Who is developing Morgan Street Food Hall?

Hibernian Hospitality Group – owners of Hibernian Irish Pubs, Xoco Mexican Restaurant, The Station, Solas, Raleigh Beer Garden and Watts & Ward created Morgan Street Food Hall in the Warehouse District of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

So what exactly is Morgan Street Food Hall?

The Food Hall is a 20,000 square foot venue with multiple restaurants and retail opportunities.  It also features event programming options. The Food Hall is at the heart of downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District and adjacent to the new Union Station, the 17-story Dillon mixed-use development and Citrix.

What is the vision for the food offerings at Morgan Street Food Hall?

The general vision for the food offerings will be a series of stalls and shops offering high quality, chef-driven specialty foods with a wide range of diversity. Each stall serves highly specialized and targeted culinary offerings, artisan and local in design and execution, with affordable prices typically found in food halls serving food counter-style.  Each stall will present its own unique personality with stalls ranging in size from 30-550 square feet depending on location, menu and what we consider might be the best ‘neighbors’. Most stalls feature local Triangle area chefs/restaurateurs looking to expand their brand identities or trying to create a new one using Morgan Street Food Hall as an test kitchen. Morgan Street Food Hall reflects the best of food trends, innovations and exciting offerings that may be unique to the Greater Raleigh area.

Is the patio at the Morgan Street Food Hall pet friendly?

Yes it is!

Where is Morgan Street Food Hall located?

Morgan Street Food Hall is located at 411 West Morgan Street in the center of Raleigh’s Warehouse District. Situated between the central business core, the fastest growing residential population and large-scale business expansions, the Food Hall is poised to be an economic engine for the food and beverage industry in Wake County for years to come.

How do I apply to become a vendor at the Morgan Street Food Hall?

All potential occupants can apply through the website. Within the application, you will be asked to present a proposal which will detail your concept. The application begins the process of arranging for presentations, interviews, and potential tastings to be conducted by the management company. Morgan Street Food Hall reviews all potential applicants and make determinations as to ensure a vibrant, non-repetitive and all-encompassing line-up of unique businesses and start-ups for a projected opening spring 2018.  The success of the Food Hall hinges on the synergy of a carefully curated, diverse line-up of vendors.

What will a typical food stall look like?

Food stalls/retail stands will vary from as little as 30 square feet to 550+ square feet.  Each stall houses whatever cooking equipment is needed and we encourage stall occupants to allow for some seating at their counter as well.  General seating will be plentiful but having some energy at the stall itself will help ‘personalize’ that space. Morgan Street Food Hall provides exhaust hoods to match the equipment needs, including sinks of the individual stalls, stubs in utilities including plumbing/wiring to the stall space, provide a facade on which to mount signage .  Select stalls will have open space in the front to provide customization of displays including refrigeration and heat if needed. No ceilings are needed as this will be an entirely enclosed area but we will review all design drawings to allow for vendors to personalize the space if it calls for some type of cover or grid work to hang lighting or other design elements. Each stall’s design must be approved for certain design criteria and process which will be established but again, we will do our best to allow the Food Hall to develop a personalized look and feel that is both eye-catching and unique.

What do you think this will cost a Tenant in build-out and overall cost of opening?

Obviously, there is no way to estimate a total to this without knowing what each stall will offer. However, it is our estimation that the Tenant might spend within a range of $30,000-60,000 (on a larger stall) to up-fit their stall in addition to their equipment costs. For smaller stalls we approximate between $2,000 and $10,000 in equipment costs.  Carts will not incur up-fit costs as they will be built ready to operate.  We will not be providing any improvement allowances due to our provision of the duct work, utilities, facade, floor drains and skeletal walls.  It is our estimation that your overall costs will be minimal compared to street side locations and overall size considerations – as well as not having to provide seating, bars or other guest accommodation such as restrooms or an office area.  Estimates of costs do not include potential permits, fees and costs that Tenants will incur in planning and permitting with the city and county.

What about storage?

A select larger stalls will have access to industrial refrigeration. Most stalls will have storage on site within their footprint.

What about general maintenance/upkeep and trash removal?

Morgan Street Food Hall provides trash handling facility on site.  In addition, MSFH provideS staff to keep the general area and all common areas clean and accessible.  Each stall operator will be responsible for and expected to maintain their areas with a high level of cleanliness and attention to detail.  Additionally, each stall operator will secure their own Wake County Health Permit, if applicable, and will be required to maintain certain scores dictated in the lease agreement.  There will be a recycling area in the main trash handling area.  Morgan Street Food Hall will manage all waste removal from that common waste area.

What will the lease terms look like?

There are a variety of lease terms to consider.  Our leases are established for each tenant based on the size of the desired space and the amount of Tenant Improvement the Food Hall will make in the space for the Tenant’s use, and will cost our Tenants between $500 and $8000 per month.  The various term options will be discussed individually with potential Tenants during the application process.  Our leases are inclusive of utilities, common areas, taxes and building insurance so it’s all in one monthly fee.  If your business exceeds a certain break point in sales, a percentage of your sales is added to the rent payment on a quarterly basis.  Morgan Street Food Hall also offers a menu of services to all Food Hall occupants as well – such as accounting services, marketing and online offerings and access to possible lending sources.

What else do I need to know?

  • One alcohol license including beer/fortified wine & liquor will be held by Morgan Street Food Hall & Market LLC.  Individual stall owners are not allowed to sell or serve alcohol at their stalls.  Your guests may wander the food hall and choose their own beverages from multiple locations in the Food Hall and you will be encouraged to sell non-alcoholic beverages that best represent your food and vibe.
  • Morgan Street Food Hall has a marketing and promotions staff that will constantly promote and book events at the Food Hall.  While it is impossible to estimate the percentage of time that there will be events in this open air space, there will be signature events and feature activation to highlight the overall Food Hall and drive traffic into the vendors’ establishments.
  • Morgan Street Food Hall is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The specific hours for the Food Hall are 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. with possible consideration for extended hours on weekends.
  • Each potential stall owner will be asked to present a simple yet thorough business plan that will detail the trade dress, specific stall concept/culture statement, design inspirations, menu with pricing and general layout of the space – all of which will become exhibits to the individual stall owner’s lease agreement.  Morgan Street Food Hall may have an array of stall ideas in mind but we will be completely open to new and innovative ideas that we might not have on our list of potential stall occupants.  Our collective goal is ‘best of class’ in all offerings and to that end we will conduct comprehensive food tastings with potential Tenants.