Atlanta — Velvet Taco has opened its first Atlanta restaurant in Buckhead. The 2,500-square-foot establishment is situated at 77 W. Paces Ferry Road within a Whole Foods Market-anchored shopping center. The late-night joint offers a variety of chicken, beef, pork, fish and vegetarian tacos as well as brunch options. Velvet Taco expects to open a second Atlanta location next year at the Interlock development in West Midtown, according to local media. Based in Dallas, the brand also operates restaurants in Austin, Chicago and Houston.
Arlington Heights, Ill. — Tropical Smoothie Cafe, a fast-casual concept known for its smoothies and tropical food, is opening its 800th location. The restaurant, located at 115 W. Rand Road in Arlington Heights, is set to open this Friday, Sept. 6. Tropical Smoothie Cafe has grown at a rapid pace this year, opening its 750th location in May. Existing franchisee Hani Halloun, along with first-time franchisees Edward Joubran and Martin Khoshaba, will own and operate the new Arlington Heights location. There are currently seven Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations in the …
Atlanta — Delaware North will open Good Game, a 7,500-square-foot dining and entertainment concept that offers Topgolf’s Swing Suite virtual simulator bays. Good Game will house seven bays, accommodating up to eight people in each bay. The Topgolf Swing Suite bays also offer a variety of virtual games, including the Topgolf target game, Zombie Dodgeball, Hockey Shots, Baseball Pitching and Carnival Classic. Delaware North, which has been the exclusive food and beverage service provider for Battery landlord Braves Development Co. and SunTrust Park since 2016, also operates the Terrapin Taproom, H&F Burger …
Mission Viejo, Calif. — SRS Real Estate Partners’ National Net Lease Group has completed the sale of a single-tenant retail property located at 28651 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo. Irvine, California-based Pacific Castle sold the asset to a Hawaii-based investor for $3.8 million, or $1,374 per square foot. Patrick Luther, Matthew Mousavi and Terrison Quinn of SRS’ National Net Lease Group represented the seller, while Arthur Flores of CBRE represented the buyer in the deal. Built in 1979, the 2,759-square-foot property is scheduled to be renovated in the near future. …
Louisville, Ky. — Pizza Hut will close as many as 500 dine-in stores over the next 24 months as part of a broader strategy to bolster its delivery and carryout services, company executives said during the second-quarter earnings call. Food Business News first reported the announcement. Pizza Hut, which is owned by Louisville-based YUM! Brands, operates about 7,500 locations across the United States and 18,000 worldwide. In the United States, roughly 6,100 of the company’s locations are dine-in restaurants. The remaining locations are express units, which feature limited menus and minimal …
Los Angeles — Beverly Hills, California-based Bolour Associates has purchased 0.69 acres, located at 163-179 S. Vermont St. in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, for $7.4 million. Simultaneous to the acquisition, Bolour signed long-term ground lease with an undisclosed quick-serve restaurant for the site. The site’s new tenant signed a 15-year, triple-net lease and is expected to complete tenant improvements on a standalone 3,209-square-foot building, located on the property, before opening for business. Alex Sachs and Brian Peterson of WESTMAC Commercial Brokerage Co. represented the buyer and undisclosed seller. Michael Pakravan of …
Allentown, Pa. — City Center Investment Corp. plans to open Downtown Allentown Market, a $4 million project in Allentown. The 12,000-square-foot retail space will be located within the City Center Allentown mixed-use development. The market will feature nine food and drink merchants, indoor and outdoor seating and flexible space for programming and pop-up shops. Brick-and-mortar tenants include sushi/poke concept Shinsen; Mediterranean restaurant Zahra; ice creamery Batch Microcreamery; Little Miss Korea; Doughnut Love, Licensed to Grill @ The Market; and Tavola pizzeria. The food hall will also house a distillery. City …
Gainesville, Fla. — Former University of Florida football coach Steve Spurrier is seeking a partner for a new restaurant in Celebration Pointe in Gainesville. The new restaurant will be called “Spurrier’s” and is expected to open in 2020. The selected partner will have a $1 million build-out budget and the ability to influence the final menu and décor, as well a salary and/or equity in the restaurant. The partner will be named later this year. Celebration Pointe is a 160-acre mixed-use development that upon completion will span more than 1 …
Jacksonville, Fla. — The Ferber Co. has entered into a contract to acquire Brooklyn Place, a vacant building that sits on 1.5 acres in downtown Jacksonville. The initial tenant lineup at the 11,500-square-foot site includes Panera Bread and Bento Asian Kitchen + Sushi. There is a 1,520-square-foot space available. Ferber expects the land acquisition to close this summer and will begin construction immediately after. Completion is scheduled for summer 2020. A sales price and seller for the land acquisition were not disclosed.
Dallas — Eataly, a concept that offers Italian-inspired food and drink in a marketplace setting, has signed a lease to open a 48,000-square-foot space at NorthPark Center, an enclosed shopping mall in Dallas. This location will be the company’s first in Texas. Scott Muller, Katie Rambie, Kiley Pipkin, Zach Ballenger, Justin Rasansky, Sydney Muller and Jack Gosnell of CBRE represented Eataly in the lease negotiations.