Perkins Rowe Applebee’s aims for December opening

The Applebee’s restaurant under construction next to Orvis in Perkins Rowe is expected to open in time for the holiday season. Perkins Rowe General Manager Rick Balow says the restaurant is aiming for the first or second week of December “to get some of the holiday business.” He says the restaurant will occupy a new, 5,500-square-foot space in the shopping center, and that contractors have been working 16-20 hours a day to meet the target date. “They really are going after that,” he says. The Applebee’s will have an upscale feel consistent with the Perkins Rowe brand, Balow says. “It’s their bistro concept. … The awnings will be a solid material with an apple silhouette in the corner, and they’ll be backlit,” he says. “The interior finishings will also be more upscale. I’m very excited. I’ve seen the photos of the concept, and I think it’ll be a nice addition to the community.” Balow also says a Flip-Flop Shops franchise will open in time for Christmas. —Ian McGibboney