The former site of Smokejacks on Church and Main streets in Burlington has stood empty since October 2008, but that’s not because nobody is keen on the space. According to Larry Bohen, who owns the building, “I have had offers throughout the year, and for one reason or another I haven’t accepted an offer. I accepted one, but returned the guy’s deposit because I decided he wasn’t the right operator for the space.”
Now, though, Bohen is in talks with a group of people who “would be very acceptable to me … They have done a tremendous amount of research and financial analysis and networking.” If all goes well, he guesses, a lease could be in the works within a month. “I’m expecting them to make an offer soon,” he says. Bohen elaborates, “We met last week with a company that they’re getting a quote from on creating the kitchen. Right now, the kitchen’s pretty bare. There’s equipment that needs to be fixed.”
If it all works out, what kind of eatery would fill the space? “From what I know, this would be a Smokejacks, plus,” Bohen says. “We know that Smokejacks was very successful on some levels, and this particular group would be continuing the localvore model with high-end food.” —
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2009.
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