SUCCOTASH IN NEGOTIATIONS TO OPEN AT AVONLEA

Succotash, a popular upscale Southern cuisine restaurant with two locations in the D.C. area, is exploring opening a third location, this time at the nascent Avonlea center in South Riding. We’re told a deal is close. It’s yet another sign that things are afoot at the eagerly anticipated Avonlea.

Succotash currently has locations at National Harbor and in Penn Quarter and specializes in upscale Southern dishes. “A progressive perspective of classic Southern favorites. James Beard Award nominee Edward Lee brings his Korean roots and Southern repertoire to a soulful Southern menu,” reads the restaurant’s website.

“We would love to welcome them to the project,” said Joanna Rothermel, a spokesperson with Avonlea’s developer, the Peterson Companies. “Our team is actively working through the lease with them.”

Regular readers will recall that The Burn has recently reported on new developments around the long simmering Avonlea. The center announced a new commercial leasing agency to market the center and construction work was put out to bid on the first buildings. We’ve been told that they could break ground on the project before the end of the year.

One of the main holdups to any new center is finding a solid base of tenants. The Cinéopolis movie theater chain signed a lease years ago at Avonlea. Now — while nothing is definite until a lease is signed — Succotash could be the second. And we’ve confirmed at least two more restaurant brands are circling the project as well. Hopefully, there will be news to report on that front soon.