Five Guys to open this semester at West 27th Place


By
 in ,

West 27th Place Apartments on Figueroa Street and 27th Street plans to add five retailers on the Figueroa side of the ground floor.

The first to open will be Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a Virginia-based burger restaurant.

Bagel · Five Guys and Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. will move into the ground floor of West 27th Place. Three more retail locations in the building have not yet been rented. - Carlo Acenas | Daily Trojan

Tabitha Stevens, property manager of West 27th Place Apartments, said Five Guys should open by the end of the semester and Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. should open in fall 2012.

Many students who live in the building said they are excited about the new options.

Greg Gunter, a sophomore majoring in history, said he was excited Five Guys was coming to the area.

“Five Guys is easily in my top 10 favorite restaurants,” Gunter said. “The burgers are pretty decent and the fries are amazing. It also happens to be pretty affordable.”

Brooklyn Water Bagel Co., a small Brooklyn-based bagel company that uses water from Brooklyn, N.Y. as a key ingredient, will also join the complex. Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. will offer a variety of New York-style bagels, coffee and a convenient study environment.

Katie Roughan, a sophomore majoring in psychology, said having a place to get coffee nearby will be convenient.

“It’d be nice for students who have early classes to be able to walk downstairs and get a coffee,” Roughan said. “Coffee and bagel before class? I have nothing against that.”

With three spots still open, many students hope healthier food options will occupy the spaces.

Max McTee, a junior majoring in business administration, said he agreed healthier options would be a good addition.

“I love Five Guys but students want healthy options nowadays,” McTee said.

Stevens said the companies that will occupy the other three vacant retail spots  are ultimately up to the building owner.

“Our office does not really have a say in it,” Stevens said. “Students have been asked their opinion but the building owners want to make sure that whoever comes in can pay the rent.”

Stevens said Whole Foods Market considered occupying a space, but the space was too small to accommodate a supermarket.

“There was talk of including a Whole Foods but the spacing is more suited to smaller restaurants,” Stevens said.

Hours of operation for Five Guys and Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. have not yet been determined.