Retail Update: Menchie's, Chipotle Expand to East El Paso; Outlet Shoppes Add Space; Sam's to Northeast?

Rojas Commons

Rojas Commons Site Plan

The Rojas/George Dieter intersection in East El Paso will soon see several new restaurants including Menchie's Frozen Yogurt and Chipotle Mexican Grill when a new 35,000 square foot shopping center is completed later this year, built by River Oaks Properties.

Rojas Commons is currently under construction across the street from Las Palmas Marketplace, an extremely popular shopping/dining area just off of Interstate 10 and Zaragoza Road. Other announced tenants include two restaurants new to El Paso, Jason's Deli (http://www.jasonsdeli.com/)and Mama Fu's Asian House (http://www.mamafus.com/). Dunkin' Donuts will also have a location at the center.

Menchie's is popular on El Paso's west side with a location on Sunland Park Drive, while Chipotle's only location is on Mesa Street near UTEP. Both should receive a strong response from Eastsiders in this area popular for food joints.

Outlet Shoppes

Expansion is also underway at the Outlet Shoppes at El Paso in the city's northwest. The 27,000 square foot addition on the center's southeast side is also being built by River Oaks and will be known as The Shops at the Outlet Mall. Starbuck's and Pizza Hut will be the first tenants to open at the addition. Construction is scheduled for completion in September.

Outlet Shoppes Addition

The Outlet Shoppes website also lists Charlotte Russe and Sprockets locations as opening soon at the center. Charlotte Russe previously had a location at Cielo Vista Mall. Sprockets (http://www.sprocketkids.com/) is a children's clothing store with only two other locations in the country.

Sam's to Northeast?

An "competition aerial" map posted at the Fountains at Farah website indicates that a new Sam's Club has been proposed for the intersection of Gateway North and Diana Drive in El Paso's northeast. If accurate, it would be El Paso's fourth location and would help to fill a retail void for the northeast side.

The map is part of a leasing package that the Fountains developer put together to show competing retailers around the city. KFOX-14 had a short blurb about the possible new location in September of 2011, stating that the Sams's could open by August of 2012. Still, no such location has officially been announced.

New Corner Bakery, Genghis Grill Coming Soon

A new Corner Bakery Cafe is set to open soon near the intersection of Yarbrough Drive and Interstate 10 on the city's east side. The restaurant will be located at 1144 N. Yarbrough Dr. in front of Burlington Coat Factory.

Further east, a new Genghis Grill - The Mongolian Stir Fry (http://www.genghisgrill.com/index.php) will open at 1318 Zaragoza. It is a "build your own bowl, fast casual, asian stir-fry concept" and will be the first of its kind in El Paso.