Friday’s South plans to head east, but it is not leaving town with some of Collinsville’s favorite pizza: It is just expanding into the vacant building adjacent to its current location.
Friday’s South, 106 E. Main, will expand into the adjacent building (pictured on the left) / Photo by Roger Starkey
KJK Enterprises Inc, which owns the real estate where Friday’s South is located, has already bought the adjacent building and begun the remodel work. According to Eric Kent, owner of Friday’s South and president of KJK, the project should be completed in about six weeks.
Uptown Development Coordinator Leah Joyce said the project will double the size of an already successful business and make improvements to the building they bought.
“From an economic development standpoint for the city, that’s going to increase the property value, which increases our tax base,” Joyce said. “From an economic standpoint, this is a perfect project.”
Kent said the main focus of the project will be adding more dining space inside the restaurant.
“It’ll probably be 11 tables, and probably about 55 chairs,” Kent said.
He also said more TVs, possibly poker machines near the bar and a pinball machine would be added. There will also be more room to accommodate live music. The hardwood floors and original tin ceilings will also be refurbished. The bar will remain in its current location. The outside of 108 E. Main has already been painted to match Friday’s current 106 E. Main location.
Kent said the expansion will help Friday’s South generate more sales tax to the city, as well as help create more jobs.
‘We are going to generate more jobs,” Kent said. “I’m not sure how many more jobs, but I’d say four to six part-time jobs.” According to a Tax Increment Finance application completed for the City of Collinsville, Friday’s South currently employs one full-time person and 10 part-time.
The City Council voted 3-1 on Tuesday, May 27, to reimburse the Uptown bar and restaurant $23,837.20 in TIF funds for the expansion project. It has previously received $8,908.20 in TIF funds and will return to request more in the future to help pay for a fire-suppression system that will bring the expansion up to code.
The intention of the TIF program is to increase sales tax revenue, property tax revenue and the value of property, as well as create or retain jobs and provide improvement of the local economy and the community. Joyce said some people think the program gives money away to businesses that are already successful.
“The intent of the program is to help incentivize people making long-term improvements to their building,” Joyce said. “Even if that business did leave, or if they decide to relocate, that building will always have those improvements.”
Councilwoman Karen Woolard voted against providing TIF funds to Friday’s South. Woolard said she is concerned about the competitive advantage the awards may give the recipient over other nearby businesses.
“What does Fifth Quarter think of that?” Woolard said. “I didn’t want to impact the competitive environment and $23,000 is a significant impact.”
The Fifth Quarter, located about 100 yards from Friday’s South, has previously received TIF funds of its own.
In August 2009, the restaurant received $44,249.60. In October 2008, it received $840, and in April of the same year, it received $79,910.40.
Friday’s South’s is next door to the APEX building. That building was sold by the city of Collinsville in October 2013 in a redevelopment agreement. Main Street Developers will be reimbursed the purchase price of $468,000 after they meet certain investment milestones.
Woolard voted in favor of the APEX agreement, but the Councilwoman, who just completed her first year, said she her views on the TIF program are still developing.
“I have decided to only support TIF money awards that are for infrastructure or are under a certain limit. For now, that limit is $20,000,” Woolard said. “If I find that I am still extremely uncomfortable, I may have to amend that.”
TIF funds are limited to fixing health and safety problems, renovation and repairs to the inside or outside of existing buildings, structures or surrounding properties. City staff has often estimated that over 90 percent of TIF funds are used for infrastructure projects.
The plans for the expansion of Friday’s South call for the removal of the second floor stairs, basement stairs, as well as creating two archways in the existing brick wall separating the two locations.
A new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant entrance will also be constructed, and electrical, plumbing and HVAC work will be completed.
The total cost of the project is $59,593. Friday’s South reimbursement will equal 40 percent of that value.
Joyce said the improvements will not only make the location more marketable and easier to fill with a new tenant down the road, if needed, but also benefit Collinsville in the short term.
“It will draw even more people Uptown, which is not only going to help Friday’s, but everyone around them,” Joyce said.
Kent said with more businesses moving to Uptown, he hopes the area will attract more people.
“Hopefully, we’ll feed off each other and make it a more lively Uptown,” Kent said.
Roger Starkey contributed to this story.
