Sam Fox, the mastermind behind Fox Restaurant Concepts, which has developed concepts such as The Henry, Flower Child and North Italia, among others, has announced plans to open Culinary Dropout at The Yard in downtown Gilbert.
The 25,000-square-foot space, which is Fox’s biggest development yet, will open off Gilbert Road, adjacent to the Powerline Trail in the Heritage District — directly across from Heritage Marketplace, a popular restaurant development.
FRC and development partner Common Bond Development obtained the rights to the land from the town of Gilbert, and is slated to open in fall 2018.
Fox’s concept Zinburger already has a location at downtown Gilbert’s Heritage Marketplace.
“The sense of community in downtown Gilbert is contagious. It’s one of the reasons we’re so proud be a part of the town, and build an additional place where everyone can come together,” Fox said in a statement. “We are still working on details but The Yard at Gilbert Heritage District will definitely be designed with the whole family in mind.”
Culinary Dropout will be the space’s only tenant, occupying two floors. The first floor will have a full dining room, outdoor patio seating, bar, and two yard gaming areas, one for adults and one for kids; while the second floor will include The Coop, a 150-person event space. It’s the first time the concept has made space for a children’s area.
Fox opened his first Yard concept in uptown Phoenix a few years ago, which features multiple tenants with Culinary Dropout as the anchor. FRC opened its second concept in Tempe in the Farmers Arts District, which cost $11 million.
The Gilbert parcel cost considerably less for slightly more than $1 million, or $50 per square foot. Gilbert is leasing a hundred parking spaces to the restaurant as well.
The Gilbert development will be the seventh Culinary Dropout location, with locations in Scottsdale, Las Vegas and a recently opened Culinary Dropout at The Yard in Austin. A Tucson location is slated to open next year.
Downtown Gilbert has been in the midst of a restaurant boom in recent years with several high-profile Valley restaurateurs and groups opening concepts in the Southeast Valley city.
