Restaurants are being added to Merrimack Premium Outlets

By KIMBERLY HOUGHTON - Union Leader Correspondent 

MERRIMACK — With new shopping outlets scheduled to open in about six weeks, plans are under way to add more restaurants to the entrance of Premium Outlets Boulevard.

Town planners this week reviewed an application by Thurloe Kensington Corp. to build three restaurants and a drive-through bank near the entrance to Merrimack Premium Outlets.

The newest development proposal is a separate project from the massive outlet facility with more than 100 stores, which is nearly complete. On Tuesday, the planning board studied the proposal for a second time, expressing concerns about traffic at the busy mall entrance along Industrial Drive.

“I want this mall to be a success. It is the best thing to happen to Merrimack in a long time,” said Alastair Millns, adding his biggest worry is that vehicles may not have enough time to exit the newest development area, which could result in accidents and traffic congestion at the only entrance.

Although the developer is remaining tight-lipped about the newest tenants at the front entrance, officials have confirmed that the three restaurants will be a drive-through coffee shop, a specialty yogurt shop and a grilled sandwich cafe. The name of the bank has also not yet been released.

The coffee shop will include a 50-seat restaurant, and the sandwich shop will be a 70-seat cafe. Together, all three restaurants will occupy about 6,050 square feet, according to Gordon Leedy of Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc. of Bedford. The bank is a separate, 5,000-square-foot building.

He predicts that Premium Outlets Boulevard will generate about 1,000 vehicle trips an hour in each direction during peak times.

“We did look at multiple configurations for the site,” said Leedy, acknowledgin the retail lot has an odd shape.

Planning board members, concerned about traffic flow, offered several suggestions to improve the layout.

Millns suggested that all traffic be forced to turn right out of the proposed shops to mitigate the chance of accidents at the junction. Another board member, Robert Best, questioned whether the front of the proposed main building could be turned so that drive-through customers would not need to circle the development twice to exit.

“I still think you have a lot of concern on this lot,” agreed Tom Koenig, planning board member and town councilor. The board agreed to table any formal vote on the newest project with the three restaurants and bank until further traffic data and a review from a consultant can be completed. It will again take up the matter on May 15.

Meanwhile, about 98 percent of the stores at the outlets have been leased, with more than 12 tenants already setting up shop. According to an update issued by the town last month, June 14 remains the opening day target. A four-day grand opening celebration has been planned.

Walkways around the outlets are now being installed, and the parking lot construction and landscaping work continues.

The $100 million shopping center will have more than 100 designer and name-brand outlet stores including Bloomingdale's The Outlet Store, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th, Ann Taylor Factory Store, Banana Republic Factory Store, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Coach, Guess, J.Crew, Calvin Klein, Chico's, Cole Haan, Converse, Elie Tahari, Loft Outlet, Lucky Brand, Michael Kors, Nike, Puma, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Izod, Bass, Talbots, Ultra Diamond, Aerosoles, Clarks Bostonian, Easy Spirit, Nine West Outlet, Bose and more.

Merrimack Premium Outlets, developed by Simon Property Group's Premium Outlets division, is located off the F.E. Everett Turnpike at exit 10.