Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers restaurant coming to Corpus Christi's Moore Plaza

Corpus Christi

Chicken fingers are muscling in on retail turf in Moore Plaza, which now has new owners.

Taco Cabana was among the first tenants when the shopping center opened at Staples Street and South Padre Island Drive in 1989.

The combo at Raising Cane's is Four chicken fingers is a meal of crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast, coleslaw, a regular drink and Cane's Sauce.

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Bulldozers and other earth-moving equipment began leveling the former Mexican restaurant's storefront over the weekend, roughly one year after it closed its doors for good in Corpus Christi.

A former Taco Cabana building is being demolished at Moore Plaza on Monday, July 9, 2018. A Raising Cane's chicken restaurant will be built in its place.

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Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers recently got a building permit to operate on the site, said Gene DeLauro, building official for the city of Corpus Christi.

Construction of the new restaurant is expected to take about six months, though it's unclear when it will open.

There are several Raising's Canes locations across Texas, but the nearest is in San Antonio, which has more than 10.

Raising Cane's has a simple menu: fried chicken, mostly in finger form. The restaurant also serves crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw, Texas toast and Cane's sauce.

Speculation about Raising Cane's setting up shop in Corpus Christi began heating up earlier this year when the eatery ran ads on Monster, Indeed and other employment websites seeking a general manager for a new restaurant on South Padre Island Drive.

Moore Plaza, whose other stores include Target, H-E-B, Hobby Lobby and Office Depot/Office Max, is located at SPID and Staples Street, and recently changed ownership.

Demolition of the former Taco Cabana in Moore Plaza began over the weekend. City officials say a Raising Cane's chicken restaurant will be built in its place.

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Moore Plaza belonged to Weingarten Realty Investors since 2004. That changed in February when Dallas-based Rainier Realty Investments acquired it for an undisclosed price.

Officials for Rainier could not be reached for comment on Monday.

“We believe Moore Plaza is a great addition to our retail portfolio. The Class A Center is very well established within the premier retail corridor of Corpus Christi and has enjoyed high occupancy for many years. Demand by retailers for this location remains very high,” Rainier President Tim Nichols said in a Feb. 2 statement after closing on the property.

Before her death in 1983, Blanche Moore executed a will directing that a foundation be established and that the assets of her estate be used primarily to benefit the children of Nueces County and four other counties.

A former Taco Cabana sign at Moore Plaza along SPID on Monday, July 9, 2018.

The Moore estate also owned more than 60 acres at the intersection, and in 1986 contracted a firm to develop a master plan for the property.

Staff writer Julie Garcia contributed to this report.

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