July 28, 2025

Less than five years after Fareway became the first retailer to locate at a then-vacant west-side commercial corner, all the land from the original developer is sold.

At the time, the property on the northeast side of 41st Street and Ellis Road was undeveloped — essentially a grocery store in a field. Not anymore.

“Ellis Road has come a long way in the last half a decade,” said Ryan Tysdal, vice president of commercial real estate at Van Buskirk Cos., who represents Westown Marketplace.

“The advantage of Fareway has shown what having a grocer in a development does. A 3-acre sale blossomed into 20 acres of commercial development.”

The latest new additions — Taco Bell and Valvoline Instant Oil Change — are under construction facing Ellis Road. Taco Bell is expected to open this fall — the sixth location in the market, which has posted it’s hiring.

“It’s a good regional hub, with two major arterial streets that have a lot of potential growth to the south, and all the housing to the west,” said Raquel Blount, vice president of commercial real estate at Lloyd Cos., who represented both retailers.

“You’ll see more activity coming on the southwest corner, and there’s been a lot of interest and activity in that west-side area. With the grocery anchor, it really helps to drive the daily traffic and get people through there.”

Other retailers, including McDonald’s and Starbucks, are doing “fantastic,” Tysdal said.

“Starbucks is a very great performer. Fareway is a top-performing location for them,” he said. “All the retail out there has done well because there’s no other options. Everyone is doing well.”

For Pete Nelson, who recently broke ground on his fifth Valvoline in the city, the surrounding tenants were a big part of the location’s appeal. He’s planning a shop identical to what he built on the east side at 41st Street and Veterans Parkway and in the south near 85th Street and Minnesota Avenue.

“We’re probably a little early on this one — we were to the east and the west — but the city keeps expanding, so we’re just trying to keep moving along and make sure we’re there to serve our customers,” he said.

Valvoline could be open by November if the weather cooperates — otherwise it might take until spring.

Other land is being prepped for development.

All City Pet Care has a building permit on the far east side of the development.

Developer Vick Patel is looking for a build-to-suit tenant for land he owns between two retail centers on Ellis Road north of 41st Street.

Patel, a commercial contractor, envisions constructing a large building for a single tenant, noting that a pet services business like a resort for dogs or a veterinary clinic, or a health care provider would be an ideal fit.

The site easily could hold a 14,000-square-foot building and possibly even larger, he said.

He also owns an adjacent retail center with three suites available to lease. They range from about 1,400 to 1,900 square feet and could be combined, said Mike Knudson of Van Buskirk Cos., who has them listed.

“It is a neighborhood retail center that would be ideal for personal services: hair salon, nail salon, massage therapist or even an office user like an insurance agent,” he said.

“It features a drive-thru end cap that would be a great option for a quick-service restaurant or beverage tenant looking for efficiency and exposure.”

Van Buskirk Cos. also owns 2 acres next to Dollar Tree, “and they’re looking for a build-to-suit tenant,” Tysdal said. “The owner of the northeast corner would be built to suit there as well. It’s an acre and a great site for a QSR (quick-service restaurant) or coffee. It’s nice frontage, and that’s the full access point into the development, kind of the main entrance into the Westown development. So the whole development is sold out, but there’s still opportunities there.”