New Business: Chipotle gets OK for 'Chipotlane' drive-thru in Concord; Bad Brgr opens in Manchester

Apr. 12—THERE ARE drive-thrus for banks, doughnut shops and burger joints. We can't forget chicken places and tacos, either.

Chipotle Mexican Grill joined the fray a few years ago, and continues to grow its "chipotlane" concept, which is really a pickup window for online orders. One is now open in Stratham.

The plan is to open another one at 10 Whitney Road in Concord on the same 5-acre parcel with a Starbucks, also with a drive-thru. The location will also have about 40 interior seats.

The property is across the street from the Merchants Way plaza, home to Market Basket, New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet and Wendy's, off Exit 17 of Interstate 93. Plans for both a car wash and small drive-thru pharmacy fell through.

The fast-casual chain's drive-thru concept grew during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company had nearly 815 chipotlanes by the end of last year, according to financial filings.

Planning and zoning boards sometimes wrestle with the concept when seeking approvals, Dan Radman, a design principal for Chipotle, told the Concord zoning board earlier this month.

"We are not a traditional drive-thru," he said. "There is no menu board. There is no speaker box. There is no money transaction. All of the ordering is being done via our online app."

Typically no more than four or five cars are queued up, he said. The app uses an algorithm to make sure the demand can be met.

"The transaction time when they pull up to the window is under 20 seconds," Radman said. Two parking spots are set aside for when orders aren't ready. (Or maybe some will loop over to Starbucks?)

The zoning board approved four variances needed for the project. Another chipotlane is planned on Crystal Avenue in Derry, which also requires zoning board approval.

Bad Brgr, home of the Bad Brgr

Replacing Bond Brewing and BBQ, Bad Brgr opened at 1015 Elm St. on Thursday. It's described as a "downtown hang with the baddest burgers." The place will feature food, music and magic.

The menu features build-a-brgr, fries and what they call milk slush, which might just be like a milkshake?

The prices range from $6 to $14.

New spot for Nadeau's

Nadeau's Subs, which calls itself New Hampshire's favorite sub shop, found a new spot to set up shop in Concord. The sub shop closed its location inside McLaughlin's Country Market in October, but promised to relocate to a "brand-new spot with bigger and better space."

That new spot will be 89 Fort Eddy Road. The design for the sign was brought to the Concord Architectural Design Review Committee earlier this month.

Nadeau's Subs, with three locations in Manchester and another in Exeter, has been a New Hampshire family owned and operated sub shop since 1969, according to its website.

The opening of the Concord shop has yet to be announced.

New name, same vibe

The Generals Sports Bar and Grill in Weare reopened as Shooters Bar & Grill with new owners.

The restaurant received approval to expand to an upstairs area with capacity of 15 people and an outdoor area with a capacity of 40 people, according to the state liquor commission.

The restaurant at 840 S. Stark Highway reopened at the end of last month with a new menu and cocktails.

"What a first week!" the owners wrote on Facebook. "We have really enjoyed all the familiar and new faces we have been seeing!"

If you have an interesting business or commercial real estate story idea email reporter Jonathan Phelps at jphelps@unionleader.com.