Dive Brief:

• The Habit Burger will open its first restaurant with a mobile pickup lane on Dec. 13 in Garden Grove, California, the company said in a press release this week.
• The 2,800-square-foot restaurant will provide dine-in, takeout and delivery in addition to mobile pickup. The restaurant also offers self-serve kiosks for ordering.
• The company said the mobile pickup lane is expected to “offer a faster, on-demand service, enhancing the efficiency and convenience of the drive-thru experience.”

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Dive Insight:

Habit Burger joins a growing cohort of fast casual restaurants to add mobile pickup lanes, including Chipotle, which started adding these lanes in 2019, Sweetgreen and Cava. Shake Shack has also been adding drive-thrus to its system, and had 21 company-operated drive-thru restaurants open at the end of the third quarter. Habit Burger offers traditional drive-thrus at 96 units, so this marks a shift in its off-premise strategy.

Mobile pickup lanes can dramatically decrease wait times. Chipotle, for example, boasts pickup times of around 30 seconds, which is far faster than a traditional drive-thru. Because Habit Burger typically cooks burgers to order, it has long been plagued by long waits of six to eight minutes, or more depending on the line.

Habit Burger added 33 gross new units last year, a 10% year-over-year increase. As of Q3 2023, the company had grown to 369 units compared to 341 in the year-ago quarter, according to an SEC filing. A majority (85%) of its units are company-owned. The move toward mobile pickup lanes could help support this ongoing growth. The chain reported negative same-store sales of 5% last quarter, and despite growing system sales by 4% and units by 8%, the brand’s operating loss was $2 million.

The company brought on new leadership this year with a new CEO and its first-ever global CMO. Leadership has been focusing on building strong unit-level economics, Yum Brands CEO David Gibbs said during the company’s November earnings call. The team is also working on creating a “cost-effective packaging range designed for off-premise occasions, along with a new prototype store to optimize CapEx and pre-opening costs,” Gibbs said. The chain also launched its first everyday value platform in November, Simple Crafts, for a limited time.

“We have tremendous confidence in the long-term prospects of this brand and are encouraged by the improvements that the team is making to deliver success in the future,” Gibbs said.

Another burger joint is coming to Eureka.

The Habit Burger Grill is the newest addition for the Eureka Gateway, LRE an Cos. announced Friday. It will be located at 1905 Fifth Street.

A new Starbucks will also be part of the Gateway project, the company announced earlier this year. LRE is also working on a Wingstop location on Broadway.

A release from the company noted Habit is “Known for its signature Charburgers and unparalleled fast-casual dining experience.”

“One of the greatest things about this project has been our partnerships,” says Akki Patel, CEO of LRE & Cos. “Our partnership with the city of Eureka and, of course, our partnership with Habit Burger. As a loyal consumer myself, I’m especially excited about the addition of this restaurant.”

The Habit Burger Grill will occupy the 2,400-square-foot space with a drive-thru.

LRE is currently working in partnership with the city of Eureka on the design phase of the project.

A portion of the Roseville Junction project is nearing completion with a groundbreaking planned before 2023 ends, according to LRE & Companies CEO Akki Patel in a LinkedIn post.

The Roseville Junction project will be an “entertainment and hospitality destination” located near 290 Conference Center Drive, neighboring the existing Westfield Galleria Mall and Highway 65, according to the City of Roseville website.

The project was approved at a previous Roseville City Council meeting in 2020. The previously city-owned land was purchased for $4.8 million by LRE & Companies and went toward Roseville’s Strategic Improvement Fund.

The project aligns with Roseville’s desire for growth, according to City of Roseville Economic Development Director Melissa Anguiano.

“Roseville continues to grow into a regional destination that’s attracting businesses and visitors,” she said. “The addition of Roseville Junction provides even more amenities, which are important to strengthening our economy and workforce.”

With the recent pickleball craze in the Placer area, it’s no surprise the project is set to include a complex with nine pickleball courts called Electric Pickle. The Roseville location will be the second national Electric Pickle. The two-story complex will include an indoor-outdoor bar and restaurant and a lawn for gatherings and live music. The complex is estimated to open next summer.

A brewery and beer garden are other amenities planned for a summer 2024 opening. Fieldwork Brewing is a craft brewery originally founded in Berkeley and has numerous locations, including Sacramento. The 20,000-square-foot outdoor venue near the brewery is planned to host concerts, artisan events and other small festivals.

The project will likely become a tourist hotspot, considering its close location to the ever-growing Westfield Galleria Mall. Two Hyatt hotels are planned for the project.

More businesses will be able to join the project in the future. Any businesses interested can contact Economic Development at EconomicDevelopment@roseville.ca.us.

What was once the small Pine Hotel will become Humboldt County’s first Wingstop location by spring 2024. Right next door to Wingstop will be a Starbucks drive-thru.

