Korean Grill Inks Milestone Lease At Hahne Building In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — It’s nice when a new restaurant opens in your city. But it’s even better when it represents a milestone for the business community.

Recently, KBG Korean BBQ & Grill signed a lease for a space on the ground floor of the reborn Hahne & Co. building in downtown Newark. It will be the restaurant’s fourth location, joining others in Princeton, Hillsborough and New Brunswick, and is expected to open in late 2020 or early 2021.

“As New Jersey natives, opening a new location in this historic and iconic building is an incredible opportunity,” owner Joel Park said. “We are thrilled to join the roster of great restaurants along Halsey and bring our authentic and innovative Korean BBQ dishes to the Downtown Newark community.”

The lease represents a milestone for the Hahne & Co. building, which was reopened in 2017 after an extensive overhaul. The building, previously an iconic downtown Newark department store, was transformed into a mixed-use complex with residences as well as an arts and culture center operated by Rutgers University-Newark.

KBG will join Ani Ramen, an award-winning craft ramen and Japanese Izakaya restaurant group, that is set to open its largest location to date in late 2020/early 2021. The 21-story building is also occupied by a broad range of curated shops and restaurants, in addition to an in-house Whole Foods.

The building is now 100 percent leased, according to a joint news release from L+M Development Partners, Prudential Financial and Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group.

“We are excited to welcome KBG as the latest and final addition to Hahne & Co.,” L+M Development Partners Director Jake Pine said. “The new restaurant cements Halsey Street as the ‘Eat Street’ of Downtown Newark, drawing in both the local community, as well as visitors to the neighborhood. We look forward to having people stop in and try KBG’s delicious Korean BBQ for themselves.”

• See related article: Hahne and Company Building Revived To Fanfare In Newark

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