Epik Burger sign
Taylor Sign & Design Inc. will put up the wall sign for Epik Burger in Landmark Station at 12740 Atlantic Blvd., No. 105. The City approved the permit Monday at a project cost of $3,380.
Epik Burger Inc. owner and General Manager Korey Konopasek said he plans to open in mid-March near the Tokyo Japanese Restaurant at the retail center, which is at Atlantic Boulevard and Girvin Road.
He 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 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 remains director of operations for Dining Services at the University of North Florida and Lovice Konopasek will run the restaurant, he said. He will be there part time.
The beef burger menu includes at least 18 varieties, including Rueben, Tex-Mex, Greek, Korean, Vietnamese and Deep South burgers. The menu also features the recommended beer or wine pairings for the different burgers.
Publix renovating at Kernan Square
Publix Super Markets is renovating its Kernan Square grocery store. McIntyre Elwell & Strammer General Contractors Inc. is the contractor for the $400,000 renovation of the 51,420-square-foot store at 12620 Beach Blvd. The City issued the permit Monday. Property records show the store was built in 1998.
SweetFrog setting up in Mandarin
SweetFrog Premium Frozen Yogurt is building out a store in Mandarin Corners at 10991 San Jose Blvd.
Advanced Services of Longwood is the contractor for the $59,900 build-out of the 1,482-square-foot store. The location is at San Jose Boulevard and Claire Lane.
SweetFrog has five locations in Jacksonville, one in Orange Park and lists stores as "coming soon" in Mandarin Corners and Ponte Vedra Beach, according to its website, sweetfrog.com.