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‘Final Puzzle Piece’ with Opening of Chipotle
January 6, 2015The opening of the new Chipotle at the Signal Hill Gateway Center received news coverage from two local papers; the Signal Tribune and Long Beach Gazettes.
Read the articles below, or click on the links for the digital versions.
Photo Courtesy of Signal Tribune: Signal Hill Mayor Ed Wilson cuts the ribbon with Emre Comertoglu, manager of the new Chipotle restaurant on Wednesday Dec. 10, 2014 at the Signal Hill Gateway Center. Also pictured are: Police Chief Michael Langston (far left), Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce President Terry Rogers (second from left), Signal Hill Petroleum representatives, councilmembers and city staff.
Signal Tribune
Chipotle restaurant opens in Signal Hill as ‘final puzzle piece’ to shopping center
POSTED ON DECEMBER 12, 2014; Sean Belk (Staff Writer)
City officials, business owners and community members gathered on Wednesday, Dec. 10 to celebrate the opening of Chipotle restaurant, which completes the Signal Hill Gateway Center off of Spring Street between California and Atlantic avenues.
The opening comes after a Starbucks and a Sprint retail store opened their doors last month while two Bank Of America ATMs are expected to be operational by the end of December, said Ashley Schaffer, real estate manager for Signal Hill Petroleum, developer and property owner of the shopping center
“It was the final puzzle piece,” she said, adding that development at the shopping center first began in 2007. “We’re very happy it’s finally done.”
The businesses are the latest addition to the shopping center, which is also home to In-N-Out, Petco, Ross Dress for Less and Home Depot.
“We’re excited about Chipotle being here,” said Signal Hill Mayor Ed Wilson in an interview with the Signal Tribune. “New businesses mean new jobs, but also this is an establishment that’s really, really liked by the millennials, the younger people. I know it’s one of my daughter’s favorite restaurants to go to. We’re just excited for them to be here, and we’re going to look forward to a long-term, working relationship with them.”
Wilson noted that the new restaurant includes a patio that allows diners to eat while enjoying the view from Signal Hill.
During the invitation-only event that included a ribbing-cutting ceremony, community members, local business owners and city officials were treated to free food from Chipotle.
“We’re just really excited to get a Class-A tenant and a great new amenity for the city here at the Signal Hill Gateway shopping center,” said David Slater, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Signal Hill Petroleum, developer and property owner of the center. “The completion of this pad with Starbucks, Sprint and Chipotle builds out Signal Hill Gateway Center with a great addition and some great tenants, but it wouldn’t have happened without the support of the city and a great amount of support from city staff.”
Long Beach Gazettes
BUSINESS BEAT: New Chipotle In Town; Capture Long Beach Video Contest; Hotel Maya Additions
Posted: Tuesday, December 16, 2014 9:13 pm; Ashleigh Ruhl (Editor)
Fresh Chipotle
A new Chipotle Mexican Grill opened last week at the Signal Hill Gateway Center on Spring Street near Atlantic Avenue.
Members of Signal Hill Petroleum, which owns the majority of the shopping center, as well as city leaders, hosted a ribbon cutting on Wednesday (Dec. 10). Signal Hill Mayor Ed Wilson and Signal Hill Chamber of Commerce President Terry Rogers were among those in attendance.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Chipotle to the Gateway Center,” David Slater, executive vice president and COO of Signal Hill Petroleum, said in a release. “We welcome them to the business community and wish them much success going forward.”
The 1,800-square-foot Chipotle is located at 959 E. Spring St., and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant, which is fast-casual, is part of a chain that got its start in 1993 and has grown to include 1,500 locations. Menu items include burritos, burrito bowls, tacos and salads.
Chipotle’s opening finished work that started in 2006 when the Signal Hill Gateway Center first broke ground. Signal Hill Petroleum to develop the 23.5-acre Gateway Center, which also includes Home Depot, an Applebee’s, Dollar Tree, Home Depot, Jack in the Box, In-N-Out, Petco, Ross, Sprint and Starbucks drive-thru. A Chick-fil-A restaurant also is planned to open in the shopping center soon.