Two New Additions to the Audubon Arts & Retail District – Merchants Show Continued Confidence in New Haven

Yale University Properties welcomes Moe’s Southwest Grill (46 Whitney Ave.) and The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop II (97 Audubon St.) to the Audubon Arts and Retail District in downtown New Haven.

Moe’s Southwest Grill will offer a wide selection of Tex-Mex food with a focus on freshness and healthy dishes. The restaurant does not use microwaves or freezers and all ingredients are prepared fresh each day. Dishes will be made to order and will be low in calories, salt and fat.

The restaurant will be the first in New Haven for co-owner Jeannine McMillan, a resident of Branford and restaurateur. With renovations underway, Moe’s is expected to open in mid-April.

“I really see the progress being made in New Haven. There is a boom happening here and we want to be part of it. My sister and partner decided to move to New Haven from Orlando for this new venture as well,” said McMillan.

The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop II is the second store in New Haven for owner Matthew Feiner, who also owns The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop on Chapel Street. The new store will offer on-the-spot repair service and a selection of bike accessories. It will be the start location for special bike rides. Devil’s Gear II will open in early March.

“University Properties is committed to attracting retail that can thrive in the Audubon Arts & Retail District. We look forward to celebrating the opening of The Devil’s Gear Bike Shop II and Moe’s Southwest Grill,” said Abigail Rider, director of University Properties. “We expect to make several more announcements in the coming weeks.”

These new tenants are the third and fourth University Properties tenants to announce New Haven openings in the past two weeks. University Properties previously announced Sushi on Chapel and Woodland Coffee & Tea, which will be opening on Chapel Street.

The Audubon District also includes retailers such as Gilden’s Jewelers, Katahdin Furniture, Audubon Strings, and a number of arts organizations and institutions.

Yale University is an active partner in creating a vital downtown and promoting New Haven’s economic development through its community investment program. The University is the city’s largest real estate taxpayer, with nearly $4 million in annual property taxes.