Just got off the phone with Clay Evans, whose SC Companies owns the theater at Casa Linda, and he said the theater renovation is 90 percent complete. The company’s goal: To lease the 12,500 square feet to a retailer or restaurant — either one tenant or three — and to have someone in there this fall. Plus, he said, the tower lights will go back on next week.
Who does SC Companies want to lease to? Evans declined to discuss specific companies, but he said he would love to get a tenant similar to those found at Mockingbird Station, Highland Park Village or Old Town.
Can he get someone like that? It will be difficult. Typically, upscale fast casual restaurants like Cafe Express or La Madeleine need that much space, as do hardware stores, drug stores and boutique-style furniture stores. But many usually want better demographics than Casa Linda offers. Best guess, after talking to some real estate types? Three smaller franchise-type operations like Super Suppers or Mail Boxes, Etc., similar to what’s in the Lakewood Shopping Center.
