week's shopping in the Commons is the one that has stalled.
Sullivan's Grocery is a regional supermarket known for fresh produce, meat, seafood, a bakery, and a full-service deli. The Oxford store is planned at 35,000 square feet, and the Eagle described it as a grocery anchor for the Summit area and the neighborhoods around it. The site has already changed once. A site plan was approved in September 2024 for the Colonnade Crossing development off Highway 30. In March, Blackburn confirmed the store would move to the Ed Perry Boulevard frontage road in the Summit at Oxford Commons, closer to the center of the development.
Then came a slowdown. On April 20, the Oxford Eagle reported that a dispute over combining four lots could delay the store. The Planning Commission tabled the plat amendment until its May meeting. I haven't found a public report of how that May meeting went, or any announced construction start or opening date for Sullivan's.
That leaves the Commons food scene in an unusual spot this fall. You can get coffee at dawn, Greek wings for lunch, frozen yogurt in the afternoon, and a casserole for dinner, all within the development. A gallon of milk or a week of groceries still means driving somewhere else. The approvals for Sullivan's are the next thing to watch.
If you live near Oxford Commons or are thinking about a home or condo close to Sisk Avenue, I'm glad to talk through what's open, what's still in the works, and how it fits your daily routine. I follow these openings closely because they affect how a place feels to live in. Reach out to Alison Alger anytime. Let's Connect.
