This spring, a new taste of Tex-Mex food is expected to make its way downtown.
A new branch of Moe’s Southwest Grill, a national fast-casual southwestern restaurant, is expected to open later this spring inside the former site of OZ Gallery and Hand-Blown Glass, 551 E. Grand River Ave. The location is just down the street from Panchero’s, 125 E. Grand River Ave., and Chipotle, 539 E. Grand River Ave.
Management at Chipotle and Panchero’s could not be reached for comment.
The franchise will be owned by Bagley Foods LLC, a group that includes two MSU alumni. Moe’s also operates a location in Ann Arbor, said Lauren Barash, the company’s director of public relations and communications.
Moe’s offers a variety of types of Mexican cuisine, including burritos, tacos and quesadillas. Prices range from $5 and $8 depending on the size of the item, Barash said.
The company’s college appeal should help it to do well in East Lansing, she said.
“Students really love Moe’s because, I think, the speed of service and the healthier options,” she said.
Finance sophomore Blake Tschirhart said he would welcome another location serving Mexican food, but said it could be tough to draw in business given the other two similar restaurants nearby.
“The thing is that there are so many,” he said. “You’re getting the same type of people (at the restaurants).”
The location should be ready to open in late April or early May, and is expected to be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Sunday in the first few weeks of operation, she said.
Construction crews at the site have been working to prepare the site for occupancy since about January.
Jim Bagley, a partner in Bagley Foods LLC, said he expects to hire about 20 employees to staff the business, including MSU students.
“We think we’ll compete very effectively,” he said. “We’re excited about the MSU location.”
East Lansing Planning and Community Development Director Tim Dempsey said Moe’s is up against “stiff competition” when it comes to competing with the area’s other Mexican-style restaurants.
“We have a number of established businesses in that food style,” he said. “But, if they provide quality product and good service, I think they’ll do well.”
Heather Holguin, a manager at El Azteco, 225 Ann St., said she doesn’t expect the planned opening to put a dent in the Mexican establishment’s business.
“We have a really established clientele, a lot of people that have been coming here for 30-plus years,” she said. “We have a lot of things that people come in specifically for.”
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