A Chattanooga real estate group has bought the building that formerly housed the Enzo's grocery store on downtown's Southside, and it's close to finding a new tenant.
"We're looking for something that would be a good fit for the neighborhood," said Kevin Boehm, who is a part of the local group of investors that didn't want to be identified.
The group paid $1.3 million for the building and land at the corner of West Main and Long streets.
Boehm said he'd be willing to consider returning a grocery store business to the location if its operators came to them.
"I don't want office," he said. "But retail use would be beneficial to Main Street. That's what we're looking to do."
Enzo's Market closed in February after investors spent about $4 million on the 16,000-square-foot business that opened in early 2013.
The Grocery Bar on the Southside in the former Enzo's Market location.It was the first Southside grocery outlet in decades and heralded by its developers as a key to the revitalization and livability of the city's urban core. But the store was unable to succeed as primarily a market and then later as a grocery outlet and restaurant known as the Grocery Bar.
On Feb. 5, the Grocery Bar announced that it would close. But within hours the owners reversed themselves and said the store would stay open as a grocery-only business without the kitchen and food for on-site consumption. A 50 percent sale followed, with customers flocking to the store and leaving with cartloads of merchandise, as the owners tried to liquidate merchandise to pay bills.
John Jewell, who has dealt for years in downtown Chattanooga real estate and is involved with Boehm in another venture, said the Southside is a hot market in Hamilton County.
"I'd consider the Southside one of the most desirable parts of Hamilton County," he said.
Boehm said the Southside is growing, citing apartments and restaurants.
Nearby at Main and Market streets, Wise Properties is building a 75,000-square-foot mixed-use building that will house commercial storefronts and 63 apartments.
"A lot of good things are going on," Boehm said. "It's promising."
He noted that the former Enzo's location also has 50 parking spaces.
"I've got a couple of parties very interested but not a signed lease," he said.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.