Building on a steady stream of momentum, Gibbs Capital is pleased to announce the opening of Lalo’s Tacos & Cantina, the first full-service restaurant to open its doors at the new mixed-use development in Oconee County, as well as several key milestones regarding the construction of the Oconee County Library.

Lalo’s, which has been hosting pop-up offerings for several weeks in conjunction with the opening of South Main Brewing, will feature an assortment of authentic tacos and other delicious Latin American cuisine. It’s headed by Lopez Restaurant Group, who also operates Watkinsville’s Los Primos Taqueria Express and La Cabana Mexican Restaurant, which has locations in Bogart and Watkinsville.

The opening of Lalo’s is the latest in a steady stream of businesses coming online at Wire Park during the past two months. Among those who have opened their doors to the community are South Main Brewing, BirdDawg Boutique, SoCo Nutrition, Old Fashioned Barber Shop, Sugar Polish Nail Salon and Connect Ministries.

Construction on The Grid, the Athens area’s first food hall, continues to progress with three restaurant partners nearing opening. The food hall will feature offerings from Mama’s Boy, The Original Hot Dog Factory and Gekko Kitchen, and it will open to the public in April 2023.

The Oconee County Library Board also has approved Garland & Associates to be the general contractor for the construction of the new Oconee County Library. Garland & Associates will work with Ponder & Ponder Architects to finalize the scope of the work and project schedule. The library and its board continue to work closely with the architect and interior designer on the project.

Work on the new facility is slated to begin by March 2023.

“The opening of Lalo’s Tacos & Cantina and the coming construction of the new Oconee County Library are two important milestones in the life of Wire Park, creating new places where our community can come and gather,” said Jordan Price, Director of Operations for Wire Park. “From delicious restaurants to innovative learning spaces, Wire Park is set to be unlike any other development in the area.”

Additionally, several tenants are nearing their opening dates, infusing a new round of energy at the area’s first mixed-use development, including:

• ●  Athens Running Company: The only locally owned and non-franchised running and walking store in the Athens area will open its second location to the public in February 2023.

• ●  Scoops: A well-known ice cream franchise that offers 32 flavors of handcrafted ice cream, 10 different types of ice cream cones and an extensive selection of treats including cookies, candy, and hand-crafted chocolates will open to the public in March 2023.

• ●  Best Level Basketball: Headed by Coach J.P. Powell, Best Level Basketball will prepare young players for the game in a fun, creative environment. Best Level Basketball will open to the public in March 2023.

• ●  Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming: A leader in professional pet grooming and the leading specialty retailer of pet food and supplies in the country, Woof Gang will open its first location in the Athens area in March 2023.

• ●  Smith Planning Group: An award-winning land design and civil engineering firm that has served Georgia for more than 30 years, Smith Planning Group will open its new corporate office at Wire Park in March 2023.

  Wire Park is a 66-acre, mixed-use development that will feature 130 residential units, expansive public greenspace and 225,000 square feet of commercial, office, and retail space. More than 20 businesses and organizations have signed on to be a part of Wire Park, including The Yard at Wire Park, an expansive, one-of-a-kind baseball and softball training facility, and South Main Brewing, the community’s first brewery.

  In December, Wire Park hosted its annual Christmas at Wire Park, drawing 7,500 people for an evening of holiday music, food offerings from local vendors and various games and activities for the community. At the event, Gibbs Capital CEO Duke Gibbs held a “wire-cutting” ceremony to officially open the venue to the public.

  Combined with the existing mix of tenants, Wire Park, an adaptive reuse of the former Southwire facility near downtown Watkinsville, will be responsible for the addition of more than 300 new jobs in Oconee County, with more tenants projected to come online.