Ruby Tuesday building locations in McAllen

McALLEN — Ruby Tuesday is hanging its name on the area.

The Tennessee-based casual-dining company licensed a local restaurateur to build four establishments in the area.

The first Ruby Tuesday restaurant is planned for the busy retail intersection at the corner of North 10th Street and Trenton Road.

Another is planned for South McAllen, and more are expected to follow in Harlingen and Brownsville.

Ruby Tuesday, which gleaned its name from the Rolling Stones song by the same name, specializes in burgers, salads and steaks. The company, founded in 1972, has used a bar-and-grill concept for more than 35 years.

However, in 2007, the company decided to take the restaurants “up-scale” and venture it as more of a steakhouse-type restaurant.

“I think McAllen is the hottest spot for it,” said David Bramble, the Rio Grande Valley franchisee for Ruby Tuesday. “Of any place in the Valley, North McAllen is it.”

The restaurant’s future spot in North McAllen is already popular with national restaurant chains. Olive Garden and Logan’s Roadhouse both operate locations at the Trenton Crossing shopping center.

Bramble expects to open in that area in August. He declined to disclose the specific property where the restaurant would locate, though.

An exact location for the second McAllen location is uncertain.

Palms Crossing, the popular shopping center, is full but Bramble said he would like to

locate nearby. That intersection already has a BJ’s Restaurant and P.F. Chang’s. And national chains Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Romano’s Macaroni Grill and MimisCafe are set to open in coming months.

Ruby Tuesday’s new focus on steakhouse dining — an attempt to set itself apart from the

Chili’s and Applebee’s mold — should make it a good fit with other restaurants in the area like Tony Roma’s, Bramble said. Most entrees run in the $15 range, he said.

“The food is really good,” he said. “I ate there every day for a week and now I’m hooked on it.”

Bramble already owns Denny’s restaurants in Edinburg and Weslaco.

With nine Denny’s restaurants in the Valley, Bramble said the market was saturated and it was time to open a different style of eatery.

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Kyle Arnold covers business, the economy and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4410.