One of Jacksonville's oldest Taco Bell restaurants set to be torn down

Gary T. Mills, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
Updated ·1 min read
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Closed for more than two years, a landmark Southside Jacksonville Taco Bell is set to be torn down, making way for a new convenience store.

Before it closed in late 2020, the fast-food restaurant at the intersection of Philips Highway and Emerson Street had served lunchtime and late-night cravings for some 33 years as one of the city’s closest taco joints to office towers in downtown and bars in neighboring Five Points and San Marco – at least during the restaurant’s heydays.

A demolition permit issued this week will erase the building from the site where it opened in 1987 next to its longtime neighbor, McDonald’s, outside of the then-named Market Square Mall, home to Oshman’s Sporting Goods, and a short-lived Sam’s Club, both redeveloped into what is now San Marco East Plaza and Community First Igloo, respectively.

Taco Bell, shown in 2017 at 3649 Philips Highway, will be demolished to make way for a new Circle K convenience store.
Taco Bell, shown in 2017 at 3649 Philips Highway, will be demolished to make way for a new Circle K convenience store.

In its place, a 5,200-square-foot Circle K convenience store with at least 14 fueling stations is planned, according to plans first submitted more than a year ago to JEA.

Circle K will be the latest redevelopment at the busy intersection, following the construction and opening of Aldi (2021), Wendy’s (2017), Gate Express Carwash (2018) and Starbucks (2022). And according to a May building permit, Dunkin’ Donuts will open a new restaurant next to Circle K, replacing the former Dunkin at nearby 3270 Emerson St., which was torn down in 2021 to make way for the future expansion of I-95.

Also in the works: Chick-fil-A planning another Jacksonville-area restaurant. Here's what we know.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Taco Bell closed, demolished to make way for Circle K