M Shack is scheduled to close March 17 at end of business at St. Johns Town Center as its lease expires and Shake Shack prepares to convert the space.
“We are closing after business Sunday night and plan on being out of the building (at the) end of (the) month, as our lease will expire,” said chef Matthew Medure, founder and CEO of Jacksonville-based Medure Brothers Culinary Concepts, which includes M Shack.
That leaves one remaining M Shack at 641 Crosswater Parkway in Nocatee.
The Town Center location has 25 employees. Medure said March 13 that employees are being offered positions at other Medure Brothers restaurants.
M Shack, led by chefs Matthew and David Medure, opened in the Town Center space in late 2013 at 10281 Midtown Parkway.
It offers beef burgers, beef hot dogs, hand-cut fries, sandwiches, hot dogs, salads, sides and shakes, including spiked shakes, beer and wine.
The Town Center M Shack opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Burgers range from $6.95 to $15.95.
“The chef-driven, scratch concept is a collaboration between brothers, Matthew and David Medure, standing as their third culinary concept. Their mission is to create an environment that bolsters community, hospitality, and good food,” the MShackBurgers.com site says.
Lease ending
Matthew Medure said Oct. 9 that M Shack’s 10-year lease would expire March 1, 2024, and all furniture, fixtures and equipment would be removed and M Shack would vacate the building.
“We would have liked to sign another lease for 5 years, however, that was denied as they stated they only sign 10-year leases,” he said of landlord Simon Property Group.
“We had a wonderful run at the mall and really enjoyed being a part of that community. The M Shack saw great success over the years, and we are left with many terrific memories,” Medure said.
He said the remaining M Shack at Nocatee “has a long life ahead” and the company will add new concepts to it, “including an expanded ice cream/shake program and reinventing approximately 50% of the full menu.”
He anticipates launching those updates by the end of April.
The original M Shack restaurant in the Beaches Town Center closed in October 2021 after 10 years in business.
Medure said staffing and parking had been challenges for the restaurant at 299 Atlantic Blvd.
The Medures closed an M Shack near Five Points in December 2019 to make a deal with a franchisee for Another Broken Egg Cafe and turn over the lease.
The Medures’ other concepts are Matthew’s Restaurant, Restaurant Medure, Rue Saint-Marc, Midtown Table, and, in Mayo Clinic, M Brothers and Zest.
Shake Shack
New York City-based Shake Shack, which calls itself a “modern day ‘roadside’ burger stand,” intends to open in the M Shack space.
Shake Shack, a public company, says it serves “elevated versions” of made-to-order Angus beef burgers, crispy chicken, hand-spun milkshakes, housemade lemonades, beer, wine and more.
“Currently, I can confirm that the Jacksonville Shake Shack location will open in 2024,” said Shake Shack Brand Communications Specialist Kate DeMarco on Oct. 9.
DeMarco said more details would be shared when they are confirmed.
The city received an intake application for plan review for Shake Shack to renovate the M Shack space at 10281 Midtown Parkway, No. 101, at an estimated cost of $1.3 million.
BAI Architecture Inc. of Boston is the architect for the 3,136-square-foot project.
Shake Shack serves burgers, hot dogs, crinkle-cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, beer and wine.
“With its fresh and simple, high-quality food at a great value, Shake Shack is a fun and lively community-gathering place with widespread appeal,” the company says on its website.
Shake Shack Inc.’s 2023 annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission says that since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC’s Madison Square Park, the company has expanded to 518 Shacks in operation, with 295 domestic company-operated, 39 domestic licensed and 184 international licensed across London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mexico City, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul and more.
There are 21 in Florida, the closest in Orlando.