Jimmy Liang and his wife Jennifer plan to open a Big Fin Poke restaurant at Rock Row next year.File photo
WESTBROOK — The 100-acre, $600 million mixed-use Rock Row project announced three new tenants this week, including Westbrook’s own Big Fin Poke.
Big Fin Poke and Firehouse Subs will take up spaces in a 20,000-square-foot retail building now under construction in front of Market Basket. Both are expected to open mid-2021.
Chase bank will move into a 3,200-square-foot free-standing building at the corner of Larrabee Road and Main Street and is expected to open in late 2021.
“Announcing nationally known Firehouse Subs and Chase with locally popular Big Fin Poke epitomizes the heart and soul of Rock Row,” said Josh Levy, co-principal of developer Waterstone Properties. “Anyone can build a mall with big box retailers. Rock Row is something special and different. It’s a place for people to dwell and enjoy and get the best of the best.”
The tenants will join Market Basket, Maine Savings Pavilion and the Paper Store, which opened Tuesday.
Big Fin Poke has been at 855 Main St. for four years, initially billed as the only poke-specific restaurant in the state. Poke is a Hawaiian dish with raw fish served in a salad-like presentation, but Big Fin also offers meat and no-meat options.
Restaurant owners Jimmy and Sarah Liang, who also have a second restaurant in South Portland, could not be reached for comment on whether they will keep the downtown restaurant after opening at Rock Row.
Firehouse Subs was started by two former firefighter brothers in Florida in 1994 and now has more than 1,180 locations in the United States and Canada. It allocates a portion of sales to public safety groups and has granted more than $53 million to provide equipment, training and support to hometown heroes. There are currently five Firehouse Subs in Maine.
Just last week the Rock Row project received preliminary approval for a new tax deal that will increase the projected financial return to the city over the term of the 30-year agreement from $20.5 million to $142.7 million.
“The project has grown significantly since its inception,” said Economic Development Director Dan Stevenson. “With that, the investment in the project and infrastructure supporting the project grows as well. However, that translates to thousands of jobs and a significant increase in the tax base. This is great for the city, for the region.”
Updated plans also call for a medical campus, a food and brew hall, two hotels, movie theater, large conference center and over 700 apartments, as well as outdoor programming that will take advantage of the nearby quarry.
“It’s a true partnership and this will continue to put Westbrook on the map as it already has,” Mayor Mike Foley said.
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