Several restaurants have rolled out the red carpet for patrons in Mission Viejo or are planning to soon including Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Panera Bread, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Club Cafe Bakery, Grill Hut, Little Chopsticks, All Star Pizza, Carl’s Jr. restaurant and a specialty donut shop.
Club Cafe Bakery opened its doors last week on La Paz Road near Muirlands Boulevard and the I-5. The eatery is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner serving up gourmet pizza, pasta, Panini sandwiches and a coffee bar. A grand opening and Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting ceremony is set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 6. Little Chopsticks is now open and All Star Pizza is gearing up to open in the Los Alisos Village on Los Alisos Boulevard near Trabuco Road.
The Grill Hut is nearly ready to open its doors on Santa Margarita Parkway next to the new Baja Fish Tacos in the Trabuco Hills Center. The menu features chicken, beef and ground beef kabobs cooked over a mesquite fire with rice, salad and roasted tomatoes. This is the third restaurant for this family-owned and operated business, which includes locations in Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel.
In other restaurant news, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, complete with outdoor dining area, is expected to open later this month in the Alicia Towne Plaza. Five Guys Burgers and Fries offers made-to-order hamburgers, hot dogs, fries and more.
Devilicious Donuts is planning to open on July 15 at 28601 Marguerite Parkway. The donut shop will feature a wide variety of donuts, desserts and Levaza Italian coffee. The menu includes traditional favorites and unique items like donuts stuffed with ice cream, a hamburger on a glazed donut, and a bacon/hot dog/donut combo.
The Panera Bread and Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants are under construction at 25523 Marguerite Parkway, between California Pizza Kitchen and Walgreens. Chipotle Mexican Grill offers individually made-to-order burritos, bowls, tacos and salads that are made with “naturally raised meats and responsibly grown produce.” Since 1981, Panera Bread has expanded to over 1,562 company-owned and franchise-operated bakery-cafes in 40 states and in Canada. The menu includes fresh baked bread, made to order sandwiches, soups and salads. Both restaurants are expected to open in September.
In other business news, national men’s clothing retailer Jos. A. Bank will open in the 7,000-square-foot space at 28331 Marguerite Parkway in the Mission Viejo Town Center. Jos. A. Bank offers men’s tailored and casual clothing, footwear and accessories and has grown to over 550 National men’s clothing stores in the U.S. since the first store opened 107 years ago.
Proposed projects to Planning & Transportation Commission
The Planning and Transportation Commission on June 11 will consider a plan to convert a 1,596-square foot service bay at the existing 76 gas station into a “7-Eleven” at 27271 Trabuco Road (at Marguerite Parkway). The proposed project includes the 7-Eleven expansion area and some exterior building changes including a new storefront.
Spirit and Truth Lighthouse Church wants to open in a 4,812-square-foot lease space at 23455 Madero, Unit C, HighPark. The proposed sanctuary seating area is roughly 1,471 square feet and the church has about 60 members. Along with these development plans, the commission will consider a City-initiated Development Code Amendment for amending Section 9.29.225 of Title 9 of the Mission Viejo Municipal Code pertaining to the maximum size of commercial real estate signs. The proposed Ordinance would increase the maximum allowable size of a commercial real estate sign from 4 square feet to 16 square feet. The Planning & Transportation Commission meetings are held in the Council Chamber at City Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Commercial property to be demolished
The new owner of the 2.626-acre site at 28682 Marguerite Parkway, across from the Jaguar Land Rover dealership, plans to demolish the vacant one-story building that was built in 1976.
Demolition makes way for new housing units
Demolition of the former KMart building at 28601 Los Alisos Boulevard began last week. A multi-family housing unit development will be built on the site.
Mission Viejo Chamber of Commerce news, information
The next Mission Viejo Chamber mixer is set for Thursday, June 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Mission Viejo YMCA, 27341 Trabuco Circle. The poolside event includes complimentary refreshments and a tour of the facility. The July mixer will be held on the 19th at the Mission Viejo Nadadores training facility at 27474 Casta del Sol. Mixers are free for chamber members and $10 for non-members. For more information, visit www.missionviejochamber.org.
City to host Small Business Workshops
This month five different business workshops are available in Mission Viejo through a City partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE, the Employment Development Department (EDD), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the OC Small Business Development Center (OC SBDC), and the State Board of Equalization (SBOE). Each of the small business workshops will be held at Mission Viejo City Hall, 200 Civic Center. On Wednesday, June 12, the SBA workshop will focus on “What’s New for 2012 Concerning Employment Law, Regulations, and the Brinker Decision” from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. There is no cost to attend this workshop, but seating is limited. Register by e-mailing jill.andrews@sba.gov. On that same day, the Internal Revenue Service and the State Board of Equalization will offer a free Identity Theft and Phishing workshop from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit www.irs.gov/businesses/small/topic/index.html or call 389-4902 for information. The free State Labor Law & Payroll Tax Seminar by EDD will be held on Friday, June 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. SCORE is now accepting reservations for the Build A Great Credit Score To Get That Loan Workshop from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Saddleback Room at City Hall. The cost is $30 with online pre-registration at www.score114.org or $40 at the door. The OC SBDC workshop is about Creating Your Roadmap to Success-The Art & Science for Creating a Successful Business Plan on Thursday, June 28, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $25 to attend.
