More tenant changes are on tap in the shadow of the Capitol on on Congress Avenue.
Middle Eastern restaurant Marakesh Cafe & Grill, at 9th and Congress, closed its doors and has a sign indicating its looking for a new location, but its fate is questionable.
Going in place is a new addition to the Austin market, a health food eatery called Muscle Maker, according to Cody Lyon, a reporter at the Austin Business Journal.
FastCasual.com reports it will open in October.
Meanwhile, Capital One Bank is taking over the long-empty first floor of the historic Littlefield Building, at the northeast corner of Sixth and Congress, this fall.
I walk up and down Congress Avenue several times a week during the day, and the Capital One Bank signage on the windows now visible is something new.
That’s a bonus for Tom Stacy, who also owns the Scarbrough building across the street. The first floor of Scarbrough was also long vacant — barring SXSW when it was invaded by Apple marketing wizards — but now has Brooks Brothers posh menswear moving in.
I wonder if he dropped his lease rate or the market is heating up?
Regardless, more store fronts along Congress Avenue is a great addition and the corridor has long been the target of economic development efforts.
Sadly, [another] bank like this, that is limited to business hours, is not the highest and best use of one of Austin’s busiest pedestrian intersections.
^^Agreed. Lets hope they put something BIG in the AMOA spot…
A general store is the most needed type of store in downtown. We just need to keep cheerleading the idea.
The space at 912 Congress Ave has been leased by Lomography, an analogue camera gallery and retail store. It should be opening by end of Oct. They currently have 4 locations in the US 2 in NY and 2 in CA. They will host exhibits, workshops, mixers, and operate as a retail store for the analog cameras they design and produce.
Thanks, Cameron. Keep us posted on Lomography. Great to have you here!
^^omgggg