Lake Forest, Calif. — Del Taco Restaurants, Inc., the second largest Mexican-American quick-service restaurant chain by units in the United States, recently commenced the marketing of certain company-operated restaurants across four non-core Western markets. The refranchising of these restaurants is expected to be completed by summer 2020 and is planned to help shift company ownership to approximately 45% of the Del Taco system while stimulating growth in new restaurants and existing restaurant AUVs. Del Taco first announced its Restaurant Portfolio Optimization plan in January 2019 and subsequently retained The Cypress …
restaurants
Miami — One of Wynwood’s most-loved wine bars, Bunbury, has made its way to Downtown Miami’s Arts & Entertainment district. After more than 5 years in the Miami arts district of Wynwood, co-owners Paula Costa and Fernanda Orellano thought it was time to expand and bring a hint of Argentine flair to the downtown neighborhood. Now open in Square Station, a newly-built apartment complex by fellow Argentinian developers the Melo Group, Bunbury took 7,500 square feet of ground-floor space with ample indoor and outdoor seating at the base of the …
Baltimore — Construction is underway on the new restaurant fit-out of Wayward Smokehouse and Curious Oyster located at The Avenue at White Marsh in Baltimore. The project, a contemporary dual-concept restaurant and bar is a renovation of an existing building. The renovation of the former Don Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant includes extensive modifications to the exterior and interior of the building, creating a unique brand identity for each restaurant. Both restaurants blur the line between outdoor and indoor with garage doors and accordion windows that lead to outdoor dining areas. According …
Chicago — Cornerstone Restaurant Group (CRG), a national leader in the restaurant space, looks beyond traditional borders in restaurant dining to where the customer is consuming today. Widely considered a trailblazer in the delivery space in Chicago, CRG is embracing new opportunities and new technologies in the months ahead. Led by freshly minted President Josh Zadikoff, CRG is pleased to announce exciting initiatives this summer, from a virtual restaurant space to retail dining to food halls. CRG has partnered with global home furnishings retailer, Crate & Barrel, to open its …
Jericho, N.Y. — Nathan’s Famous has hired James Walker, CFE, as the company’s senior vice president, restaurants. He joins the company from Subway where he was vice president, North America, overseeing all franchised restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. “We are excited to have James on board to lead our all-important restaurant division,” says Eric Gatoff, CEO of Nathan’s Famous. “While our success over the last decade has largely come from our product licensing and foodservice businesses, Nathan’s started as a restaurant company in 1916. James’ skill set includes extensive …
North Miami, Fla. — South Florida’s iconic Krispy Kreme, located on 167th Street in North Miami, has been replaced with a larger, more modern version of the famous Hot N’ Ready doughnut shop with a few additional features. FRONTIER Building has completed the construction of the new 3,576-square-foot restaurant that now includes a drive-thru and 11 parking spaces. The new structure features an updated store design and will also serve as a distribution center. FRONTIER Building’s director of construction, Andrew Goggin, was the lead on the project. “We’re excited to …
Columbia, Md. – The board of directors of The Greene Turtle has named Geovannie “Geo” Concepcion, formerly COO of Minneapolis-based Famous Dave’s, as president/CEO. He plans to guide the 44-unit casual dining chain to the next stage in its growth and success. During his time with Famous Dave’s, Concepcion oversaw company and franchise operations, marketing, IT, culinary, franchise sales and training, and compiled a stellar track record overseeing initiatives in many areas on which The Greene Turtle is now focused. Under his leadership, same-store sales at company-owned stores grew for …
Costa Mesa, Calif. — Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, the casual dining restaurant known for its handcrafted American food and drink, plans to open its first restaurant in Florida next year, which will be located at the Westfield Broward Mall in Plantation. Designed to feel like a Rocky Mountain Wyoming escape, Lazy Dog’s warm interior will feature lodge-inspired furnishings such as cozy fireplaces, ledge stone, a chandelier crafted from Aspen logs, and artwork reminiscent of the Cowboy State. Multiple flat-screen TVs will be installed throughout the bar and patio areas …
Covington, Ky. — Braxton Brewing Co., a local brewery with national recognition, plans to expand its presence to Fort Mitchell, Ky., with the opening of the area’s first barrel-aging brewery and taproom. Expected to open in fall 2019, the Braxton Barrel House will offer a unique experience for patrons by giving them the opportunity to create custom private barrel picks of barrel-aged brews. The location of the brewery and taproom is a unique space. Once a Remke grocery store, the 2,000-square-foot loading dock will be redeveloped with large glass garage …
Pacific Construction Services Transforms Parking Garage Space into Bar Louie Restaurant
by Katie Lee
Chicago — PCS, a Chicago-based fully-integrated construction management firm, has provided construction management and advisory services to Poag Shopping Centers, LLC that resulted in the transformation of a portion of a parking garage into a high-profile restaurant for its LaCenterra retail center in suburban Houston. Throughout the entire development process from lease negotiations to the opening of the restaurant, PCS advised the lifestyle center’s owners and the tenant on the various challenges for transforming a portion of the parking facility into a Bar Louie restaurant. With PCS’ support, the local …