Raising Cane's Opening In The Colony

By Heather M. Goodwin | hgoodwin@starlocalmedia.com | The Colony Courier-Leader
The Metroplex is already home to 27 Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers restaurants, but local Caniacs can’t seem to get enough. The Louisiana-based chain recently broke ground on its newest location, in The Colony. It is tentatively scheduled to open in late June.

The newest restaurant extends DFW’s lead as the most populated market in the entire Raising Cane’s system. It will also be the first constructed to the company’s new and larger prototype specifications.

“The Colony is a great spot for Raising Cane’s and building a restaurant here is a very big milestone for us and for all of the Caniacs that live, work, and play in this great city”, said Luke Overman, area director of operations. “I have also received feedback from many of our customers that they have been waiting for a Raising Cane’s to open in The Colony, so we believe this is a win for everybody. Our culture is rooted in the relationships we build in each community we serve, so our crewmembers will definitely be reaching out to area schools and organizations of all types in the months ahead to see how we can become an active community partner.”

The Colony’s first Raising Cane’s will be located at 3851 Plano Parkway, just south of the Sam Rayburn Tollway.

See original article at The Colony Courier-Leader

The Colony Chamber of Commerce

By Heather M. Goodwin | hgoodwin@starlocalmedia.com | The Colony Courier-Leader

Changes are coming to The Colony Chamber of Commerce, and its new leader hopes it will allow members to get more out of the organization.

“There are definitely a lot of changes coming,” said Robyn Bowers, president of the chamber board. “I want to see the chamber be very prosperous and allow our members to get the most out of The Colony.”

Recently, the chamber has appointed all new board of directors members after the previous members resigned. Bowers said the board has also been meeting weekly. The chamber is also reshaping its member benefits package and welcome bags that are given to new residents.

“There is a collaboration of people wanting to change things. I think I’m able to use my background to help drive the chamber, but there is a great board in place that has stepped up and wants to see The Colony grow and succeed,” Bowers said. “Everyone on the board is very engaged. We’re exchanging ideas and brainstorming with each other.”

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Drunken Donkey Bar and Grill, 4897 State Highway 121, the chamber is inviting all previous, current and potential members to attend an event meant to introduce the community to the new chamber board.

“We want people to meet and get to know us,” Bowers said. “They’ll see that the chamber is a fun environment and has a lot of networking opportunities.”

Tuesday is also the deadline for businesses to add to the chamber’s welcome bags. Bowers said the bags include information about local businesses.

“I encourage creativity, bring your business cards, flyers, brochures or whatever you want,” Bowers said. “The goal is to stand out.”

Business owners should bring enough to fill 500 bags.

In addition, the chamber is partnering with Nebraska Furniture Mart and other new businesses coming to the Grandscape for sponsorships of other event. Sometime in March, NFM will partner with the chamber for a soft opening of the store to allow chamber members a sneak peak of the mart. Bowers said the chamber is trying to fill up its calendar with other events and fundraisers.

“We’ve also met with the city to get more involved, and we want to work with the schools. It will take some time, but it will happen,” Bowers said.

Bowers said while the previous board members were “great,” every now and then fresh volunteers are needed.

“It’s hard to maintain because these are volunteer positions,” Bowers said. “Now we have the opportunity to step in with new faces and see it prosper.”

Bowers is not only new to the chamber; she is new to The Colony and to Texas. She moved to the area in May and joined the chamber in October.

“I opened a new business in The Colony and wanted to get involved,” Bowers said. “I was involved with the chamber where I lived before. As a small business owner I know how hard it is when you first start up, and I want to offer my experience.”

Bowers said she wants to see a strong community. By the end of the year she hopes to see more than 100 members attend chamber events on a regular basis. She said the chamber will also roll out a new website in the coming months.

“I encourage feedback and suggestions from everyone,” Bowers said. “We’re trying to rebuild, so right now is the time we can implement just about anything.”

Interested members may join the chamber online at thecolonychamber.com or at Comerica Bank, 4730 State Highway 121.

“I would be happy to sit down and go over the benefits of becoming a member with anyone,” Bowers said. “I think every business owner should be part of it because we’re about to see things take off.”

Read more at The Colony Courier-Leader

Growth In The Colony, TX

The checkout area at the the Nebraska Furniture Mart is shown Jan. 14 in The Colony.

by Diane Baxter | Director of Communications and Tourism City of The Colony

Wow! Look at all the growth in The Colony. From new development to road construction, the city is flourishing. Growing pains come with all of this progress, but through knowledge, communication and patience, the result is going to be one of great pride and satisfaction for all of us.

