Two new Tijuana Flats locations are headed to St. Johns County, bringing the popular Tex Mex chain to a total of 10 locations in Northeast Florida.
The Orlando-based chain will open restaurants at Nocatee Town Center on Crosswater Parkway and at an in-the-works development at the intersection of U.S. 1 and S.R. 207 in St. Augustine. Both stores will have a footprint of about 2,400 square feet.
The Nocatee Tijuana Flats is expected to open late this year, while the St. Augustine location plans on an early 2017 opening.
The restaurant chain, which has 110 locations in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and Indiana, already has a number of stores in Duval County, including a location in Riverside near Five Points. There are also locations on San Jose Blvd., Roosevelt Blvd., Beach Blvd., River City Marketplace, Deerwood Village, The Shoppes of Bartram and off of Country Road 220 in Fleming Island.
It has always been a part of the plan to expand further south in Northeast Florida, and the time is right, with a news release citing strong sales in 2015 and new private investors.
“Jacksonville and its supporting markets are like a second home for Tijuana Flats,” Vice President of Development for Tijuana Flats Patrick Fore said in the release. “Expansion south of Jacksonville continues along planned development routes to connect with customer demand as these are experiencing tremendous growth.”
Franklin Street acted as the broker for the signing of the two new locations.
