Tucson restaurant chain signs lease to expand to Maricopa

Tucson smoothie giant eegee’s confirmed it signed a lease for a shop in Maricopa.

“We do have a signed agreement to occupy the vacant land on North John Wayne Parkway, across from the Sprouts Shopping Center,” eegee’s Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Wegener-Beyer said. “Currently, we are working on getting approvals with the Planning & Zoning department. So, at this time we cannot provide exact timing until we receive all necessary permits from the city of Maricopa, but eegee’s is very excited to become part of thriving community.”

The undeveloped 0.8-acre site is at the southeastern corner of North John Wayne Parkway and Edison Road. It will be adjacent to the Sherwin-Williams paint store which occupies the former Aaron’s Furniture location.

Because the company still is in the preliminary stages of city permitting, Wegener-Beyer would not offer a projected opening date.

Petco and Nando’s Mexican Café, both of which also have committed to Edison Pointe, will back up to Edison Road and lie southeast of eegee’s in the same parking lot.

Eegee’s originated in Tucson 51 years ago and has become a fixture there.

“We are excited to deliver a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience to the city of Maricopa and the surrounding communities,” the company said in its project narrative.

The company has proposed a 2,300-square-foot, single-story, ground-up prototype eegee’s branded restaurant with indoor seating and a drive-through. The property is zoned commercial so no zoning change would be required.

The company explained why Maricopa is an attractive market.

“Our philosophy is to place eegee’s restaurants in high-growth residential areas, where we can serve a wide variety of customers,” the pre-application narrative said. “Because of our strategic placement and unique menu, eegee’s has become an award-winning restaurant.”

Eegee’s was voted the No. 1 Fast Food Restaurant in Arizona by Food & Wine Magazine and was recognized by BuzzFeed as having the top desert drink in Arizona.

The restaurant will be open daily 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. with the drive-through also closing at 10:00 p.m.

Typically, eegee’s stores generate about 40 new jobs.

The company features a community focus. It sells a coupon book each year through which 100% of proceeds are donated to a local charity. That program has generated more than $3 million in charitable contributions in the past decade.

Eegee’s also donates all bread that is not consumed each day to local food banks.