Chipotle nears completion, Jersey Mike’s is next
Chipotle nears completion, Jersey Mike’s is next
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Chipotle is nearing completion in the town of Dunkirk, but it is not the only restaurant on the way. Code Enforcement Officer Ryan Mourer told the Dunkirk Town Board at a recent meeting that Jersey Mike's Subs is eyeing a location in the Tops Plaza on Vineyard Drive.
Mourer told the Board that Jersey Mike's is part of a chain reaction of moving pieces in the Tops Plaza. Jersey Mike's will take over the current location of Little Caesar's Pizza, which will then move to the spot currently occupied by Subway. Little Caesar's will remodel the Subway location and offer a drive-through pick-up window.
Chipotle is targeting a grand opening in November for its new location on Vineyard Drive, in the front of the plaza that includes Harbor Freight, DaVita, and Five Below. The newly-constructed 2,325 square foot building will feature a patio for outdoor dining, as well as indoor seating for dine-in customers. There will also be a "Chipotlane" for customers to pick up orders submitted online.
Chipotle was unanimously approved by the Planning Board in August 2025, and originally planned to start construction shortly after it was issued a building permit, but the plans were delayed due to poor weather conditions. The building broke ground in April, and the majority of the work is already complete. The finishing touches could be wrapped up in the coming weeks.
Another popular chain restaurant, Panera Bread, has expressed interest in the Town, but Mourer said he is unsure of its status. Panera Bread looked into constructing a new building, but Mourer has not heard much in recent weeks. "Usually when that happens, there's a problem," Mourer said.
The Town also fielded complaints of unsafe conditions around 7 Brew at Plaza 59. The new business is located on Route 60, right off the thruway. Entering and exiting the plaza was a concern, so as a result, the Planning Board designed a traffic plan for 7 Brew to implement. New management recently took over at 7 Brew, and the concerns have been alleviated with new signage and striping.
The Town Board has authorized Mourer to seek a part-time employee to assist with his duties as Code Enforcement Officer. Town Councilman Phil Leone initially raised the idea of hiring additional support for Mourer, who is a part-time employee but is responsible for all of the code enforcement needs of the Town.
Mourer said the Town is "unusually busy" at this point in the year. Mourer has recently issued stop work orders to several businesses and residences that are not following the code laws of the Town. Mourer is also reviewing the application from Solar Liberty that was previously approved.
"He needs somebody to help him with some of his duties, just because there's so much going on," Leone said.
Rather than strictly seeking a fully qualified Code Enforcement Officer to help Mourer, the Town has given Mourer the authority to interview candidates for a part-time Zoning Officer position, as well. The Board expects a recommendation for hiring from Mourer by the next Board meeting.