Pastry chef Brant Dadaleares has leased 57 Exchange Street, the subterranean former location of Christmas Noel in the John Calvin Steven designed building at the intersection with Middle Street.

Dadaleares will be renovating the 2,000 sq ft space where this November he plans to open Gross Confection Bar (website, facebook, instagram) serving an “ever changing selection of high-quality artfully-plated desserts, cocktails, dessert wines, and digestifs” in the evening, and take-out pastries and coffee in the mornings.

GCB will have seating for 37.

Dadaleares was the longtime pastry chef at Fore Street. He’s also worked at Arrows, Hugo’s/Eventide/The Honey Paw, Roustabout and Central Provisions/Tipo.

Dextrous Creative has been hired as architects for Gross Confection Bar.

To get a sense of what a Gross-style dessert is like check out this fun video from Knack Factory.

Heritage Seaweed (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction at 61 India Street. The new shop will sell specialty seaweed-based foods and other seaweed products such as: skincare and bath products, candles, tinctures, tea, cookbooks, ID guides and art.

Heritage Seaweed hopes to open in July.

The newest member of the Veranda Thai family of restaurants is under development in South Portland. Hana Thai will be located at 740 Broadway is the mall that is also home to the branch location of Two Fat Cats.

Hana Thai is owned by Than Pham, the younger brother of Hai Pham who opened the first Veranda Thai in Deering.

Than Pham is currently hiring staff and plans to open the 1800 sq ft Hana Thai  in June.