Retail space full in mixed-use Melrose building

Development Aug 21, 2017   Share

Pizza Fire opening to come as first Eighth South condo closing looms

authors William Williams

The four retail spaces at soon-to-open Melrose-based mixed-use building Eighth South are fully leased, with the final announced tenant an Ohio-based pizza chain.

Bobby Kirby, a member of the development group that undertook the project, said Pizza Fire has signed a lease for about 3,000 square feet of space in the building. The eatery — with the franchise to be the state’s first — could open “soon,” he said.

The lease comes as the owners prepare to close early this week on the sale of first of the building’s 52 condominiums.

“We’re excited to have Pizza Fire,” Kirby said.

“They are a very cool restaurant concept that will be new to this market. The time is perfect,” he added, noting up to 12 condo closings could be finalized by this week’s end.

Eighth South’s ground-level retail, in addition to Pizza Fire, will feature restaurant Holler & Dash (tentatively to open within 30 days, Kirby said), nail salon Nail Bar (some ownership of which was involved with Posh Nail Spa in Green Hills) and Spanish-themed restaurant Babalu Tacos and Tapas.

Relatedly, Homewood, Alabama-based Holler & Dash will operate its corporate office from the second floor of the building. The company also has restaurants in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Celebration, Florida, and is planning locations in Brentwood and Atlanta. The chain was developed as a concept by Lebanon-based Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.

The approximately $20 million five-story building, a small portion of which sits in Berry Hill, is paired on a 6.5-acre site with Alliance Residential Co.'s 326-apartment-unit Broadstone Eighth South.

Kirby served with Jewell Hale as co-lead developer of Eighth South. Other members of the development group are Mark Tarver (principal), Jim Caden, Kent Kirby and Dave Arnholt.