Minnetonka, Minn. — Famous Dave’s opened the first of its smaller footprint prototype restaurants in Uptown Minneapolis on December 20, 2019. The new restaurant is approximately 3,000 square feet — compared to the average 6,500 to 7,000 square feet — and features a bar-centric environment and compact dining area. Famous Dave’s parent holding company, BBQ Holdings, Inc. which recently opened its Clark Crew BBQ restaurant concept with its partner Clark Championship Products LLC, is looking to open five to 10 of these smaller footprint restaurants by the end of 2020. …
News
Topeka, Kan. — Overland Park, Kan.-based Darland Construction Co. has completed the conversion of a former Kmart store in Topeka, Kan., into Wanamaker Hills Shopping Center. The 108,546-square-foot retail property is now home to Ulta, Old Navy, DSW, Five Below and Petco. Equity Investment Group (EIG), a Fort Wayne, Ind.-based developer, bought the property in 2014 and worked with Darland Construction to renovate the structure, secured permits for signage and landscaping and negotiated leases. Schwerdt Design Group was the project architect. Ulta Beauty, Petco and Five Below are already open. …
Kansas City, Mo. — Full-service commercial real estate firm Block & Company, Inc. Realtors has completed the first phase of its Kmart redevelopment project in Merriam, Kan., with the opening of a new Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. The more than 4,000-square-foot building is now one of Freddy’s largest locations in the United States. Block & Company handled the construction management of the project on behalf of the property ownership group. Construction details of the new Freddy’s included an almost complete tear-down of the existing building. Various structural elements and …
Saginaw, Mich. — Duro-Last, Inc. has welcomed Andrea Fisher as the director of marketing and Dan Ervin as the director of national accounts. Fisher will oversee and execute the branding and marketing initiatives for all John R. Burt Enterprises’ companies. As the director of national accounts, Ervin will oversee the continued growth and development of Duro-Last’s network of multi-location national account partners. Most recently, Fisher was marketing director of the Michigan-based industrial manufacturing organization MERRILL Technologies Group, Inc. Previously, Ervin co-founded Envision Real Estate Software where, for over 10 years, …
Los Angeles — Following closely on the heels of a successful entry into San Diego, Patxi’s Pizza, a full-service restaurant chain, has continued its expansion in Southern California with a new location in Los Angeles. The outpost is now open downtown at L.A. Live in place of Lawry’s Carvery. It will serve as the brand’s flagship location. The flagship Los Angeles restaurant features indoor and outdoor patio seating for more than 160 guests and an Express Window for late-night takeout. “Of course, we’re thrilled to be opening the first Los …
Irving, Texas — The Michaels Companies, Inc. has named Ashley Buchanan, an experienced retail executive from Walmart, as its new president and chief executive officer designate and appointed to the company’s board of directors, effective January 6, 2020. He will succeed Mark Cosby as CEO upon completion of a transition period ending April 1, 2020. Cosby will continue to serve as CEO until April 1 and will remain a member of the board of directors following the CEO transition. As part of the leadership transition, after more than 5 years …
Carlsbad, Calif. — The Crack Shack, a San Diego-based casual restaurant chain that offers organic, locally-sourced chicken and egg dishes, recently opened its first location beyond California, taking its place amongst the fierce competition on the Las Vegas strip. With the intention to dazzle Las Vegas-style, The Crack Shack invested in audio/video solutions controlled by Xantech’s Video over IP Platform and ELAN. “Being located at the Park MGM, Las Vegas’s newest hotel and casino, The Crack Shack’s owners knew they needed to go big to attract attention and fit the city’s over-the-top …
New York City — Artichoke Basille’s Pizza, a long-time New York City staple and famed pizza concept known nationwide for its authentic New York pizzas, will open later in December at 1410 Broadway on 39th Street, just a few blocks from Times Square. The new outpost will mark the first Midtown Manhattan restaurant for Artichoke Basille’s Pizza and the 12th location in New York City and its boroughs. “After nearly 12 years since we’ve been founded, we’re excited to finally bring Artichoke Basille’s Pizza to Midtown Manhattan, and just in …
Chattanooga, Tenn. — CBL Properties has made significant year-end progress on its strategy to transform its properties through redevelopment and the addition of new uses. In 2019, CBL completed a dozen projects totaling approximately 650,000 square feet, with an additional five projects totaling approximately 490,000 square feet currently under construction. Each redevelopment plan is unique and customized based on market demand. Strategies range from repurposing expansive parking fields to add new uses such as hotels, restaurants and self‑storage facilities to backfilling anchor vacancies with exciting concepts that resonate with today’s …
Tampa, Fla. — BTI Partners, a real estate development firm, has closed on the sale of a 1.6-acre site slated to become a waterfront restaurant in Tampa Bay’s Westshore Marina District. The deal adds a boat-up restaurant to the District’s roster of specialty retail tenants to serve the Tampa Bay area. The parcel was sold to D&G WMD, LLC. The restaurant, named Paloma, will be located at the grand entrance of Westshore Marina District and will become a landmark for boaters and residents of Tampa/St. Pete as a destination waterfront …