Ellis Community Press: New restaurants to open in Ferris

<div>View the full article <a href="http://www.elliscountypress.com/2017/news/new-restaurants-to-open-in-ferris/">here</a>. </div><div><br></div><div>FERRIS – The need for restaurants within Ferris and the surrounding region is continuing to grow year after year.</div><div><br></div><div>It is a need the Ferris City Council and Economic Development folks have been paying attention to for some time.</div><div><br></div><div>“Consumers are seeking dining, shopping and entertainment in other areas of the metroplex,” said City of Ferris Economic Development Director Sean Overeynder, regarding money currently going out of the city.</div><div><br></div><div>“That’s money that could and should be coming into Ferris instead.</div><div><br></div><div>“As a result of these revenues leaving the city and being spent in other communities for dining, shopping, and entertainment, the City of Ferris is losing needed tax dollars that are vital in sustaining our community’s growth and economy,” Overeynder added. </div><div><br></div><div>Enter both a new Taco Bell and a Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Actually, Taco Bell has been in the works for some time, Overeynder explained.</div><div><br></div><div>“Taco Bell started prior to my arrival, however, when I came in I was able to assist in many areas of the development by providing needed data and analysis to further this development,” he explained.</div><div><br></div><div>The Taco Bell will be constructed by Valley Bell Enterprises and will be built at the Northeast corner of E. 8th Street and Interstate 45.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the former location of Leal’s Tire Shop. Then, through additional recruitment efforts and by showing the greatest benefit for not only these retail sectors, but the community as well, the Department of Economic Development was also able to secure Dickey’s Barbecue Pit as well as a developer for a shopping center along I-45 that will be used as a catalyst for additional growth along this corridor.</div><div><br></div><div>The shopping center will be a phased process with the first phase being approximately 65,000 square feet. The final phase of the projects is expected to be approximately 200,000 square feet.</div><div><br></div><div>Dickey’s Barbecue Pit will be opened by The Catering Guy LLC along Interstate 45.</div><div><br></div><div>It was noted Dickey’s Barbecue Pit wants to capture annually at least $1.2 million of the $15.82 million a year leakage in restaurant sales in the area.</div><div><br></div><div>Not a bad number and, with a location on I-45 that sees about 44,000 cars a day traveling along this route, it is certainly doable.</div><div><br></div><div>Taco Bell anticipates being opened by the end of December 2017.</div><div><br></div><div>Both Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and the Shopping Center are due to break ground January 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>Overeynder said the City of Ferris is continuing to work with additional retailers that will compliment what is already coming to the interstate and will further capture some of the leakage created by unsatisfied demand within the city. </div><div><br></div><div>“When I started with the City of Ferris, I began looking at the highest leakage from the city and found that the areas of dining, department stores, clothing stores, grocery stores, and entertainment and recreation were needed to serve a demand that was not being satisfied,” Overeynder concluded.</div>