Capital Grille Wins Approval To Open Upscale Steakhouse In Newtown

NEWTOWN, PA — The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday granted the Capital Grille the approval it needs to open an upscale steakhouse and restaurant in the Village at Newtown shopping center.

In a 3-2 vote, the board gave the Capital Grille permission to convert the former Pier One Imports store into an 8,500-square-foot, 236-seat high-end restaurant.

In addition, the supervisors voted 3-2 to approve the inter-muncipal transfer of a liquor license from Warrington to Newtown for the Capital Grille.

"Capital Grille is a feather in our cap," said Supervisor Elen Snyder. "No, I'm not fond of more liquor licenses, but with the Capital Grille comes a liquor license. There's no doubt about it. I see it as a positive for our township and something special."

According to Drew Johnson, a brand-design manager with Darden Restaurants, which owns the Capital Grill, it will take about seven to eight months to secure the necessary permits and to convert the retail space into a Capital Grille with an estimated opening sometime in late summer 2024.

During its deliberations of Capital Grille's conditional use request, land development attorney Joe Blackburn, representing the applicant, addressed the issue of parking noting that a study done by the developer shows ample spaces to accommodate the use.

Blackburn noted that a number of businesses at that end of the shopping center, like Turning Point, close for the day before Capital Grille opens its doors freeing up parking in the evening for the Grille's customers. He also added that the restaurant will be looking at offering a valet service to assist with the parking issue.

In addition, Blackburn said he will be asking Brixmor to enforce employee parking behind the shopping center to free up space for customers in the main lots.

Prior to the board's vote on the liquor license, Capital Grille's liquor license attorney Mark Kozar sought to ally trepidation among some of the supervisors over the number of liquor licenses coming into the township.

Last summer, the supervisors denied a similar request from the Blue Point Grill for a liquor license transfer, raising that very concern.

"You want to be a municipality where liquor licenses want to come in because they come into a municipality that has a vibrant economy," he told the supervisors. "The request to bring a liquor license into a municipality is essentially saying to that municipality that, 'You have a vibrant economy. We think we can do business here. We can make money and we can be successful here.'"

Kozar also noted that alcohol service at a restaurant like the Capital Grille is more of a complementary offering and would be secondary to its food offerings.

"Capital Grille is known for its dry-aged steaks. They are not known for their martinis," said Kozar.

"Alcohol is a very minor and insignificant component of this use," added Blackburn. "Nobody is going there to spend $20 a drink to hang out at the bar."

Supervisor John Mack, who voted against the transfer and the conditional use, disagreed with Blackburn's use of the word 'insignificant' to describe the offerings at the Capital Grille. "If it's so insignificant, maybe you should be able to do good business without a liquor license," he said.

Mack raised similar concerns over the number of liquor licenses being transferred into the township during the board's denial of the Blue Point Grill transfer, citing "health and welfare" concerns of the community.

Also voting against the transfer and the conditional use was supervisor Kyle Davis, who has consistently voted against new uses in the shopping center given the parking and traffic issues that currently exist.

"Six or seven years ago when Brixmor (the owner of the shopping center) came to this board to redesign this shopping center I was the only no vote on it. The reason was that I had serious concerns about the parking and the traffic and I was defeated," said Davis. "It's a mess over there. The traffic is terrible. Parking is terrible. And it's the number one complaint I get from residents. I certainly have no problem with Capital Grille. I'm honored that they decided to look at Newtown. I just don't think that shopping center is a fit."

This will be the first Capital Grille in Bucks County and the fourth in Pennsylvania. The Capital Grille’s other locations in Pennsylvania are in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and King of Prussia.

It will also be the Capital Grille's first foray outside of a high-density, urban area.

"It’s a ringing endorsement for a municipality to be chosen by Capitol Grille for a restaurant," Kozar told the board of supervisors, adding that the township would be joining an exclusive club of municipalities.

"Capital Grille is Darden's flagship restaurant. Darden is very selective as to where it opens a Capital Grille," said Kozar. "There are only 63 nationwide. Compare that to 884 Olive Gardens nationwide," he said.

The Capital Grille, which opened its first restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island in 1990, is best known for its expertly prepared steaks, which are dry-aged in-house for 18 to 24 days and then hand-cut by the restaurant's on-premise butcher.

The Capital Grille's wine list features more than 350 selections, and its floor-to-ceiling wine kiosk regularly houses between 3,500 and 5,000 bottles.

“From the moment you step into The Capital Grille, the experience is one of comfortable elegance,” says the restaurant’s website. “African Mahogany paneling and art deco chandeliers provide a warm, stately setting for our nationally renowned dry-aged steaks, fresh seafood, and
acclaimed world-class wines. With service as gracious as it is attentive, we look forward to impressing you.”

“The food is made from 'exceptional ingredients,' artfully prepared. It is our sole desire that everything, and we mean everything, that arrives at your table at The Capital Grille delights you. To ensure that experience, we use only the finest, freshest ingredients, artfully prepared in recipes designed to engage all of your senses.”