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YAMA ASIAN FUSION ADDS TO DINING DIVERSITY AT GRUBB PROPERTIES’ MORRISON
 Exotic dining to open Fall 2007 with accent on Pacific Rim cuisines and sushi specialties.

CHARLOTTE, NC – April 5, 2007 - Grubb Properties and Casto Lifestyle Properties, partners in the emerging mixed-use neighborhood of Morrison in South Park, today announced that Yama Asian Fusion restaurant will open at Morrison this Fall in a 2940 square foot space across the neighborhood’s main street from anchor tenant Earthfare (now scheduled to open this summer). Yama will be adjacent to the previously announced Laughing Buddha Yoga Studio and across an outdoor dining/pedestrian breezeway from Arooji’s Wine Room & Ristorante (opening this spring).

Yama, owned by Paul Wu, will feature a tantalizing selection of Japanese, Chinese and Pacific Rim creations along with fresh, traditional and innovative sushi dishes. The dining room – with seating for approximately 80 – will be distinctly hip and transitional, with lighting, colors and textures that compliment a unique dining experience in a “new urban” setting like Morrison. Outdoors, Yama will offer al fresco dining in the spacious breezeway and plaza along Governor Morrison Street.

Yama will be the third restaurant for Wu and his ownership group. Currently, the group owns and manages Asian restaurants at Lake Norman and in Charleston, South Carolina, both called Osaka.

“We’re very much looking forward to being at Morrison,” Wu said. “Southpark is the focal point for upscale dining in Charlotte, and this location gives us a great space to work in, easy access, proximity to other great shops and boutiques, and still a charming, cozy neighborhood as Morrison’s residents begin moving into condos and apartments this summer. It reminds us of our other locations, where we’ve been very successful.”

“Yama Asian Fusion brings experienced ownership and an exotic but comfortable menu to the dining scene in Southpark,” Jonathan Nance, director of commercial leasing for Grubb Properties, said. “They’ll add a nice touch to Morrison and do very well here. It’s a concept that’s equally appealing for a quiet evening dinner or a casual lunch after visits to Barnes & Noble, Earthfare, Varji & Varji and others.”

“They’ve done extremely well at the lake and in Charleston – they know how to create a great experience for their customers and how to sustain creativity and quality day after day, year after year.”

Yama Asian Fusion is the second new tenant to announce at Morrison since Grubb revealed that Barnes & Noble had signed up to anchor the neighborhood with a 28,500 square foot landmark store at the corner of Sharon and Colony Roads. Nance hinted at additional announcements in the near future as Morrison continues to emerge as North Carolina’s premier mixed-use lifestyle center as well as one of Charlotte’s most desirable new urban neighborhoods.

The lease was negotiated for Morrison by Grubb Properties’ Jana Foreman, while Yama Asian Fusion was represented by Jacob Beaulieu of Re/Max at the Lake.

About Grubb Properties

Grubb Properties was founded in 1963 in Lexington, NC. After an initial focus on building, financing and selling affordable homes to low-income families, the company has grown to become one of North Carolina’s leading real estate firms with integrated expertise in residential, commercial and mixed-use development, acquisition, financing, construction, property management, sales and leasing. Grubb Properties now has approximately 100 employees, a management and/or leasing portfolio of nearly two million square feet of commercial and residential properties, and a focus on revitalizing properties, land and communities in North Carolina’s premier real estate markets. The company is headquartered in Charlotte and maintains offices in Cary and Lexington, North Carolina. For additional information visit www.grubbproperties.com.

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Posted: April 05, 2007 - News | More News