It's no secret that the South Street West corridor has seen amazing growth of late, with the 1600 block in particular seeing a bunch of new restaurants joining the fray. In just the last few years, Indian Restaurant, Magpie, Miles Table, Entree, and Founding Fathers have opened their doors, and Tio Flores opened less than a year ago. And wouldn't you know it, the culinary options on this block look like they're getting ready to expand once again.
Ron's Ribs was a BBQ joint that operated out 1627 South St. for two and a half decades, closing in 2010. In 2013, we shared the good news that the son of the original owner of the restaurant was working to bring the place back to life, armed with the original recipes and in search of a business partner with some restaurant experience. This past February though, we discovered a 'For Lease' sign on the building, which indicated that Ron's might not be making the triumphant comeback we were dreaming of. The space is quite small, with just 620 sqft, and the asking price was a rather steep $2,900/month. But considering that the block is becoming a dining destination, perhaps the asking price wasn't entirely out of line.
Whatever the rent, it seems that someone has come forward to lease the space, as it's now under construction. There's surely no shortage of work to be done inside, since the listing described the space as being in shell condition.
Has anyone heard anything about a possible tenant for this space? Is Ron's Ribs returning after all, or is a totally different business setting up shop here? What would people like to see in terms of a new restaurant on South Street West?