Epik Burger opening at Atlantic & Girvin
Epik Burger Inc. owner and General Manager Korey Konopasek said he plans to open in March at 12740 Atlantic Blvd., at Atlantic Boulevard and Girvin Road, in Landmark Station near the Tokyo Japanese Restaurant.
Konopasek said Epik Burger will be a fast-casual restaurant, meaning food is ordered at the counter and delivered to the table.
The epikburger.com website shows a tentative menu that includes grass-fed beef burgers, chicken burgers, ahi tuna burgers and homemade veggie burgers on gluten-free, whole wheat and brioche buns, along with sides and desserts. It says owners Korey and Lovice Konopasek created Epik Burger.
"We will provide high quality and innovative burgers utilizing the best ingredients available with a variety of healthy eating options," the site says.
Korey Konopasek was raised in Jacksonville and attended New England Culinary Institute, where he earned a culinary arts degree as well as a food and beverage management degree. After completing culinary school he moved to Las Vegas for more experience in the food and beverage industry, meeting Lovice, who was working at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The site says Lovice Konopasek had lived half her life in Las Vegas after moving there from the Philippines. The couple married and relocated to Jacksonville. Korey Konopasek has been a food and beverage director at the University of North Florida for the past eight years.
The beef burger menu includes at least 18 varieties, including Rueben, Tex-Mex, Greek, Korean, Vietnamese and Deep South burgers.
Krispy Kreme prepping for new Cassat shop
Krispy Kreme is on the way back to the Cassat Avenue site it previously occupied in West Jacksonville. The City approved a demolition permit Friday for RPC General Contractors to take down the closed building at 810 Cassat Ave. at a project cost of $15,000.
The North Carolina-based chain closed the doughnut shop in 2005 to the disappointment of many Westside customers after 35 years in business.
Development site plans filed with the City show a new 2,300-square-foot Krispy Kreme with a drive-thru lane. Krispy Kreme, a 75-year-old company, has two other stores in Jacksonville, at 12973 Atlantic Blvd. and 11117 San Jose Blvd., which is being remodeled.
Dunkin' Donuts remodeling at Cassat
Dunkin' Donuts at 741 Cassat Ave. is being remodeled at a project cost of $115,000 by Suncoast Industrial & Construction Services. It's a 3,477-square-foot store.
Tijuana Flats North Jacksonville plans
Tijuana Flats is closer to adding a North Jacksonville restaurant. The City approved a building permit Friday for Auld & White Constructors to build a structure at 651 Nautica Drive in River City Marketplace. Plans have shown Tijuana Flats will operate in a building that will include another tenant, Aspen Dental.
4 Rivers buys Baymeadows site
4 Rivers Smokehouse is closer to opening. Rock 4R 1 LLC, based in Winter Park, paid $720,000 for property at 9220 Baymeadows Road for development of Jacksonville's first 4 Rivers Smokehouse. The property is a former Roadhouse Grill.
Winter Park-based 4 Rivers is owned by Jacksonville native John Rivers and the "4" represents his family members. Rivers told the Daily Record in October he plans to open the 125-seat Baymeadows restaurant by April. Rivers has three restaurants in the Orlando area and plans a restaurant in Gainesville as well. Rock 4R bought the property from CNL Funding 2000-A LP.
Mikado sign at Blanding
Look for the sign for Mikado at 8106 Blanding Blvd. Ad America has the permit to put up the wall sign at a project cost of $1,650.