{"id":4862,"date":"2026-07-18T07:04:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T07:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=4862"},"modified":"2026-07-18T07:04:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T07:04:32","slug":"texas-burger-chain-eyes-former-triangle-mall-as-home-goods-store-gets-settled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/durhammovinghub.com\/?p=4862","title":{"rendered":"Texas burger chain eyes former Triangle mall, as home goods store gets settled"},"content":{"rendered":"

AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.<\/p>\n

Read our AI Policy.<\/a><\/p>\n

A regional fast-food chain wants to put University Place in Chapel Hill on the menu, while a large portion of the former mall is renovated to make room for a discount home furnishings store, records show.<\/p>\n

Read more What to know: CDC links lettuce at Taco Bell to cyclosporiasis cases in 5 states<\/a><\/p>\n

Texas-based Whataburger has been expanding across North Carolina, and in June, applied for a 2,074-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru at 219 S. Estes Drive, next to Circle K.<\/p>\n

Property owner Ram Realty Advisors is also combining several smaller spaces inside the former mall to add a 28,100-square-foot HomeSense. The discount home furnishings store only has one other North Carolina store in Concord, near Charlotte.<\/p>\n

HomeSense is expected to open in the spring of 2027, and Whataburger could open by mid-2027, a Ram Realty spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Ram Realty is also building a pop-up park next to The Commons \u2014 a large lawn on the mall\u2019s eastern side \u2014 that could open this fall, providing additional seating and more green space for the public, as well as vendors and community partners, the email said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcoming these brands marks an important step in University Place\u2019s ongoing redevelopment and reflects our vision for a thoughtful mix of retail, dining and gathering spaces for the Chapel Hill community and visitors from across the region,\u201d the company said in a statement.<\/p>\n

With the new additions, eight tenants have been announced so far this year for the redeveloping 1970s-era mall, including:<\/p>\n

Whataburger started in 1950 in a small building in Corpus Christi, Texas, and has grown to 1,130 restaurants operating 24\/7 in 17 states. Sixteen locations have been built in North Carolina since May 2025, including in Mebane and Wake County.<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s founder Harmon Dobson had one goal, according to the company\u2019s website: Serving \u201ca burger so big it took two hands to hold and so good that after one bite guests would say, \u2018What a burger!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year, Whataburger celebrated 75 years of made-to-order, customizable burgers with fries and shakes, along with chicken sandwiches, salads, sides and breakfast items.<\/p>\n

Read more A popular brewery and longtime bar are closing in Durham. What\u2019s next<\/a><\/p>\n

Chapel Hill town records show the company has been talking with University Place owner Ram Realty since 2024.<\/p>\n

Most Whataburger restaurants operate 24\/7 year-round, except for Christmas Day. If Chapel Hill\u2019s location also operates 24\/7, it will be one of a handful of very late-night food options in southern Orange County.<\/p>\n

It will also be one of the rare restaurants with a drive-thru, which is tightly regulated and hard to get in Chapel Hill. Ram Realty\u2019s redevelopment permit allows six businesses with drive-throughs that meet specific design guidelines. The property has four now: three banks and a Chick-fil-A restaurant.<\/p>\n

Ram Realty has agreed to build a small \u201cpocket park\u201d between the Whataburger drive-thru lane and Estes Drive in order to meet the requirements for Whataburger\u2019s drive-thru, a town spokesman said.<\/p>\n

Whataburger\u2019s project still needs staff approval and a Community Design Commission advisory review of its building exterior and lighting. There is no timeline yet for that review.<\/p>\n

The other consideration will be the site\u2019s location in the special flood hazard zone and part of the regulatory floodway. The area flooded badly during Tropical Storm Chantal last year.<\/p>\n

FEMA requires commercial buildings in the high-risk flood zone to sit at or above the base flood level, or to floodproof their buildings from the ground up.<\/p>\n

The developer\u2019s third-party stormwater report says the project could cause a 53% increase in the impervious area, which creates stormwater runoff. A \u201csystem of inlets and underground pipes\u201d could handle a 10-year rain event, or about 3 inches in three hours<\/u><\/a>, it said.<\/p>\n

Read more Emergency repairs will cause Raleigh school to relocate for start of classes<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published July 17, 2026 at 2:36 PM.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WhataBurger fast-food restaurant with drive-thru proposed for University Place in Chapel Hill. 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