Former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Marcus Stroud’s proposed Baby Got Brunch restaurant Downtown is in permit review for a $401,610 build-out.
Avant Construction Group and JAA Architecture, both based in Jacksonville, are the contractor and architect for the 5,175-square-foot tenant improvement at 610 N. Julia St.
The single-story space is part of the Residences at City Place condominiums at 311 W. Ashley St.
The Downtown Investment Authority board voted May 15 to approve a $96,620 Retail Enhancement Program grant to help Stroud launch Baby Got Brunch in the NorthCore district.
The DIA’s Retail Enhancement Program grants provide a forgivable loan secured by a note.
The restaurant’s name refers to nickname given to Stroud by his teammates at the University of Georgia.
Stroud, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, played for the Jaguars from 2001 to 2007. He retired from the NFL as a Jaguar after playing for the Buffalo Bills from 2008 through 2010.
In an interview after a DIA committee voted to recommend passage of the REV grant, Stroud said he had maintained property in Jacksonville after his playing days and recently moved his family here full-time from Atlanta.
He described himself as a lifelong foodie and said his goal was to create a big-city atmosphere with live music and other events that would bring in patrons for more than food and beverages.
According to the DIA staff report, the restaurant will seat 80 in chairs and booths with 14 bar stools, a stage area that doubles as extra seating when not being used, and a private room. The establishment will employ 25 people, including management.
A menu includes chicken and waffles, short ribs and waffles, burgers, shrimp and grits, salads, macaroni and cheese and slow-cooked collards. Brunch will be offered all day with mimosas and a full bar menu of cocktails.
Sigma Blue Holdings LLLP of Canton, Georgia, is listed as the property owner. Sigma Blue is a member of Baby Got Brunch LLC, which is led by Stroud at the Julia Street address.
Stroud, who bought the property in 2022 for $295,000, plans to renovate the building and open the restaurant at a cost of $763,485. That figure does not include furniture, fixtures and equipment.
The site puts Stroud in position to benefit from the proposed Gateway Jax mixed-use project, the first phase of which involves transforming five blocks of NorthCore property into apartments, offices, retail space, courtyards and more. The cost of the first phase is estimated at $419 million.