MESA, AZ — Downtown Mesa’s landscape is set for a major transformation as Local First Arizona, in partnership with city leaders, moves forward with the Main Street Market restaurant incubator.
Currently under construction at a former A.J.'s Grocery location, the $6 million project will offer seven local restaurant hopefuls their first shot at running their own brick-and-mortar businesses. Each will be awarded a two-year lease inside this food hall when it opens in early 2027, an initiative backed by Mesa’s investment of remaining COVID relief funds.
Local First Arizona founder Kimber Lanning said the project is a longtime dream designed to expand opportunities and create a culinary destination that draws visitors from across the state.
“As we grow more and more restaurants in downtown Mesa, it will be a destination for people from all over,” Lanning said.
Main Street Market will feature diverse cuisines and provide in-depth business counseling to help startup restaurateurs succeed in a challenging industry.
City officials, including Urban Transformation Director Jeff McVay and Councilmember Jenn Duff, see the market as a new anchor for the downtown sector’s dining scene, which already boasts around 50 restaurants.
With applications expected to open in late July or early August, organizers hope the program will remove startup hurdles and strengthen Mesa’s position as a regional economic and cultural hub.
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