COURTESY OF THE MINING JOURNAL (Christopher Diem) - After 12 years at the corner of Washington and Seventh streets, the Border Grill has moved to a new Marquette location.
Dan Torres, owner of the local food franchise, said the Seventh Street location has closed and the new location, located in the old Household Appliance Store on the corner of Third and Prospect streets, is now open. He said the restaurant's new location will better serve the community.
"My primary trade area for that store has always been the east side, Northern (Michigan University) and the hospital," he said. "Generally, you want to be in the middle of your trade area and that would kind of point right at Third Street."
In addition, Torres said the new location will be double the size and seating capacity of the old restaurant. He expected increased foot traffic from student residential areas near Third Street.
Torres started the Border Grill at the corner of Washington and Seventh in 1997. Since that time, he opened a Border Grill near the corner of Washington Street and McClellan, opened a location in Negaunee and reopened the original Border Grill as the Border Grill Express.
While Torres said he had fond memories of the Seventh Street location, he said he is very excited about the move to Third Street.
"That little restaurant spawned three locations," Torres said. "It's kind of interesting to see the development from that little 1,000 square foot building 12 years ago to what we've created."
The interior of the new location on Third Street will look similar to the redesigned interior of the Border Grill near the corner of Washington and McClellan.
Torres said the new location will have a pick-up window and will stay open until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. It will be closed on Sundays.
Torres will retain ownership of the building on Seventh Street and lease it to the owner of the former New York Deli, which will reopen at that location.
