Pret A Manger Signs for Corner Space at 600 Lexington Avenue
By Tobias Salinger June 11, 2014 1:49 pm
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A new Pret A Manger sandwich shop will open this month at 600 Lexington Avenue in Midtown East after the London-based chain signed a lease for a 2,577-square-foot storefront at the tower bordering East 52nd Street, Commercial Observer has learned.
RKF’s Ariel Schuster and Jackie Totolo represented Pret A Manger in the negotiations, while Mr. Schuster and another RKF colleague, Ross Berkowitz, represented SL Green Realty Corp., the owner of the 36-story office tower.
“Pret has a long-established presence in Midtown, with its high density of offices and professionals,” said Mr. Schuster in a prepared statement. “The corner presence at 600 Lexington is in line with the brand’s expansion plan and provides a large store format to accommodate Pret’s various sit-down and on-the-go customers.”
The new sandwich and salad store slated for the vacant space will be the chain’s 39th location in Manhattan. Pret A Manger opened its first U.S. shop in 2001 and has expanded to Boston, Chicago and Washington, DC but RKF has negotiated a dozen new Manhattan leases for the sandwich chain in the past two years, according to the firm’s release.
“We are thrilled to be opening in this prominent new location and welcoming new guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” said Joe Iazzetta, vice president of store development at Pret A Manger, in a prepared statement. “The shop provides a beautiful setting that offers opportunity to grab-and-go or to simply relax in a comfortable environment.”
A company spokeswoman said RKF doesn’t disclose leasing terms or rent prices, but the most recent Real Estate Board of New York retail report notes that average asking rents at the nearby corridor on Fifth Avenue between 49th and 59th run for $3,550 per square foot.
