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SHIPPING CONTAINERS 114 • SHOPPING CENTER BUSINESS • December 2017 structed by Breslin Builders, doesn't have many familiar names on the tenant roster, which includes local entities like San Mi- guel Trading Company cigar shop, Trik- ke Las Vegas bike rental, Vegas Flip Flop footwear, Winky Designs custom watch- es, and accessories and Art Box, which the park's website describes as "Las Ve- gas artisans showcasing their handcrafted jewelry, home decor and more." The park has also allowed some local businesses to expand, while it's launched the success of others. Vintage NV, an own- er-operated women's boutique that spe- cializes in mid-century modern furniture and home accessories, first opened in the city's Arts District in August 2014 before opting for a space in the park in 2016. Big Ern's BBQ's debuted at Downtown Con- tainer Park before attracting the attention of diners and casino owner-operators alike. The second shop is now open at the Fiesta Rancho Hotel & Casino food court in North Las Vegas. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Big Ern isn't the only eatery embracing container life. "Chick-fil-A is using containers as a drive-thru at restaurants that need to be closed for renovation, such as its Rome, Georgia, location," says Elaine Petitogut, a marketing strategist at Charlotte, North Carolina-based Boxman Studios, which creates customized shipping containers for brand immersion experiences, hospi- tality, retail shops, pop-up restaurants and mobile bank branches. While many container-based projects have at least some food component, Kim Gros, founder of the SteelCraft project, has taken this concept to a whole new lev- el. Gros has created entire food-themed container parks in the Southern California areas of Los Angeles and Orange County. "The SteelCraft project came out of a desire to provide the neighborhood with a compelling, modern space that values restoration; the craft experience that comes with high-quality food and drink; and community," she says. "We went with creating an all-food destination as the community was 'hungry for' high-quality restaurants and food options." The first 15,000-square-foot SteelCraft opened in Long Beach in February 2017. The outdoor urban eatery includes Desa- no Pizza, Lovesome Chocolates, Pig Pen Delicacy, Smog City Brewing, Steelhead Coffee, Tajima Ramen, the Fresh Shave and Waffle Love, which all operate in 20- to 40-foot shipping containers that are capped off by a communal dining area. The project has been such a hit that two new locations are now in the works. "We were flooded with inquiries from all over the country almost immediately [after opening]," Gros says. "That's when our team began to dream bigger. In my heart, yes, I thought SteelCraft would grow to something bigger, but in my head I didn't think it would grow so quickly." The second deal, for a 1.8-acre lot in Garden Grove that was formerly occu- pied by a Black Angus restaurant until 2005, was finalized in just 60 days. The lot was acquired by the Garden Grove Agen- cy for Community Development in July 2009. SteelCraft was granted unanimous approval to utilize the location during a Garden Grove City Council meeting on June 13, 2017. Martin Howard, president and CEO of Howard CDM, SteelCraft's construction and development partner, believes the container concept — which celebrates ev- erything craft and community — was a nat- ural fit for the city. That's because Garden Grove is in the midst of its Re:Imagine ini- tiative that is transforming the downtown and civic center areas through the use of public spaces. "Garden Grove is the perfect second location," Howard says. "It's right in the city's center in an already densely populat- ed area of Orange County. We can bring connectivity to the downtown civic area. Steelhead Coffee at SteelCraft center. SteelCraft Long Beach opened in February 2017 and features a number of shipping container-based food purveyors. Waffle Love at SteelCraft center in Long Beach, California.