FSR November 2022

SUBURBAN SPRAWL

places have the same demographic. So why does Mckinney have such a lower amount of alcohol sales?” Lancaster says. “I think what this is telling me, based on the information, is the people inMcKin ney don’t have a place to hang out, enjoy drinks, and enjoy a social, restaurant bar experience.” So 33 Restaurant Group created The Yard to fill that gap. Formerly a tapas restaurant, The Yard operates out of a century-old house and, true to its name, takes advantage of the property’s expan sive outdoor space under the shade of large oak trees. Lancaster describes it as

ney credits family and the Seattle area’s general atmosphere as strong incentives to move back, but the region’s evolution also factored into the decision. “[Part of] the motivation was seeing the growth of the city and in particular Bellevue. It kind of strays away from the big city of Seattle, but there are Ama zons and Googles coming out here. I also see the beauty of small businesses really wanting to thrive in Bellevue, and every one really wants them to succeed,” she says. “Customers and locals … don’t nec essarily want to travel all the way to the big city to see something cool or expe

Per The Seattle Times , a “wave of bars” has been popping up in other satellite cities like Bothel, as well as more residential neighborhoods in the city proper. “We just thought they were a way to really connect with people and have a little quiet spot,” she says. “Even though it’s a nightlife scene, it feels quiet, and it feels secluded.” WIN-WIN ALL AROUND Roots Southern Table in Farmers Branch, Texas (another Dallas suburb) marks the first full-service restaurant and the first standalone unit from “Top Chef ” star Tiffany Derry and business partner Tom Foley. The duo had previously opened two food hall locations of their fast casual, Roots Chicken Shak, in Plano and Austin, Texas, and while the for mer may be considered a satellite city of Dallas, it has six times the population of Farmers Branch. In selecting the site for its more polished concept, commu nity ties were essential. “One of the other aspects when you’re opening a restaurant is all those partner ships that you have—and partnerships not in a formal perspective but support ive partnerships,” Foley says. “The city of Farmers Branch was very support ive. So [the leaders] were instrumental in the design of the location. They hired their consultants and said, ‘when you’re building the retail component, let’s pull the [restaurant] out from underneath a mixed-use building; let’s make it a stand alone center.’ That intentionality makes, in my opinion, the area more attractive.” In addition to helping Foley and Derry select the best location, the city was instrumental in everything from construction and permitting to getting the word out about Roots Southern Table. After all, Foley says, if the restaurant is successful, it’s a win for the landlord, neighboring businesses, and Farmers Branch all around. Edie Weintraub, founder and CEO of boutique real estate advisory firm Terra Alma, has noticed a similar dynamic in the Atlanta suburb of Lilburn, Georgia. The petite city is experiencing a popu lation swell; it posted an estimated 4.6

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an “icehouse-type concept” that pulls in families, empty-nesters, young adults, and everyone in between. He adds that since opening in 2018, The Yard has become the No. 1 alcohol sales genera tor in McKinney. Indeed, beverage-forward concepts are shoo-ins for the suburbs since they come with built-in points of differentia tion. That’s been the case for Mary Ken ney, who returned to Washington state after a decade in New York City. At the time, she wasn’t angling for downtown Seattle nor was she planning to return to the petite satellite of Issaquah, where she grew up. Bellevue, directly east of Seat tle and with about a fifth of the popula tion, offered an ideal in-between. Ken

rience something like a speakeasy bar.” And so that’s exactly what Kenney and her husband Chris created: a speak easy-style bar in the heart of a subur ban downtown. Kenney says the advent of Covid took some wind out of their sails at first, but last November, Rouge Cocktail Lounge made its grand debut on Main Street in historic Old Bellevue. In addition to a selection of signature cocktails, the cozy yet classy bar serves shareable small plates. Kenney recalls how she and her hus band would seek out different speak easies around New York as cozy hide aways amid an otherwise bustling city. That vibe is what they wanted to bring to Bellevue—and they’re not the only ones.

MATT REEVES (2)

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NOVEMBER 2022