First Watch to open North Shore eatery

Saying the breakfast, brunch and lunch segment is the fastest growing in the restaurant industry, a group plans to bring its concept to Chattanooga's North Shore.

Called First Watch, the restaurant is to open early next year at the new 300 Cherokee commercial project, said Nadim Jubran, marketing and business development manager for Knoxville-based Capstone Concept LLC.

The Cherokee Boulevard eatery will be the second First Watch to open in Chattanooga. The group has operated one on Gunbarrel Road in East Brainerd for about a year.

Also, the company has leased space in Hixson to open a third at a later date, Jubran said.

"Chattanooga is a growth market for us," he said. "We love the Chattanooga market."

Cardon Smith, vice president of developer Fletcher Bright Co., said 300 Cherokee is now 80 percent leased up. The development is anchored by an 8,000-square-foot brewery with tasting room and bar for the Heaven and Ale Brewing Co.

"We are extremely excited to have such a great restaurant concept opening at 300 Cherokee," Smith said about the $6 million, 30,000-square-foot project. "Everything about First Watch is first class and they will do very well on the North Shore."

Jubran said plans are to start construction of the 3,400-square-foot restaurant within the next two months and open at the end of the first quarter 2018, employing about 30 to 35 people.

He said company officials like the North Shore's uniqueness and walkability, and they like the space the restaurant will occupy in the development, which is a reuse of an existing building.

Jubran also noted the array of new housing which is coming online in the North Shore.

"That was a real appealing piece of that location," he said.

While First Watch is a franchise, Capstone brings its local flair to its eateries, Jubran said. The North Shore restaurant will offer what he calls "the urban farm look."

"The tables are made of East Tennessee barn wood," said Jubran, who declined to say how much is being spent to develop the North Shore restaurant.

He said First Watch's menu offers tradition breakfast items as well as others which are "more unique," such as its power quinoa bowl, avocado toasts, and BLT benedict.

Because its restaurants close at 2:30 p.m., employees find "a more balanced work schedule" than the industry typically offers, Jubran said.

"It's favorable to families," he said.

Jubran said Capstone has four restaurants in Knoxville and plans are to open another First Watch in Johnson City at the end of this month.

Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.

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