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Keller economic development update: new businesses, vacancy at Big Lots, Elm Street timing and restaurant week dates
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Summary
City staff reported 2024 business openings, several site-specific updates including a Big Lots vacancy and an incoming Wabi Smokehouse concept, Elm Street construction schedule and a proposed Restaurant Week for July 28–Aug. 3.
City staff provided a broad economic development update that covered recent business openings and closures, retail vacancies, site-specific developments and upcoming promotions.
Staff said five businesses opened on or near Main Street since December — Simply Stylish, Hops Landscaping, The Nutrition Chef, Flint Going Root State Farm (on Hill Street) and Phoenix Salon Suites — bringing the city’s total reported new brick-and-mortar businesses for 2024 to 74. Staff noted the city tracks business closures informally and reported 26 closures in 2024; the city does not require businesses to notify the city when they close, so closure counts are based on certificate-of-occupancy changes, social media monitoring and space refillings rather than a formal registry.
On specific sites, staff said the building known as the Station/Patio Ice House sold and the new restaurant owner has submitted a building permit; the prospective tenant identifies as Wabi Smokehouse, a Japanese smokehouse concept with existing locations in the Dallas–Frisco area, and staff planned a site tour with the operator. Staff also reported that WellMed Primary Care has an SUP approved by City Council in September to occupy a former Indian grocery space, and that a large vacancy — Big Lots — will leave a roughly 27,000-square-foot space to market in Keller as many of that chain’s stores close; the transcript indicates Keller is one of the affected locations but an exact exit date for the Keller store was described only as “in the next few months.”
Staff described public-facing programs: a retail and restaurant survey launched in early January had about 234 responses at the time of the meeting, and a previous informal “foodie favorites” poll collected 1,580 responses and is being used for social media content. The city is planning a 2025 Restaurant Week for July 28–Aug. 3, and restaurateurs have agreed to serve on a planning task force; staff said restaurants suggested including a charitable component and described plans for two to three months of advertising using the city’s Keep It in Keller platform.
On infrastructure, staff said Elm Street’s construction contract is due to be awarded soon, scheduling is still being worked out, and the project is targeted to be complete by the end of 2027 (staff called that the deadline but said the work could finish earlier). The city has acquired a nearby property to use as a laydown site for construction equipment and materials; staff said that parcel will be converted to permanent parking only after the Elm Street project is complete and the city paves the lot.
Staff also mentioned life-safety and façade grant programs that can help with costly repairs (for example, roof, HVAC, sprinkler systems and asbestos surveys) and noted a pending SCP application for the former Family Video/John Paul’s/other-uses building at Ruth Snow and Bursey; the applicant is also expected to request a Chapter 380 incentive. Several board members and staff exchanged ideas about potential users for vacant large-format retail space, including indoor recreation and restaurants, but no formal incentives were approved in the meeting beyond the Lehi Development recommendation to council.
The transcript records questions from board members about specific properties and timelines; staff said they would follow up with more information by email and that members should submit strategic-plan input to staff (Mary) by mid-February for consideration at the board’s rescheduled February meeting (proposed for Feb. 24).
