Tenant representative Carrie Smith, regional managing partner with the Franklin Street real estate services company, said Newk’s Eatery wanted to open one store this year and was looking at the Jacksonville Beach and St. Johns Town Center/Tinseltown markets.
Newk’s Eatery operates at 14964 Max Leggett Parkway in River City Marketplace and at 9047-1 Southside Blvd. near The Avenues mall.
Smith said the company wants to open three more area stores over the next three to five years in Duval and Clay counties.
“The two that are open have been successful and we want to keep expanding in the market,” she said. “They like Jacksonville as a trade area.”
Newk’s Chief Development Officer Chris Cheek spoke Tuesday at the International Council of Shopping Centers North Florida Idea Exchange.
He told members that 60 percent of Newk’s Eatery’s sales are generated at lunch, 30 percent at dinner and 10 percent from catering.
The fast-casual bakery café looks for 3,800- to 4,500-square-foot locations and has converted former retail stores and restaurants into a Newk’s Eatery.
Cheek said with 77 restaurants in 13 states, Newk’s Eatery projects 29 openings this year. It is based in Jackson, Miss.
Jason’s Deli wants 5-6 stores in Jacksonville
Jason’s Deli also has targeted Jacksonville for growth, planning to expand from one store now, in the Tinseltown area, by possibly five more.
“We want to saturate Jacksonville,” said Kimberly Kneier with the Beaumont, Texas-based company’s real estate department. She operates out of Asheville, N.C.
Kneier also spoke Tuesday at the ICSC North Florida Idea Exchange.
She explained the former franchisee of the two stores in Jacksonville retired and the company bought back the stores, closing the Jacksonville Beach location. The only store operating is at 4375 Southside Blvd.
Kneier told retail brokers and developers that the company seeks opportunities to accommodate a 5,000-square-foot restaurant that would seat 140 and offer patio space.
It operates for lunch and dinner, while 40 percent of its sales are from catering. The company looks for sites with a strong catering market area within a 15- to 25-minute drive. Jason’s Deli also has added drive-thru service as part of its new concept.
As for locations, Kneier said it could lease inline or free-standing sites; buy a larger building and lease what it doesn’t need to other tenants; or modify and adapt to fit “wherever we think ground zero is.”
It prefers an endcap site with a drive-thru, she said. “But all of it could be fluid.”
Jason’s Deli has 149 corporate-owned stores and 106 franchise units, Kneier said. She said the company wants to open 12-14 stores a year.
Pantry pumping up Kangaroo drink stations
The Pantry Inc. continues to invest in upgrading its fountain beverage and coffee stations at Kangaroo convenience stores and gas stations.
After landing permits for 12 store renovations at a cost of $288,000, The Pantry now has applied for six more, totaling $138,000.
The new applications are for Kangaroo stations at 8350 Baymeadows Road; 13697 Beach Blvd.; 9901 New Kings Road; 13957 N. Main St.; 1092 McDuff Ave.; and 10500 Philips Highway.
The Pantry Inc., an independent convenience store chain based in Cary, N.C., operates almost 60 stores in Duval County and more than 100 in the five-county metropolitan Jacksonville area.
It operates more than 1,500 locations in 13 states under its banners, including its primary banner, Kangaroo Express.
Restaurants on the rise
• Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to open at Beach and Hodges boulevards. A $300,000 build-out is in city review for a 2,400-square-foot restaurant at 13546 Beach Blvd. It should seat 59 inside and 28 on the patio.
• Panda Express is preparing to build an almost 2,700-square-foot restaurant at 12697 Bartram Park Blvd. It should seat 60 inside and 16 outdoors. It’s next to Dunkin’ Donuts.
• Mission BBQ is closer to opening at 8440 Blanding Blvd. The city is reviewing a permit application for construction of the two-tenant, 7,800-square-foot building that will comprise Mission BBQ and an Aspen Dental location.
• Moe’s Southwest Grill is planning a location at 13975 Village Lake Circle in the Bartram area.
• Wicked Barley Brewing Co. is under St. Johns River Water Management District review for a proposed restaurant and brewery at 4100 Baymeadows Road.
• Burrito Gallery, Zoës Kitchen and the Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops are closer to opening in Brooklyn Station on Riverside. The building should be under construction soon, followed by tenant build-out.
• Lew’s Diner is remodeling at 6242 Old Soutel Court.
Food bites
Food- and drink-related businesses filed names with the state Division of Corporations under the Fictitious Name Law to operate:
• Mexican Restaurant La Juquilita, to Silvano Conseco, mailing address is 3044 Calder Drive, Lot. 24, Jacksonville Beach.
• The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro, by The Potter’s House Community Development Empowering Center Inc. and The Potter’s House Christian Fellowship Inc. Narlene McLaughlin is president and Ronald Shider is vice president of The Potter’s House Community Development Empowering Center. Vaughn McLaughlin is president and director; Narlene McLaughlin is vice president, secretary and director; and Ronald Shider is director of The Potter’s House Christian Fellowship Inc.
• Whit’s Frozen Custard of Jax Beach, by Seaside Custard LLC, mailing address is 11980 Diamond Springs Drive. Michael McKinley and Jessica McKinley are partners in Seaside Custard LLC.
• Felecia’s Bistro, by Gale Felecia Paige, mailing address is 5468 Selton Ave.
• Luigi’s Restaurant, by Eleftherios Thliveros, 5912 University Blvd. W.
• Ollie Lollie’s Cupcakery, by Jaime N. Howard and Spencia K. Howard, mailing address is 7347 Prosperity Park Road N.
• Roger’s Peanuts, Drinks and More, by James Roger Davis, mailing address is 9865 Heckscher Drive.
• Milk and Honey Farms Meat Processing, by Brian Randall Mers and Mary Lisa Mers, 5310 Long Branch Road, Maxville, Clay County.
• Murray Bros. Caddyshack, by CS Ventures LLC, 455 S. Legacy Trail, St. Augustine, St. Johns County. Macdonald T. Haskell and Andrew Murray are managers of CS Ventures LLC.
• Littlest Cake Shop, by Jeffrey Michael Kraker and Gail Mary Kraker, mailing address is 1093 A1A Beach Blvd., PMB 524, St. Augustine Beach, St. Johns County.
• Gary’s Dog Carts, by Gary A. Watters, 44726 Woodland Circle, Callahan, Nassau County.
Licensed to serve
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan issued business licenses for:
• Urban Grind Coffee Co., to SG Creatives LLC, 45 W. Bay St. Stacey Goldberg and Craig Goldberg are managers of SG Creatives.
• B B Go, to J Hyun Corp., 13475 Atlantic Blvd., No. 14. Brian Kim is president of J Hyun Corp.
• Rub BBQ, to Rub LLC, 3625 St. Johns Bluff Road S.
• Little Caesars, to TTRB Holdings LLC, at 13740 Beach Blvd., No. 111, and at 11000 Beach Blvd., No. 207.
• Townsend Seafood Market, to RMK Enterprises Inc., 2909 Townsend Blvd.
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