As we said recently, it’s kind of a busy time of year for restaurant news.
So busy, in fact, that since writing about nine restaurants opening or closing in Fayetteville last week, we found six more.
Here’s what we know about the most recent happenings in the local restaurant world.
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop will soon occupy space inside The Dickson.
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According to a newly-created Facebook page, Texas-based restaurant chain Fuzzy’s Taco Shop plans to open a location at 609 W. Dickson St. inside a space at The Dickson.
The chain, which operates over 70 restaurants around the country, specializes in “Baja-style” tacos “laced with feta and Fuzzy’s sauce.”
Fuzzy’s would become the sixth restaurant with a focus on tacos in the Dickson Street area. Flying Burrito plans to reopen their downtown location on the street this fall, and Qdoba, Chipotle, Jose’s and Los Bobos are also within a few steps of the new restaurant.
Yum Yo’s Frozen Yogurt
Future home of a Yum Yo’s Frozen Yogurt shop.
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Yum Yo’s Frozen Yogurt is planning to expand into Fayetteville this fall.
The froyo restaurant chain, which operates locations in Bentonville and Rogers, is planning a new shop at 1267 Steamboat Dr., next to Gusano’s just off Wedington Drive.
According to their Facebook page, Yum Yo’s officials hope to open the new location sometime this month.
Slim Chickens
Founders Hall will soon be home to a new Slim Chickens restaurant.
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It looks like Founders Hall, the six-story residence hall being built on the University of Arkansas campus, is ahead of its scheduled October opening date.
As a result, the new Slim Chickens franchise set to open in the soon-to-be-complete dining, retail, and residence facility will also be on campus a little earlier than expected.
According to Slim Chickens spokesman Greg Smart, the new restaurant should be up and running and ready to serve UA students by early September.
Officials have said that Papa John’s Pizza is also planning a location inside Founders Hall, but we haven’t yet confirmed that news.
Jimmy John’s
Crews work to remodel Jimmy John’s on Dickson Street.
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A couple of people have written in this week to ask what’s going on at the Jimmy John’s restaurant on Dickson Street. Crews placed brown paper over all the windows and a large dumpster is sitting outside the front of the building.
According to crew members we spoke to this morning, the restaurant is being remodeled and will soon re-open.
Arsaga’s
A former mechanic shop on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard could become home to an Arsaga’s coffee shop.
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South Fayetteville residents could have a new place to grab a cup of coffee.
Cary Arsaga, founder of the local Arsaga’s coffee house group, said he has leased a space at 514 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. where he is exploring the possibility of relocating his roasting facility and opening a coffee shop.
The vacant building, which sits just west of the Frisco Trail crossing, was most recently home to a mechanic shop.
“I leased it to hold it for now,” he said. “It’s definitely in the early stages.”
Arsaga told us he has an architect exploring possibilities with the space, but whether or not he moves forward with a coffee shop in the location depends on his ability to secure financing for the venture.
Cary Arsaga sold coffee shops at Gregg Avenue (soon to become Onyx Coffee Lab) and at Crossover Road to employees Andrea and Jon Allen in 2009, but Arsaga still owns the Dickson Street location as well as shops inside the Fayetteville Public Library, Washington Regional Medical Center and the UA Law Library. He also operates the Arsaga’s booth at the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market.
TCBY Frozen Yogurt
Former home of TCBY inside the Garland Center.
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Speaking of frozen yogurt, we also noticed that the TCBY location in the Garland Center on the University of Arkansas campus is now closed.
According to a sign posted on the window of the restaurant, the shop closed its doors Aug. 11.
Hooters
A Bayer Properties leasing information sign stands in front of Hooters at 4143 N. Shiloh Drive in Fayetteville.
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As mentioned earlier today, the Hooters restaurant in north Fayetteville will reportedly close Aug. 27.
According to a report in the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, an unidentified Hooters employee confirmed the news Wednesday morning, and said the closure “has something to do with the lease.”
Manager Robert Lane told KFSM that the restaurant hopes to re-open in a new location, but no location has been identified yet.
