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The plan to open a new food hall near the Galleria has returned thanks to a new group of owners determined to make the project a success. Roveen Abante and Chase LoVullo have teamed up to become franchisees and operators of the Winter garden Food Hall opening in the former Roxy nightclub space.
Both Abante and LoVullo are Houston nightlife veterans who have been involved in a number of successful concepts. Both of them previously contributed to the opening of Pour Behavior, the popular Midtown bar and restaurant.
First announced in late 2019, the Conservatory Galleria builds on the legacy of the first Conservatory, which opened downtown in 2016 and is currently operated as an Underground Food Hall by various owners. After the pandemic has been delayed, the project is now set to open in spring. Eleven food vendors and three bars are planned, including a wine bar on the mezzanine and a new roof terrace that will be connected to the building’s parking deck.
After Abante and LoVullo talked to Conservatory co-owner Anh Mai about investing in the project, they told CultureMap that they saw an opportunity to become franchisees who could bring the concept to life faster than Mai and his partners alone. Given the number of offices, apartments, and hotels nearby – all with people who might appreciate the casual atmosphere of a food hall and diverse selection of vendors – they see the potential to be busy.
“He has a number of concepts up and running. We literally said why don’t we become your first franchise model, ”says Abante. “We’ll be your guinea pig. . . We will be the first franchise model for Conservatory. “
“Chase and Ro have been highly recommended by people we know,” adds Mai. “I’ve known them for a while. They did well in other places.”
To do this, they will learn about the procedures Mai and its partners used to evaluate vendors for their other projects, including the original conservatory, downtown Bravery Chef Hall, and the recently opened Railway Heights Market. Abante adds that Mai has already provided nearly 50 potential candidates for the Conservatory Galleria’s 11 spots. You start planning tastings to evaluate which companies will make the opening list, but a diverse mix is important.
“There’s a very international audience down here,” says LoVullo. “Our food will be Latin to Persian to Asian” [and more], a little bit of everything. “
In addition, the operators plan to offer customers the option of ordering delivery from multiple suppliers via third-party apps. A special pick-up area speeds up the process and helps ensure that orders arrive quickly.
They work with the architect John Tsai from JT ARC Studio on the design. Plenty of greenery and outdoor seating are planned both on the ground floor and on the roof.
“Roveen and Chase are very respected and great operators, and we at Braun are delighted that they are taking over and opening,” wrote Simon Ha, Director of Letting and Brokerage at property owner Braun Enterprises in an email.
If the plan proves successful, it could pave the way for other conservatory franchises in different parts of Houston and even in other cities.
“When a developer inquires about an opportunity at Conservatory, we give them information about the onboarding process, training, and the playbook on which vendors to choose,” says Abante. “If other companies want to do it in Austin or Dallas, we’ll work with them.”
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https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/11-08-21-conservatory-galleria-food-hall-new-franchisee-roveen-abante-chase-lovullo/
