New Chipotle on NW 13th Street to open in September

Hungry students forced to wait in long lines at the Chipotle Mexican Grill near UF’s campus may soon find relief.

On Sept. 3, a new Chipotle location will open up a short drive away — near the intersection of Northwest 13th Street and Northwest 23rd Avenue — said Danielle Moore, a company spokeswoman, in an email Tuesday.

The roughly 2,500-square-foot restaurant will become the latest addition at a new strip mall owned by Morse Properties and located at 2225 NW 13th St., according to Alligator archives.

There is no grand opening planned, but every Chipotle location will participate in a student-oriented promotion during September, during which students showing valid IDs can receive free drinks, Moore said.

After paying for lunch at the Chipotle on West University Avenue, 18-year-old UF exploratory freshman Mary Anne Tracey said she visits the restaurant “way too much” — up to four times in one week.

She said the demand is high in Gainesville for Chipotle’s brand of fast-casual Tex-Mex, so it makes sense the company would open up a third restaurant in the city.

Because of its convenient location near classroom buildings, Tracey said she has been more willing to wait in lines that sometimes take 10 minutes to get through. But with the opening of a location closer to her apartment on Northwest 13th Avenue, Tracey said she may ditch the long lines for a pre-class lunch.

“So yes, I’m definitely excited about it,” she said.