Mellow Mushroom Coming To River Place In Downtown Wilmington

Feb 12, 2019

Story by: WWAY News, posted on  wwaytv3.com

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Mellow Mushroom plans to open its third location in the area and has signed a lease for nearly 4,600 square feet of space at River Place, according to a news release from Cape Fear Commercial.

River Place is a mixed-use project currently under construction in the 200 block of Water Street in downtown Wilmington.

“We are thrilled that Mellow Mushroom has chosen to open a new location at River Place,” said Lee Perry, a partner with East West Partners, whose Chapel Hill-based firm is redeveloping the site of the former Water Street parking deck. “We were seeking an energetic and casual dining atmosphere to activate this marquee outdoor waterfront space at the corner of Chestnut and Water Streets, and we believe Mellow Mushroom to be the perfect fit.”

Local Mellow Mushroom franchisees Robert Ray and Kevin Dukes opened their first store on Oleander Drive in 2003 and just recently renovated it. The duo also operates another location on Causeway Drive in Wrightsville Beach, which they opened in 2011.

“The folks of Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach have been so good to us, and we are just very excited to finally be a part of downtown Wilmington,” said Ray. “We looked at a spot in the area 15 years ago for our first store, but as it turned out, ended up on Oleander Drive. Over the years, we have always wondered what could have been, so we are thrilled for the opportunity to be part of such an epic project on the riverfront and can’t wait to be a part of a community where we are already friends with so many businesses.”

Cape Fear Commercial says with this lease, 60 percent of the River Place’s 32,000 square feet of commercial space is now pre-leased.

The Mellow Mushroom downtown location is expected to open by April 2020.

In addition to retail space, River Place will feature luxury condominiums and apartments.

View the original story on WWAY’s website.