Ramen restaurant will open in SouthPark after recent NC debut in uptown

After debuting in Charlotte three months ago, JINYA Ramen Bar has signed on to open its second location in SouthPark.

JINYA, known for traditional Japanese ramen and small plates, will open in a more than 7,000-square-foot space at the mixed-use development Hazel SouthPark, according to a news release from Florida-based developer ZOM. This 2.7-acre site is at 4401 Barclay Downs Drive, adjacent to SouthPark mall.

The SouthPark restaurant — and largest JINYA location for the Los Angeles-based company — is expected to open in the spring, franchise owner Jahzmin French told the Observer on Tuesday.

JINYA opened its first North Carolina location in September in uptown at Ally Charlotte Center at 601 S. Tryon St., CharlotteFive reported. French said she has committed to opening four Charlotte locations.

JINYA Ramen Bar opened in September at the Ally Charlotte Center in uptown Charlotte.
JINYA Ramen Bar opened in September at the Ally Charlotte Center in uptown Charlotte.

The first site has about 40 employees and is still hiring, while the new larger site will hire about 75 workers, French said.

Despite the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, French said business uptown has been “extremely busy for lunch, dinner and weekends.”

JINYA Ramen Bar has about 40 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

JINYA joins three other tenants at the 14,900-square-foot street level retail space:

Toska Spa is open featuring a 2,689-square-foot spa with facial and body treatments, waxing and tinting, and the micro-puncture lab.

RockBox Fitness SouthPark is open in a 3,137-square-foot space for group workouts.

House of Nomad, a full-service design studio in a more than 2,000-square-foot space has products like velvet-silk pillows, drifter ottomans and yin yang candles. An opening date has not been set, according to ZOM.

Hazel SouthPark has officially leased 100% of its retail space on property, according to the news release.

The $78 million project also includes plans for 203 luxury apartments in the six-story building, including townhomes, flats, and walkup-style homes, with units ranging from 586 to 2,718 square feet. Hazel SouthPark also includes 9,400 square feet of amenities and an attached parking garage.