Seattle-based Sur La Table intends to open its first Jacksonville store, but has not signed a lease yet at Mandarin Landing.
The company, with more than 115 stores nationwide, sells cookware, cutlery, dinnerware, food, coffee and tea and more. It also offers a culinary program.
Sur La Table has indicated a construction timeframe leading to an October opening, which is an estimate pending the lease.
The stores employ more than 20 full- and part-time employees.
Mandarin Landing is at 10601 San Jose Blvd. If a lease is signed there, Sur La Table could join a center featuring Whole Foods, Office Depot and Kirkland’s home décor.
The neighborhood shopping center is along San Jose Boulevard at Hartley Road, north of Interstate 295.
Sur La Table CEO Diane Neal issued a statement that Jacksonville residents “will now be able to discover our unparalleled selection of exclusive and premium-quality goods for the kitchen and dining table and experience first-hand the passion of our lauded culinary program.”
She said the store will offer a diverse schedule of hands-on cooking classes, led by classically trained chefs.
Sur La Table was founded in 1972 by Shirley Collins, who opened the first store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. It is now owned by Investcorp.
The upscale kitchen retailer says it carries thousands of products for the kitchen, including barware, electric items, gadgets, glassware and table décor.
Its cooking-class program began in 1996 and is one of the largest avocational programs in the country, it says. More than 300,000 students take part each year.
It says most classes are hands-on and focus on seasonal foods and technique. It works with skill levels from beginners to advanced, including children and teens. It also offers private lessons.
The company also offers a gift registry and personal concierge services.
Its nine Florida stores include the most recently opened in September in Tampa.
The company said it does not share the square footage of its stores. Tampabay.com said the new Tampa location is about 6,100 square feet.
Mandarin Landing is owned by Equity One Inc., which did not return a phone call or email for comment.
Bealls Outlet to open in Westland Plaza
Bealls Outlet intends to open another store in Jacksonville, this one in Westland Park Plaza.
The city is reviewing a permit application for a $525,000 build-out of almost 22,000 square feet at 6000 Lake Gray Blvd. at the plaza, at northwest Interstate 295 and Blanding Boulevard. The site is near Orange Park.
Bealls Outlet operates five stores in Jacksonville and plans to add one to a reconfigured Bealls Department Store at Beach and Hodges boulevards. The Westside plans represent a seventh outlet. Six more Bealls Outlets operate in Northeast Florida.
Flame Broiler plans San Marco site
A third Jacksonville location for The Flame Broiler should open in early 2016 on the path toward five-10 area restaurants over the next few years.
Owner Jackie Grzebin leased about 1,450 square feet of space at 1539-1541 San Marco Blvd. and expects to open toward the end of February. It is next to Painting with a Twist.
Dakenna Development Inc. is the contractor for the proposed $250,000 project.
Like the first two Flame Broilers in Tapestry Park and the Butler Pointe shopping center, it will employ 10-14 people.
Flame Broiler is a Korean fast-food restaurant whose tag line is “A healthy choice.”
Grzebin opened the first restaurant five years ago at 9822 Tapestry Park Circle. The Butler Pointe site is at 7159 Philips Highway.
She said Flame Broiler is a popular West Coast franchise. There are 178 locations in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma and Florida. In addition to the two Jacksonville restaurants, there is one in Orlando owned by another franchisee.
The restaurants are independently owned and operated as franchises.
Lexington repairing the roof
Owners of the Lexington Hotel & Conference Center Jacksonville Riverwalk continue their estimated up to $20 million in renovations to the Southbank property.
Vantage Hospitality Group paid $9 million in June for the 34-year-old, 323-room property and rebranded it as Lexington. The Coral Springs-based group promised a top-down, room-by-room renovation.
The city issued a permit in October for $2.46 million in renovations for guest rooms, after several sign permits in June and July. A permit was issued Friday for a $730,000 roof repair and recoat by Southern Coatings Inc. The city issued sign permits starting in June.
The lexingtonhotels.com site notes the property is expected to be under renovation until December 2016. It’s at 1515 Prudential Drive and remains open during the work.
Park Place at Riverside for sale
Riverside’s resurgence, especially given the rebirth of the Brooklyn area, could continue with the sale of Park Place at Riverside.
JLL has listed the six-story, almost 49,000-square-foot building for sale. The 42-year-old structure is 74 percent occupied and offers 147 parking spaces, according to JLL.
The building, at 751 Oak St., is just off Interstate 95 and is considered a Class B suburban structure.
River Park Holdings LLC acquired the property for $1.4 million in late 2012 when Gilmore Street Investors LLLP conveyed it. Gilmore Street Investors Ltd. paid $3 million for it in 2000, buying it from HD Realty Inc. It became known as Gilmore Center.
Property records show a 2016 market value in progress of $2.7 million and an assessed value of $2.2 million.
The property marketing flier does not indicate a price, and says the offering memorandum is available upon request.
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