“We had the motel that was taken out. The dirt was cleared. [And] we cleaned up the site,” said Akki Patel, the President of LRE & Companies. “All that was done about two months ago. We’ve been trying to figure out a great companion for Starbucks. Starbucks, as we know, is a breakfast place. Having a Wingstop creates a great dinner option, even a great lunch option.”

The real estate development company, LRE & Companies, has been working closely with the City of Eureka on these two projects.  As soon as the design for the building is approved we will begin to see more construction.

“I’m so excited,” Trent Washington said. “I was literally just talking about how we needed a Wingstop of all places in the past week.”

The 2,400 square foot space will be located at 2411 Broadway St in Eureka.

(FOX40.COM) — A new luxury pickleball entertainment complex is coming to Roseville.

According to a press release, Electric Pickle will have 10 courts and full-service cabanas for players to relax in between games. In addition to the pickleball courts, the complex will have outdoor TVs, fireplaces, a bocce ball court, and a 10,000-square-foot restaurant.

City officials previously said construction of Electric Pickle is expected to begin in 2023 and open in 2024.

Other Electric Pickle locations have already broken ground in Tempe, Arizona and Las Vegas with plans to expand in Katy, Texas and Rancho Cucamonga.

“Pickleball is an incredibly social game, and we are thrilled to unify those who play the sport through the opening of Electric Pickle complexes in key regions throughout the United States,” Knighthead Capital Management co-founder Tom Wagner said in a statement.

Electric Pickle is part of a project called Roseville Junction, which will be located at 290 Conference Center Drive, along the Highway 65 corridor and the Galleria Mall.

The Roseville Junction project will be built on formerly city-owned land that was sold in 2020 for $4.8 million that went towards the city’s strategic improvement fund.

Fieldwork Brewing, which has a location in midtown Sacramento, will open a 20,000-square-foot venue at the Roseville Junction.

The space will also offer modular containers surrounding an open area for several types of outdoor events. The project also includes a beer garden and two new hotels provided by Caption by Hyatt Roseville and Hyatt House Roseville.

About 250 rooms will be available between the two new hotels.

It seems everywhere you look there are headlines about shuttered storefronts, the death of retail and the economic “doom loop” of big cities. But when you look at smaller communities, the opposite seems to be true. While big cities across the country are still navigating the long recovery from the pandemic, smaller communities such as Fernley are continuing to grow.

In short: Small communities are seeing big ideas pay off – and Fernley is a prime example.

With a steady population growth and recorded population of nearly 23,000 in 2020, Fernley is located 35 miles from Reno and is literally and figuratively positioned to be an economic hub of Northern Nevada. For starters, its infrastructure: The city has a nearby cargo airport located in Reno, adjacent rail lines and Interstate 80 that can transport goods easily and swiftly. In addition, Fernley has strong market fundamentals: a growing population, a business­ friendly political climate and increasing employment opportunities.

This growth cycle in the past decade was sparked in large part by the addition of Tesla, Panasonic and Apple in nearby Reno. The difference, however, is that, unlike Reno, Fernley has ample affordable housing. People are more likely to buy a home there – and with more job opportunities there’s no reason to commute to the bigger city.

After more than two decades in the industry, I’ve developed a keen sense of small markets bound for big growth – and Fernley is definitely at an inflection point. Victory Logistics District and the Tesla Gigafactory at TRIC have spurred a large influx of people to the region, with Fernley’s population growing as a result. And retail development is still a huge opportunity that has yet to be fully tapped.

This starts with awareness.

The growth that is happening in northwestern Nevada is real and will only continue. As a developer, my biggest struggle is how to educate people on what Fernley is. While national brands have been here for years, a lot of upcoming brands have yet to discover it. Currently, if you want to spend the day shopping for apparel residents have to travel to Fallon or Reno. But I would argue that Fernley isn’t just primed for residential growth, but retail growth as well.

And why not? With more people living in Fernley, it makes sense to build out a retail sector, create more jobs, attract more visitors and drive the local economy. Some may call this a long shot, but I can attest that it’s already happening. My company, LRE & Companies, chose Fernley as an ideal spot for the Fernley Promenade, a 13-acre mixed-used development project consisting of industrial, retail and a hotel.

As headlines elevate the struggles of big cities, it’s easy to overlook the progress being made in smaller markets. But that would be a mistake. The time to look is now – as small markets continue to do big things.

Akki Patel launched LRE & Companies in 1999. He holds an accounting and finance degree from University of San Diego and is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization as well as several other business advisory boards. He writes about business trends and outlooks at AkkiPatel.net. He also serves on Dignity Moves Advisory Board.

New Starbucks is coming to Eureka

LRE & Companies has partnered with Starbucks to establish a new location at 1905 Fourth St. in Eureka. The spot allows the caffeine supplier to face both sides of U.S. Highway 101.

