Restaurant

Dallas -- Web-based hiring assessment provider PeopleAnswers said Tuesday that The Cheesecake Factory will use the PeopleAnswers HR solution in its 164 restaurants to pre-screen and select hourly staff.

The objective is to fill each position with individuals who will help maintain The Cheesecake Factory’s quality brand.

Brandon, Fla. -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased restaurant space in Brandon, Fla., at Bloomingdale Square to Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Chipotle has leased 2,650 sq. ft., bringing the center to 96% leased. The tenant is slated to open for business in fall 2011.

The 267,736-sq.-ft. shopping center is anchored by a Walmart, Bealls and Publix Super Market alongside national retailers such as Dollar Tree, Hallmark, RadioShack and Bank of America.
 

Thousand Oaks, Calif. -- Beverly Hills, Calif.-based Cardinal Equities, through its affiliate Paradise Capital Group, said it has acquired from U.S. Bank a 50,000-sq.-ft. retail and office complex in Dos Vientos Ranch, a master-planned community in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Paraiso Town Center, built in 2008 and foreclosed on by the construction lender in late 2009, includes 40,000 sq. ft. of ground-level retail and restaurant space with outdoor dining, and 10,000 sq. ft. of office space.

Chicago -- Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.-based Mid-America Asset Management said that Chipotle Mexican Grill, along with Clearly Cares Dental, have recently signed leases at Elston Plaza in Chicago.

Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill, which leased 2,405 sq. ft., plans to open a restaurant in third quarter 2011. Clearly Cares Dental signed a lease for 1,500 sq. ft. with plans to open this summer.

Elston Plaza is a 91,713-sq.-ft. Jewel/Osco-anchored shopping center in northwest Chicago.
 

Au Bon Pain is updating its brand experience with a new customer-centric design that gives the store a more distinct personality. It also makes the space easier to navigate, with the layout redesigned to speed service.

“We’re taking the customer experience to the next level,” said Sue Morelli, CEO for Au Bon Pain, which operates 318 locations in the United States and internationally. “The response we’ve been getting to our new prototype has validated our decision to accelerate our growth, including going to new markets nationally.”

Brooklyn, N.Y. -- Winick Realty Group announced that Fushimi, an Asian fusion restaurant, will open its third New York City location, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The restaurant leased 7,200 sq. ft. and is set to open in the next few months.