Former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Marcus Stroud scored a win May 15 when the Downtown Investment Authority board approved an incentive for his first restaurant.
The board voted 8-0 for approval of a $96,620 Retail Enhancement Program grant to help Stroud launch Baby Got Brunch in the NorthCore district.
The name of the establishment is a reference to the nickname bestowed on Stroud by his teammates at the University of Georgia.
Stroud plans to open the establishment in a single-story, 5,000-square-foot space at 610 N. Julia St. The space is part of the Residences at City Place condominiums at 311 W. Ashley St.
Stroud, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, played for the Jaguars from 2001 to 2007. He retired from the NFL as a Jaguar after playing for the Buffalo Bills from 2008 through 2010.
In an interview after a DIA committee voted to recommend passage of the REV grant, Stroud said he had maintained property in Jacksonville after his playing days and recently moved his family here full-time from Atlanta.
He described himself as a lifelong foodie and said his goal was to create a big-city atmosphere with live music and other events that would bring in patrons for more than food and beverages. The DIA’s Retail Enhancement Program grants provide a forgivable loan secured by a note.
According to the staff report, the restaurant will seat 80 in chairs and booths with 14 bar stools, a stage area that doubles as extra seating when not being used and a private room. The establishment will employ 25 people, including management.
A menu includes chicken and waffles, short ribs and waffles, burgers, shrimp and grits, salads, macaroni and cheese and slow-cooked collards. Brunch will be offered all day with a full bar menu of cocktails and a variety of mimosas.
Stroud, who bought the property in 2022 for $295,000, plans to renovate the building and open the restaurant at a cost of $763,485. That figure does not include furniture, fixtures and equipment.
The site puts Stroud in position to benefit from the proposed Gateway Jax mixed-use project, the first phase of which involves transforming five blocks of NorthCore property into apartments, offices, retail space, courtyards and more. Cost of the first phase is estimated at $419 million.
The incentive for the restaurant was on the nine-member board’s consent agenda. The board, which has one vacant position, passed it without comment.
