Red Robin finds a Tampa Bay perch

After years of searching for a suitable location in the Tampa Bay area, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has finally found a place to make its market debut. The Colorado-based casual restaurant chain is set to open at the Westfield Citrus Park mall sometime around Labor Day.

Red Robin, which has only four other locations in Florida, will open in a 6,000-square-foot space, according to Taylor Clifton, the mall's marketing director. The 200-seat eatery will serve high-quality hamburgers and other menu items in a family-friendly atmosphere, she says.

Retail brokers tell Coffee Talk that Red Robin has sought to open more Florida locations since launching national TV commercials a few years back, though the recession and the company's own struggling sales performance may have slowed those plans. The chain currently has about 430 locations throughout North America.

The state's first Red Robin opened at Gulf Coast Town Center in Fort Myers nearly three years ago, with other locations in Panama City, Pensacola and Port Orange.