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CMX CinéBistro, Uncle Julio’s still coming to Naples mall




CMX CinéBistro, a six-screen, dine-in cinema, is targeted to open this fall at Coastland Center mall in Naples. ERIC STRACHAN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

CMX CinéBistro, a six-screen, dine-in cinema, is targeted to open this fall at Coastland Center mall in Naples. ERIC STRACHAN / NAPLES FLORIDA WEEKLY

Q: Any idea if the CinéBistro at the Coastland Center mall is ever opening? — Jarrod Feintuch, Naples

A: If everything goes as planned, expect the state-of-the-art cinema to debut this fall in Naples. “The Naples location is projected to open late fall, but we do not have a definite date as of now. As soon as we know more information, we will start making announcements,” CMX Cinemas messaged this week. 

Job notices posted online last week for the full-time positions of general manager and operations technician for CMX CinéBistro in Naples begin with an exclamation: “CMX Cinemas CineBistro Coastland is excited to announce we will soon be open!”

“Soon” is relative, of course. Originally planned to open last year, the project still has about five months of interior work, said construction superintendent Fredrick Hight with WDS Construction Inc., the Wisconsin-based general contractor for the local project.

“We still have a lot of interior work to do,” Mr. Hight said. “Right now, we are pushing for an August completion.”

Although the exterior shell of the more than 35,000-square-foot building was basically completed last year on the footprint of the razed Sears store at the mall, interior work on the six-screen cinema stopped last spring when Miami-based CMX Cinemas filed for bankruptcy after the pandemic lockdown. Cinemex Holdings USA Inc., the parent company of CMX Cinemas, CineBistro and Cobb Theatres, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and reorganization in late April, temporarily putting the incomplete Naples location in limbo.

Above: Some of the items on the American bistro menu at CMX CinéBistro, targeted to open this fall at Coastland Center mall in Naples.

Above: Some of the items on the American bistro menu at CMX CinéBistro, targeted to open this fall at Coastland Center mall in Naples.

Although construction workers plan to be finished with their part in August, CMX Cinemas still needs another month or so after the handoff to complete finishing touches and luxurious details. At any rate, the company expects a fall opening.

In the meantime, Mr. Hight still must oversee the installation of the theater’s leather recliners, the creation of the lobby, offices and restrooms, and the buildout of the concessions area and restaurant-style kitchen. The refined movie-going experience will feature a scratch kitchen with American Bistro cuisine as well as a full bar with a large wine selection.

Left: Wagyu beef sliders and truffle fries from CMX CinéBistro, targeted to open this fall at Coastland Center mall in Naples.

Left: Wagyu beef sliders and truffle fries from CMX CinéBistro, targeted to open this fall at Coastland Center mall in Naples.

“Enjoy an elevated dinner-and-a-movie experience like never before,” CMX CinéBistro promises on the home page of its website. The VIP experience planned for CinéBistro Coastland in Naples is outlined in the cinema’s ad seeking a general manager, whose role will include running a full-service restaurant, too.

“The location features six auditoriums, all offering full-service in-theater dining, oversized reclining seats, and cutting-edge digital technology,” the ad states. “The trendy CMX Stone Sports Bar is located in the lounge of the theater and provides sports enthusiasts a redefined experience to watch their favorite teams on giant LED screens, while also enjoying chef-crafted food options, signature handcrafted cocktails and an extensive beer and wine list.”

Mexican eatery a year away

UncleUr Julio’s Mexican restaurants feature an open scratch kitkitchen. Its Grand Swirl specialty drink features house-made rocks sangria swirled with frozen Margarita and topped with a shot of Grand Marnier.

UncleUr Julio’s Mexican restaurants feature an open scratch kitkitchen. Its Grand Swirl specialty drink features house-made rocks sangria swirled with frozen Margarita and topped with a shot of Grand Marnier.

Q: When is Uncle Julios restaurant opening at Coastland mall in Naples? — Nancy Baranski, Cape Coral

A: Uncle Julio’s restaurant now is targeted to break ground in late 2021 and open in the first quarter of next year in an undeveloped space on an outparcel in the northwest corner of the Coastland Center mall property in Naples.

“Uncle Julio’s is on track to open in Naples in 2022 with one of our newest prototype restaurants. We are excited to bring the authentic taste of our made-from-scratch cuisine to the area,” said Suzanne Gentry Flodin, founder and president of The Gentry Agency, the public relations firm representing the Dallas-based Tex-Mex chain.

Uncle Julio’s restaurant and full bar in Naples will be a freestanding building between the new SunTrust bank and a six-screen cinema that nears completion at the mall. The nearly 11,500-square-foot restaurant with an abundance of indoor and outdoor dining space will have visibility from U.S. 41 and Golden Gate Parkway.

PHOTOS COURTESY UNCLE JULIO’S

PHOTOS COURTESY UNCLE JULIO’S

The chain initially had planned to open the restaurant here in late 2020, but construction has yet to start. The pandemic put local plans for Uncle Julio’s more than a year behind.

“Our original plans made prior to the pandemic centered on creating a unique design that reflected the Naples vibe, and those plans have not changed,” Mrs. Flodin said. “The Uncle Julio’s in Naples will feature an outdoor dining space that is larger than the outdoor spaces at most of our other restaurants. It will be an excellent place to enjoy outdoor dining year-round amid beautiful tropical plants and trees. Our guests can enjoy the weather as they partake in our signature cuisine in a space that accommodates approximately 30 tables. Outdoor dining works even better in light of COVID-19.”

Although a large, covered semi-circular patio was already planned outside, the casual Mexican restaurant will make some pandemic-related operational changes inside to modify the local dining experience.

The exterior elevation of the proposed Uncle Julio’s Mexican restaurant at Coastland Center mall in Naples PHOTO COURTESY UNCLE JULIO’S

Uncle Julio’s, which operates this Mexican restaurant in Orlando, plans a second Florida location in Naples.  PHOTO COURTESY UNCLE JULIO’S

“We are in the process of redesigning our restaurant in Naples to better accommodate higher levels of takeout business,” Mrs. Flodin said. “We have devoted more space in the dining room and the kitchen to improve efficiency for both guests and our team members. These enhanced takeout capabilities will help us provide the high level of service and experience that Uncle Julio’s offers, whether you are sitting in our chairs or enjoying Uncle Julio’s from home.”

Uncle Julio’s serves lunch and dinner but it is most popular as a dine-in dinner destination, according to the restaurant’s pre-COVID stats. Especially known for its Swirl Margaritas, mesquite-grilled meats and chocolate piñata dessert, the chain now has 37 locations in 12 states, including one in Florida at Orlando’s Icon Park. After the pandemic began last year, Uncle Julio’s permanently closed its two locations in metropolitan Atlanta. ¦

 

“Tim Aten Knows” is published each week in Naples Florida Weekly. Mr. Aten is managing editor of Gulfshore Business magazine. Email questions to TimAten- Knows@floridaweekly.com. Follow @ TimAtenKnows on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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