Newmarket BarBurrito owner Pooja Batel said the location of her new restaurant is a good one.
At the new retail complex on Harry Walker Parkway, right by Highway 404 and Davis Drive, she said it is going to get a lot of traffic. A Costco is also expected in the southern portion of the area in the years to come.
“We are right near the highway, and it’s a good location for the future,” Batel said, adding her store opened just two weeks ago. “We get the good customers because we are in the industry area … We got the Costco (coming) here, so it’s going to be crazy busy.”
New franchise restaurants have begun to open as the first phase of the development by Rice Group is finishing construction of eight commercial buildings. The restaurants with signage up so far include Thai Express, Booster Juice, Pi Co, and Pür & Simple, with several more spaces still under construction.
Newmarket resident Dan Breault said he has stopped by the plaza for lunch a couple of times so far.
“It’s getting going,” he said. “I'm hoping the food is good. I’m looking forward to seeing more stores moving in."
The plaza is just the first stage of the development, stalled by the pandemic. The second phase is planned to have a 160,691 square-foot Costco building with a gas bar and more than 1,300 parking spaces, according to public planning documents. But the company has yet to formally announce the upcoming store.
Other stores in the area have yet to be announced. Rice Group could not be reached for comment before publication time.
Thai Express owner Nitharsan Ratnasingham said he has been up and running for a month.
He said business has gone well so far, and there was demand in Newmarket for a Thai Express franchise. He added that he is looking forward to the future there.
“It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be fantastic,” he said. “It’s going to boom in the next year.”
Cynthia Bedford stopped by the plaza for the first time May 18 to grab lunch.
“I’m excited for it,” she said of the plaza. “I’m excited for Newmarket. I’ve always worked in the area, so it’s nice to see, and hopefully, lots of people come in and check it out and help the businesses.”
