Gainesville residents can look forward to a new place to chow down in Butler Plaza.
BurgerFi, a restaurant franchise that first opened in 2011 in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Fla., is the first tenant to announce it will occupy part of a new five-suite building at 3518 SW Archer Road.
The restaurant has “an overall focus on a healthier menu selection,” owner Henry Talerico wrote in an email.
The franchise will sell items including grass-fed beef hamburgers, Australian Wagyu beef hot dogs, handcut french fries, and selections of craft beers and wines.
Kristin Mamula, a marketing associate for Butler Enterprises, said the company’s emphasis on healthier menu options makes it a good fit for Butler Plaza.
“We’ve noticed Gainesville becoming more health conscious, especially with their food choices,” Mamula said.
The BurgerFi restaurant will be built over the summer and is expected to open in the fall, Mamula said. It will employ about 50 people.
The building will take over a space formerly occupied by Florida Citizens Bank and a Checkers. Both buildings were recently demolished. Construction bids for the building will be announced in the next week. Afterward, construction will begin.
Talerico, a UF graduate, said BurgerFi’s construction will follow environmentally sustainable practices, including using recycled materials and decor made from Coca-Cola bottles.
He said BurgerFi chose to anchor a franchise in Gainesville because it is a “growing and dynamic community” and would give them the ability to cross-market in Florida. Most BurgerFi locations in Florida are located in coastal communities.
Dante Campanaro, a 24-year-old Santa Fe College humanities sophomore, said the business may “be hit-or-miss” because it will have to compete with other restaurants in Butler Plaza. He said healthier options may draw in students in ways traditional burger joints have not.
“There are lots of kids who are health conscious and trying to be hip,” said Campanaro.
