Flatbread Pizza Coming to Hampton?

After months of public speculation about what could fill the , it appears a heavily-rumored suitor will in fact officially make a play for the 61 High St. property.

Flatbread Pizza Co., a local chain of sustainability-focused pizza restaurants with a headquarters at 4 High St. in Hampton, will appear before the town's Zoning Board of Adjustment on Thursday, March 15, to request several variances, including one for outdoor seasonal seating.

Flatbread has been discussed in private and business circles for weeks as a possible strong candidate for that building, which will also require renovation and parking variances.

Hampton Zoning Board member Tom McGuirk said he has been aware of the rumors, and said he considers the likelihood of Flatbread opening a Hampton location is a "very strong possibility" that could have positive ramifications for the town.

"I think it would be great for that application," said McGuirk of the 61 High St. building. "Flatbread has a fantastic reputation. I know that would draw a lot of people in that direction. I think that would be great because it would help some other businesses around as well. Once one area becomes stronger, other businesses feed off that activity."

A copy of the agenda for the March 15 meeting, which also includes an official variance request from , a proposed , is available here.

when Me and Ollie's closed the Hampton location in favor of a new shop in Newington, mostly because of the fact there are only a in town. Some individuals even said they hoped something other than a pizzeria would move into the building because there are concerns the town is already with that type of business.

McGuirk said Flatbread and its restaurant-focused mentality is different, though, from pizzerias primarily run as a "take-out" business, and serves more than just cheese covered pies.

He said a Flatbread restaurant would be a "better use" of the Me and Ollie's building, and said the small chain would bring something different to Hampton while at the same time helping advance the overall economic development goal in that zoning district.

"There definitely is a mood in town that we need more amenities," said McGuirk. "We see ways to expand downtown [to side streets off Lafayette Road]. We want to make Hampton more user-friendly, more pedestrian-friendly. Once we start seeing more things people want to walk to [down streets like High Street], more places will go into that area and help expand downtown."

Multiple messages left with Flatbread co-owner John Meehan and other company officials weren't returned Wednesday.