The Grandscape development, home to the soon-to-open largest home furnishings store in the country, Nebraska Furniture Mart of Texas, is nothing short of incredible. Staff members have had the privilege of touring “the Mart” and can honestly and openly say that we personally have a shopping list of “must-haves” already in mind when those doors open. Grandscape will be a distinctive place of entertainment with a wide variety of retail, restaurants and wonderful hotels.

TopGolf has been a fantastic addition to our community that provides yet another setting for recreation, relaxation and socializing. If you haven’t had a chance to visit and enjoy the fun experienced by golfers and non-golfers alike, make it a must-do in 2015. The food is amazing as well.

The Tribute community is blooming as home sales continue to grow, and the new Prestwick STEM Academy is enthusiastically educating The Colony’s children in science, technology, engineering and math. Lewisville ISD has put some attention on existing The Colony schools with the renovation and rebuilding of Camey Elementary, and Griffin Middle School still in construction progress.

Spring will be here soon and outdoor activities that we all love will resume once again. Lewisville Lake will transform from its peaceful hibernation that local fisherman love, to a recreational oasis of swimming, boating, jet skiing, wakeboarding, sailing and whatever else “floats your boat.” It’s a great lake with terrific amenities right on shore.

Have you visited Hidden Cove Park lately? Did you know that our partners, Marine Quest, have been making remarkable improvements and additions to the park including a fun and convenient “take a break when you’re on the lake” Captain Jack’s restaurant? Gather your friends and family for a nice spring hike or bike ride on one of our fabulous shoreline trails. You’ll enjoy the fresh air and scenery as our little part of the world returns to lush greenery interspersed with lovely wildflowers.

The Chapel at Ana Villa is an enchanting venue for tying the knot with the one you love. Check them out if you are recently engaged and looking for that perfect place to exchange your vows and enjoy lasting memories. This facility provides a gorgeous backdrop for wedding photos of your special day. Within walking distance are our two comfortable Marriott hotels with a third under construction. Marriott Courtyard has an estimated opening of next January.

So make your spring plans, keep your resolutions for added fitness and family time, and come check out all the great things that are happening in The Colony! Visit us online at visitthecolonytx.com.

Hampton Inn Breaks Ground at Grandscape

Korri Kezar | kkezar@bizjournalscom | Dallas Business Journal

A 115-room, 6-story Hampton Inn and Suites has broken ground at the Grandscape development in The Colony.

Nebraska Furniture Mart is spending $1.5 billion to anchor and develop Grandscape, which will stretch across 433 acres. Its first phase includes two Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) hotels developed by Carrollton-based Atlantic Hotels Group, which has done construction for other well-known names including Marriott and Holiday Inn.

The hotels will include the Hampton and a 126-room Homewood Suites by Hilton. Both hotels will be upscale to cater to transient and extended-stay customers, a company news release said.

“We are extremely excited to be developing for Hilton inside Grandscape,” said Perry Molubhoy, Chairman and CEO of Atlantic Hotels Group. “We look forward to providing The Colony and our customers with a luxurious, quality product that will make them always (come) back for more – a home away from home.”

Atlantic is set to complete construction in early 2016. The hotel will cost $12 million to build.

Other businesses slated to join the development include restaurants Mi Cocina, Cheddars, Hard Eight BBQ and Rock & Brews.

“The biggest thing that differentiates us from other developers is that we are under no financial pressure to sign tenants,” Jeff Lind, Granscape president, told the Dallas Business Journal in January. “We can tweak anything that we need to tweak and as we open the store, we’ll take our time and do it right.”

More at www.bizjournals.com

Abuelos Resturant Moving To The Colony

Posted by LewisvilleTexan

Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant announced this week that on February 15th, it’s location on 2520 S. I-35E in Lewisville will close its doors. The property has been purchased through eminent domain by the Texas Department of Transportation for use in the Interstate 35 expansion project. The state’s purchase price was not listed as of Thursday, but the property was on the tax rolls at $2.6 million. The restaurant had been in business at the location since 1999.

Food Concepts International, the Lubbock based parent company of Abuelos, said they were in the process of finalizing plans for a new location in The Colony, near the new Nebraska Furniture Mart on SH 121. They hope to open the restaurant there by September of this year.

“With regret, we are closing our location in Lewisville,” said Robert Lin, president of Food Concepts International. “We are very thankful to our guests and employees for their loyal patronage and service over the past 15 years in Lewisville. We invite everyone to visit us at any of our other DFW locations, and we are looking forward to a new opening in the Colony area soon.”

This story contains material from a submitted report. Photo by Nick Weaver.

Read Story at Lewisville Texas Journal