Bento Café, which has a restaurant in The Markets at Town Center near St. Johns Town Center, filed plans to renovate the former Cruisers Grill location in Tinseltown.
Bento Café Pan Asian & Sushi restaurants are part of Orlando-based Bento Group, which operates 15 restaurants among several concepts.
Jim Tung is a partner in the group with his brother, Johnny Tung, and David Yu.
Jim Tung, a senior executive in Bento Group, said Thursday the renovations in Tinseltown represents a $750,000 investment.
Construction alone is shown on a building permit application as $400,000. GDP Design & Construction Inc. of Orlando is listed as the contractor.
Tung said the Tinseltown location, at 9734 Deer Lake Court, No. 11, is about double the size of the Markets at Town Center restaurant.
The Tinseltown site formerly housed Cruisers Grill as well as the Brass Monkey Tapas Bar. It is at the opposite end of the center where Mellow Mushroom operates.
Tung said the Tinseltown location will offer about 120 seats for inside and patio dining. It also will feature a bar and will employ about 60 people, compared to the 50 or so at the Markets restaurant.
Tung said the new location should open in December or January. While no Beaches site has been chosen, he said a restaurant could open there by the end of 2014.
Hours at the Tinseltown restaurant will be the same as at the Markets —11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily — although the weekend hours might be extended until 11:30 p.m. or midnight.
Tung said the group has five Bento restaurants, comprising two each in Orlando and Gainesville and one in Jacksonville.
Firehouse closer to Five Points opening
Firehouse Subs filed building plans to renovate the former Five Guys Burgers and Fries restaurant in Five Points.
No contractor was listed on the application, which calls for a $130,000 build-out in the 2,641-square-foot site, which is shown with 60 seats.
The address is 1620 Margaret St., No. 105.
Wendy's, Church's file plans
• Wendy's of Florida seeks city review for a restaurant along Argyle Forest Boulevard, west of Blanding Boulevard, in southwest Jacksonville. EnVision Design & Engineering LLC is the agent.
• Church's Chicken plans a restaurant at 1855 Dunn Ave., at Mar Vic Lane, in North Jacksonville. S. Johnson Consultants Inc. is the engineer.
Earth Fare continues checking out market
Preparations continue for a Jacksonville store for Earth Fare, an Asheville, N.C.-based organic grocer.
Developer Sleiman Enterprises, through its Atlantic North LLC company, received a mobility fee calculation certificate for Earth Fare.
The fee is shown as $440,857.
Earth Fare would occupy a 23,775-square-foot building next to Academy Sports + Outdoors at the Atlantic North retail center at northwest Atlantic and Kernan boulevards.
A Belk department store also is being built at the center.
Taco Bell remodels
Taco Bell is renovating its location at Philips Highway and Emerson Street.
In addition to repairing water damage, it plans to remodel the dining room and restrooms.
A building-permit application shows a $120,000 project.
Dining signs
• Tres Leches Eatery is putting up signs at 869 Stockton St., No. 6.
Licensed to serve
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan issued a business license to:
• New Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet, 9750 Deer Lake Drive Court, to Yi Min Hai Da Inc. for a restaurant, café or snack bar.
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