American Eat Co. will officially open on April 3, nearly 18 months after Tucson developers The Common Group began transforming the former American Meat Co. into an indoor food court.
Tenants, which include six restaurants, an ice creamery, coffee shop, market and bar, held a friends-and-family night Thursday as a trial run leading up to the opening, said The Common Groupβs Jesus Bonillas.
Hours effective April 3 will be 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
American Eat Co. will open April 3, nearly 18 months after The Common Group began redeveloping the former south side meat market into an indoor food court with six restaurants.Β
American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave., was expected to open in February but was held in limbo while gas lines were replaced, tested and inspected. The final inspections and permits came this week, Bonillas said.
The Common Group invested more than $1 million to buy and renovate the 8,000-square-foot building, which they bought from the Islas family in late 2016. Generations of the Islas family had run American Meat Co., a popular neighborhood butcher shop and market, for 62 years until it closed in 2015.
American Eat Co. is the latest and largest venture for The Common Group, which includes Bonillasβs partner Guillermo Gallegos. The south-side developers for the past several years have bought and renovated distressed commercial properties mostly in the core south side area near Interstate 19. Projects include the sprawling Shoppes at Irvington in a former car dealership on West Irvington Road and Plaza Prieta Linda on South 12th Avenue.
Here are the concepts
βΒ Isabella's Ice Cream, the second outpost of the popular ice cream shop
βΒ Cafe con Leche, a coffee shop serving traditional Mexican pastries
βΒ Dumb Fish, a poke and rice bowl restaurant
βΒ Upper Crust Pizza, specializing in slices
βΒ AZ Rib House, serving ribs and handmade chicken tenders
βΒ Market Bar, serving Tucson craft brews and Southern Arizona wines
βΒ Opa, the second outpost of the popular Campbell Avenue Greek restaurant
βΒ Avenues, specializing in "Chicano comfort food" including deep-fried hamburger patty tacos.
βΒ Dos Amigos, a butcher shop and market
βΒ The Bite, serving inventive sliders from burgers to seafood
