Though Starbucks is not giving out specific locations of where it is closing stores, it did say most of the 600 stores are underperforming ones that have opened since 2006.

By my reckoning that could put two in Lincoln at risk. Both the one at 33rd and O and the one in the Super Target at 40th and Yankee Hill have opened within the past two years. And I've never seen either one busy. I don't go by 33rd and O often, but when I do that parking lot always seems empty, although I'll admit I rarely go by there early in the morning.

As for the Super Target one, the store is always dead when I'm in there, so, by extension the Starbucks is too.

Starbucks also said yesterday it's going to slow down its expansion plans as well, so that may mean Starbucks that had once been mentioned as possibilities for 10th and Van Dorn and 15th and South may not materialize.

For all you casual dining fans, the Texas Roadhouse officially opens at 4 p.m. on July 14.

Next week, National Guard soldiers will get to sample the fare early as the restaurant uses them as guinea pigs while it trains the staff. Texas Roadhouse is also hosting invitation-only fundraising events on July 11 and 12 to benefit the Nebraska Children's Home.

The company says it's going to employ 145 people; I realize the vast majority will be part time, but that still sounds like a lot for a place that's only open six hours a day during the week.

Texas Roadhouse will be located in the Apple's Way development at 63rd and Nebraska 2, near Lowe's.

Just a few tidbits I've picked up in the past few days:

Marz plans to build a sidewalk cafe, but Holyland Cuisine has apparently put theirs on hold.

Got some info on Sidewinders; it will apparently be a music venue featuring country, rock and blues. However, I don't know when they will open because they've been having trouble getting a liquor license. City Council denied their first attempt because the person they proposed as manager had a criminal record.

And Rojo's Goods, the new Bodega in the Haymarket, apparently is going to have some grocery-type items such as bread and milk.

I'm not advocating Antelope Valley or defending the city, but the plans appear to be bearing some fruit.

I wrote last week about Assurity and its new headquarters that will go at 19th and Q. Tom Henning, the company's president, estimated about $32 million from Assurity and $6 million in TIF from the city. But a redevelopment plan filed with the Planning Department is estimating $62 million being spent on that project, although it includes a parking garage. The document also lists a second phase with mixed-use commercial development that could cost anywhere from $10 million to $35 million. Pretty impressive numbers.

A little farther to the south, there are two new projects going forward three blocks apart on Capital Parkway.

Whitehead Oil is reviving a plan that was vetoed by Mayor Seng more than two years ago to put a U-Stop and fast-food restaurant on a vacant lot at 21st and K.

A little farther to the west, Kaplan University has plans to tear down an old dorm and build a new building that will double its classroom space. It also has plans for some new parking lots. In an application document, an attorney for the school specifically cites the Antelope Valley project as a reason for the expansion.

Those two projects are in addition to a proposed office and banquet hall at 19th and Capital Parkway.

The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, reported last week that Steve & Barry's is on the brink of bankruptcy. The newspaper said that if the chain can't scare up an additional $30 million soon, it could go out of business.

Apparently the stores aren't very profitable and the company had relied on big payments from malls that were desperate to replace anchor stores that had left. If you'll remember, Steve & Barry's took over the old Montgomery Ward space at Gateway after it went out of business.

Losing Steve & Barry's would a big hit for Gateway, which has lost several smaller shops over the past year.

There is also apparently a rumor going around that another of Gateway's anchor stores could be looking at leaving the mall. Since I don't have reliable information, I'm not going to say who it is, though.

The demolition and redevelopment of the Rosewood Inn isn't the only potential economic opportunity out by the airport.

The Great Scott's food court is for sale. For only $1 million, you can own the building and the existing franchises, which include Quizno's and Baskin Robbins.

The listing says the food court's "full potential not currently realized." Really? You wouldn't have known that by the empty parking lot.

I'm really surprised that place has stayed in business for as long as it has. It has a seating capacity of 100, but I've never seen more than a handful of cars in the parking lot.

Anyway, if you're interested in buying, here's the listing.

I'm told the new Kentucky Fried Chicken Buffet opened this week at Ninth and South streets. Advance Auto Parts opened there a few weeks ago.

It's funny how it wasn't that long ago that that intersection had an abandoned restaurant and dumpy houses on one corner, a rundown c-store on another and a commercial site that couldn't seem to keep a tenant for more than a few months on another.

Now you've got a nice, modern c-store, a fairly upscale restaurant, and a gleaming new auto parts store and fast food restaurant.

And there could be more coming. I see that the house on the southwest corner, where the barber shop has been for ages, is for sale.

A store called Rojo's Goods is taking over the old Chocolate Expressions space at 824 P St. in The Haymarket.

A sign on the window calls it "The Haymarket Bodega" and says it will be open in July.

I had a very brief conversation with some people affiliated with it today and am supposed to be getting a press release soon.

I'm told they are seeking a liquor license and there was a hearing Monday at the City Council, although a decision was delayed. Talk there was that it's going to be a sandwich shop with some groceries.

Sounds interesting, and I'll post again when I know more.

The post about new stores is proving so popular I hesitate to update the blog. But I also want to keep providing you guys with new material whenever possible, so this thing doesn't get stale.

Anyway, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Scooter's is going to open another location at 56th and Pine Lake. Now I see Wilderness Perk is planning to go into the Apple's Way development where Lowe's is. I'm assuming it's an expansion and not a relocation of the one at 15th and Pine Lake.

Seems to me there has to be some limits to Lincolnites' demand for coffee, but we obviously haven't reached that point yet.

You may have seen a story I did in Sunday's Journal Star about a report showing Lincoln's retail market is fairly healthy, at least for now. One of the components of the story was the various large retail anchor stores under construction and the ongoing work to get tenants to fill up the rest of the shopping centers they are anchoring.

So I thought it would be a good time for people to comment on what new stores they'd like to see.

Personally, the No. 1 store I'd like to see in Lincoln is Costco.

For those of you unfamiliar with it, Costco is a warehouse club store similar to Sam's. The company recently opened one in Omaha. I've heard they have their eyes on Lincoln, specifically southeast Lincoln.

I also wouldn't mind seeing a Cheesecake Factory, although I've heard we are considered too small of a market for them. Another restaurant I'd love to see here is Bonefish Grill. It's kind of an upscale seafood restaurant that's part of the Outback Steakhouse chain. It was one of my favorite places to go when I lived in the Tampa Bay area. They have one in Omaha now, but I haven't made it up there yet.

Other places that I don't personally have an interest in but think would do well in Lincoln are Whole Foods, DSW Shoes and Marshall's.

Weigh in and let me know what you'd like to see come to Lincoln.