“LRE & Companies builds strong communities through strong partnerships with cities and brands,” Akki Patel, CEO of LRE & Companies, said in a prepared statement. “I am thrilled that this project will be bringing Starbucks to this high-paced intersection in Eureka, where residents and visitors can easily pick up and enjoy their cups of Starbucks coffee.”

LRE & Companies also plans to announce a new tenant that will be located next door.

Construction will be completed by the end of the year.

“We are thrilled to be bringing these great projects in prime locations in Eureka, where the community and opportunities continue to grow,” Patel said.

Yurok Tribe receives Cessna aircraft

Textron Aviation Inc. delivered a Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft to the Yurok Tribe’s Condor Aviation. The special missions Grand Caravan EX aircraft will increase the tribe’s capacity to perform large-scale environmental restoration projects, evaluate long-term natural resource management decisions and quantify the effects of climate change.

The Yurok Tribe will make use of state-of-the-art LiDAR systems and high-end aerial imaging equipment to create extremely accurate three-dimensional maps of the earth’s surface and collect a broad range of data regarding terrestrial and aquatic habitats, including rivers, lakes and oceans.

“This new aircraft will significantly enhance our ability to holistically restore salmon-spawning streams and make our landscape more resilient to climate change,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers. “We employ LiDAR data and high-definition aerial imagery to maximize the efficacy of our efforts to rebuild biologically diverse ecosystems and repair fire-damaged forests in Northern California.”

UPLIFT Eureka offers several programs

The City of Eureka’s UPLIFT Eureka program has a few upcoming free programs.

The next Pathway to Payday Free Employment Workshop Series will take place July 31 to Aug. 3. The four-day program guides community members through the job hunting process, via resume building and job application help, mock interviews, and real interviews with real employers.

There also is a new co-pilot program designed to foster positive one-on-one relationships between volunteer co-pilots and community members looking for guidance and support in identifying and achieving their goals. The program will start in mid-July.

For more information, go to www.uplifteureka.com.

Vineyard Offshore names new director

Vineyard Offshore today announced that Erik Peckar has joined the company as West Coast director of external affairs, the company announced this week. In that position, Peckar will be responsible for all aspects of local government and stakeholder engagement associated with Vineyard Offshore’s floating projects off the West Coast, principally the development of the lease area OCS-P 0562 off the Humboldt County coast.

“We are excited to have Erik join the Vineyard Offshore team to take on a critical role for our West Coast projects,” Christian Scorzoni, VP and head of external affairs at Vineyard Offshore, said in a prepared statement. “Erik was a leader in the development and implementation of the nation’s first Community Benefit Agreement for an offshore wind project with Vineyard Wind. His ability to work with local officials, fishermen, tribal members, and others toward mutually beneficial results makes him the perfect person to engage with communities that have stakes in offshore wind development in Northern California.”

Peckar voiced his excitement in a news release.

“I couldn’t be more excited to take on this incredible opportunity,” stated Peckar. “In Massachusetts, we showed that offshore wind could reap dividends far and wide, in particular for our local communities, thanks to deep engagement by all constituencies. I look forward to working with another incredible community in and around Humboldt County to ensure that Vineyard Offshore’s projects are beneficial to the people of Northern California.”

EUREKA, Calif. – PrZen — LRE & Companies, a full spectrum real estate development, asset manager, construction, and hotel management company, has partnered with Starbucks on a project that will bring the iconic coffeehouse to Eureka Gateway, the highly anticipated project located at the prime intersection in Eureka at 1905 4th Street, which faces both the north and south sides of Highway 101.

“LRE & Companies builds strong communities through strong partnerships with cities and brands,” says Akki Patel, CEO of LRE & Companies. “I am thrilled that this project will be bringing Starbucks to this high-paced intersection in Eureka, where residents and visitors can easily pick up and enjoy their cups of Starbucks coffee.”

LRE & Companies will soon be announcing an exciting new tenant that will occupy the 2,400-square-foot space with a drive-thru next door to Starbucks. Eureka Gateway is located in a prime, high-traffic location off Highway 101, with access and visibility from 4th and 5th streets, and T and U streets.

The project marks the third for LRE & Companies, including a site located at 2411 Broadway Street, just off of US 101. Once the site of an abandoned, aging motel, this prominent space will now be a welcoming retail hub anchored by a new Starbucks. Construction will be completed by the end of the year.

“We are thrilled to be bringing these great projects in prime locations in Eureka, where the community and opportunities continue to grow,” says Patel.

About LRE & Co

The LRE & Co is a family organization that has been in real estate development, construction and the food and beverage business since 1999. It is present in major markets throughout Northern California and northwest Nevada. It is an ever-growing organization consisting of a group of diverse and dynamic people who strive for excellence. LRE & Co currently employs 1,500 employees within California. The food and beverage arm of LRE & Co and its affiliates comprise franchise restaurants and master agreements for national franchises. The commercial real estate arm consists of partners with national hotel brands.