A second restaurant switcheroo is reportedly in the works in the same Sterling shopping center where another restaurant spot recently switched brands.
The Burn has learned that a new restaurant called Austin Grill is in the works to take over the spot where the Velocity Wings restaurant is in the Great Falls Plaza off Algonkian Parkway.
Both brands are owned by Thompson Restaurants, a major restaurant hospitality company here in the DC area.
Austin Grill was once a Tex-Mex and/or Mexican restaurant brand with multiple locations in the market. Thompson Restaurants bought Austin Grill in 2006. As best as we can tell, eventually the Austin Grill locations closed – the last one possibly in 2022.
Now the company is apparently bringing it back – whether the menu will continue with the Tex-Mex style food remains to be seen.
We’ve spoken with the Thompson team and they aren’t ready to reveal any details about the new incarnation of Austin Grill. And it’s understandable why – they’ve been busy.
Thompson just got done launching another new restaurant concept at the same Great Fall Plaza. As we’ve been reporting, the company’s new Ms. Peach’s Southern Kitchen just held its grand opening there on Tuesday.
That restaurant took over a spot where Locals Tacos & Tequila had been before – another restaurant in the Thompson stable.
Thompson is also behind the recent switch of two of their brands in Ashburn. We’re referring to how the Makers Union Pub took over the former Social House space at the Goose Creek Village shopping center.
Bottom line, while they haven’t specifically told us this, Thompson is clearly in the process of refreshing some of their locations – moving popular brands around and creating new brands.
We haven’t heard any timeline for the new Austin Grill plans, but we will keep an eye on it and report back.