After years of growth, downtown Phoenix restaurants are finding opportunities to expand into other areas of the city.
Matt’s Big Breakfast, Short Leash Hot Dogs and Lola Coffee are among several businesses that have opened new locations outside the downtown area within the past year.
Matt’s Big Breakfast opened a new location in Sky Harbor International Airport. Lola Coffee opened a new location at The Yard on Seventh Street in north Central Phoenix in February. Short Leash expanded with a temporary location at the Union stores at Biltmore Fashion Park.
“I think there is a renewed enthusiasm for people to support businesses in the neighborhood and really be actively involved in what’s going on in the community,” Short Leash owner Brad Moore said.
These local restaurants started within the last 10 years, and they have grown along with downtown Phoenix.
Downtown Phoenix Partnership Vice President of Development Dan Klocke said he has seen the downtown area grow “tremendously in that time frame.” He mentioned ASU’s downtown location, the convention center, hotels and restaurants as part of the growth.
“The lines at Matt’s are incredible,” Klocke said. “It’s been great to see these businesses grow.”
Matt’s Big Breakfast on McKinley and First streets is almost a decade old. In 2012, the restaurant moved a block north from the corner of Garfield and First streets to McKinley and First streets.
“We only had eight tables and six spots at the counter,” Matt’s Big Breakfast owner Ernie Pool said. “So now our business has doubled here.”
Matt’s Big Breakfast’s was also approached with an opportunity to expand. SSP America and Phoenix City Council members approached the restaurant to open a new location in Sky Harbor International Airport, Pool said. SSP America is a food and beverage brands operator in travel locations.
Pool said she thought it was a good idea because local businesses would have an opportunity to showcase their names more.
“So now instead of only having the option of having Burger King, McDonald’s and household names, you could have a taste of what the city has to offer,” Pool said.
Phoenix wants to change the face of food at the airport, Pool said. This change will benefit her customers.
“A lot of the time, people don’t have time to wait,” Pool said. “So if they don’t have time to wait here, then they could just go to the airport. So it works hand in hand.”
It’s hard to tell how fast a business can grow, but it would be ideal to expand more, Pool said.
“I get other people from other cities, like people come from Mesa, and they’re like ‘Oh, if only you had Matt’s Big Breakfast in Mesa or Chandler or Tucson,’” Pool said. “I want to give my customers that option of having it be in that other place and become regulars. I have so many that come here every day and every weekend that it would be great.”
After years in the downtown business community as a food truck and almost a year at a permanent location called Sit…Stay on Roosevelt Street near First Street, Short Leash was approached by Biltmore Fashion Park to open a second brick-and-mortar location. Their expansion is only temporary. Moore said the mall wanted to activate an empty restaurant until the long-term tenant moved in. Short Leash would likely open a permanent second location if the right opportunity presented itself, he said.
“You don’t want to overexpand and stretch yourself too thin,” Moore said. “So we’re not actively looking for a space, but if something comes along, kind of like the Biltmore option, it’s one of those opportunities that you can’t pass up so you jump on it.”
For right now, Short Leash will continue its work with its food truck and Roosevelt Street location.
“I think where we have been very fortunate and very grateful to all the businesses within the community that we have collaborated with and really helped push us along,” Moore said.
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