NWI Business Ins and Outs: Olive Garden, Anytime Fitness, I Dig Dinos opening; Easter Bunny coming to Southlake Mall
NWI Business Ins and Outs: Olive Garden, Anytime Fitness, I Dig Dinos opening; Easter Bunny coming to Southlake Mall
Coming soon
Exterior construction is largely complete on the new Highland Olive Garden, which is tentatively slated to open on May 9.
Olive Garden took over the former Old Country Buffet at 10445 Indianapolis Boulevard in the Highland Grove Shopping Center. The Orlando-based chain of sit-down Italian restaurants has been renovating the 10,179-square-foot restaurant for months.Â
Highland Building Commissioner Ken Mika said the construction cost an estimated $1.8 million and that materials shortages have delayed the project.
Delays
Olive Garden was originally eyeing a new location in Schererville's new Oak District, where Chick-fil-A and LongHorn Steakhouse just opened, but opted for Highland a few miles north to more easily obtain a three-way liquor license, typically crucial to a restaurant's profitability.
The chain is known for its pasta, breadsticks, wine and unlimited soup and salad lunch specials.
Owned by Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden has 900 restaurants around the globe, including in Lansing, Michigan City and Hobart at the Southlake Mall.Â
Coming
The Easter Bunny is hopping back to the Southlake Mall in Hobart next month.
Kids can pose for photos with the Easter Bunny from April 2 through April 16. Peter Cottontail will be set up at the lower level for family photo ops from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
The Easter Bunny will pose with pets from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 4 and stage a sensory-friendly photo experience from 10 to 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 10.
People can book reservations at amusemattebookbunny.com/southlake-mall/.
Sold
The professional office building at 7781 E. Ridge Road in Hobart was sold to a new owner, a local investor. The 5,288-square-foot building is home to two professional service firms and a medical office.
Crown Point-based Latitude Commercial represented the owners in the sale for $535,000.
“This is a brick building directly across the street from Strack's in Hobart. In my opinion, this building is one of the higher-end properties in the area and I felt confident representing it," Director of Office Group Antony Miocic said. "Our three tenants were all credit-worthy as well.”
If you would like your business to be included in a future column, email joseph.pete@nwi.com.
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