As other restaurants launch major remodeling projects to appeal to millennials and other customers, Hardee’s also is planning to upgrade its approximately 25 locations in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
The city is reviewing a permit for the first, which is a $150,000 upgrade to the River City Marketplace Hardee’s at 675 Nautica Drive.
If all are remodeled at $150,000, the renovation costs would add up to $3.75 million.
The 3,472-square-foot Nautica Drive restaurant was built in 2007 and is owned by Ramco Jacksonville LLC, developer of River City Marketplace.
Plans show the outside awnings and signage will be modified. Inside, lighting and other space will be remodeled.
Hardee’s Restaurants LLC is based in St. Louis, Mo. It is a subsidiary of CKE Restaurants Holdings Inc., a privately held company headquartered in Carpinteria, Calif.
CKE also owns Carl’s Jr. Restaurants LLC. Carl’s Jr. and Hardees along with CKE’s Green Burrito and Red Burrito concepts have 3,733 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and 39 more countries.
The Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s system is now 94 percent franchised.
A CKE representative said 2,177 Hardee’s restaurants in the U.S. and abroad will be remodeled in the coming years as part of a scheduled program.
The representative said the Nautica Drive restaurant will be the first of the area remodeled restaurants and that interior and exterior renovations would be completed simultaneously.
Hardee’s Restaurants LLC leases the location from Ramco and then subleases that location to Phase Three Star, the franchisee.
Hardee’s joins Ruby Tuesday, Arby’s, Domino’s and Wendy’s in plans to remodel their restaurants. McDonald’s will add digital kiosks in its 69 area locations for customers to place their orders.
The CKE representative said that function was being explored as well, but there are no immediate plans.
Adweek.com reported in September the redesign of many “legacy” restaurants stems from the need to appeal to millennials, generally the population from teens to mid-30s.
Adweek said customers look for pleasant, well-designed, clean environments with more than just reliable food and quick service,
Pet Supermarket to open at Village Commons
Pet Supermarket, with nine stores in Northeast Florida, will add a 10th location by leasing at the new Village Commons shopping center under development along Southside Boulevard.
Lake City-based developer Micah Linton, of Rimrock Companies, is building Village Commons at 4490-4492 Southside Blvd., which will include a previously confirmed First Watch café and an AT&T Wireless retail store.
The city approved the permit Monday for the 12,000-square-foot structure at a construction cost of $1.5 million.
Rurmell Mcgee, Rimrock director of retail development, said previously the group was working on a lease for the remaining 6,900 square feet to a national brand retailer, which he said this week is Pet Supermarket.
Retail centers going up
Over in the St. Johns Town Center area, the site clearing along Town Center Parkway is giving way to bricks and mortar.
The city approved one of the several buildings planned at The Strand at Town Center. Building 300 will be more than 14,000 square feet of space and tenant build-out will be separate.
Preferred Growth Properties is developing The Strand and The Crossing at Town Center.
Pita Pit adding restaurants
Two more Pita Pit restaurants are coming to Jacksonville, joining the four locations already operating.
Pita Pit will open at Beach and Hodges boulevards and in The Shoppes at Flagler, permits show.
The city approved a permit for a $200,000 tenant build-out at 13424 Beach Blvd. in a new strip shopping center under development.
It also is reviewing a permit application for a $126,000 build-out at the Flagler location at 14866 Old. St. Augustine Road.
The four existing locations are Downtown, in Jacksonville Beach and Fleming Island and at the University of North Florida.
The menu is what the name implies — pita bread, filled with the customer’s choice of meats, vegetables, cheeses and sauces. There also are breakfast pitas.
Pita Pit USA Inc. is based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Nelson Lang, the founder of Pita Pit, started the business in 1995 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Franchising started in Canada in 1997, followed by the U.S. in 1999.
Pita Pit USA was created in 2005. More than 240 Pita Pit restaurants operate in 43 states.
Food notes
• La Napolera is shown on site plans as a 3,200-square-foot tenant at 12640 Bartram Park Blvd., a former Daruma Japanese Steakhouse. Other tenants in the almost 9,000-square-foot building are listed as Sherwin-Williams and Nail Spot. Investors bought the bank-owned building in May for $1.4 million. It was built in 2006.
• The Bank of America café at Gramercy Woods, Building 600, will be renovated. The Gramercy Woods office park is at 9000 Southside Blvd.
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