What’s in Store

Major steakhouse chain first to open at new retail center near Charlotte Premium Outlets

Longhorn Steakhouse will open Feb. 28 at 4909 Trojan Drive near Charlotte Premium Outlets. It’s the first of several businesses opening at the new Steele Creek Landing retail center that also will include a Hilton Garden Inn off Interstate 485.
Longhorn Steakhouse will open Feb. 28 at 4909 Trojan Drive near Charlotte Premium Outlets. It’s the first of several businesses opening at the new Steele Creek Landing retail center that also will include a Hilton Garden Inn off Interstate 485. cmuccigrosso@charlotteobserver.com

A popular national steakhouse will be the first tenant to debut at a Steele Creek development near Charlotte Premium Outlets.

Longhorn Steakhouse will open at 3 p.m. Tuesday at 4909 Trojan Drive in Steele Creek Landing, according to the company’s website. The new retail center is off Highway 160 near Interstate 485.

It will be the ninth location in the Charlotte area for the restaurant chain owned by Darden Restaurants Inc. based in Florida, according to Longhorn’s website. Darden-owned Olive Garden expects to open next door June 1, according to real estate company and property manager CORE Properties.

Darden officials did not respond for comment Wednesday.

The project also includes a 124-room, six-story Hilton Garden Inn. Construction is scheduled to begin this year with its opening expected in 2025, according to CORE Properties’ latest marketing information provided Wednesday to The Charlotte Observer by broker Rick Ferrigan.

A Nevada-based restaurant franchise chain also will make its North Carolina debut.

The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, founded in 2011, has 30 stores in California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

Along with North Carolina, expansion plans include debuts in Georgia, Arizona, Maryland, Oregon and Washington.

Longhorn Steakhouse will be the first business to open at Steele Creek Landing retail development in Charlotte. Other restaurants include Tacos 4 Life, Handel’s Ice Cream, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill and Jimmy John’s.
Longhorn Steakhouse will be the first business to open at Steele Creek Landing retail development in Charlotte. Other restaurants include Tacos 4 Life, Handel’s Ice Cream, The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill and Jimmy John’s. Catherine Muccigrosso cmuccigrosso@charlotteobserver.com

Other tenants at Steele Creek Landing

Several other tenants will quickly follow Longhorn’s opening at the retail center, according to CORE Properties.

Jimmy John’s, Illinois-based sandwich chain, expects to open March 8.

Handel’s Ice Cream expects to open April 1. Founded 78 years ago in Ohio, the ice cream shop franchise chain has a store in Gastonia and another planned in Cornelius at 20545 Torrence Chapel Road.

Tacos 4 Life Grill will open in late spring. The chain opened its first store in the region in 2018 near Concord Mills, followed two years later at Arboretum on Pineville-Matthews Road in Charlotte. A portion of the profits from the fast-casual Arkansas chain go to the nonprofit Feed My Starving Children.

Glow Nail Spa looks to open May 9.

Five Star Barber Salon plans to open June 23.

CORE’s project plan shows a total of seven buildings on a 12.2-acre site with more lease spaces available.

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