× Expand Courtesy of Shake Shack

Shake Shack is planning to open its second restaurant in the St. Louis area, at 8885 Ladue Road, and the lease has already been signed. The New York–based chain now only needs approval from the city of Ladue.

The St. Louis Business Journal reported this morning that, if approved, the new Shake Shack will open in the former Pei Wei space at Ladue Crossing Shopping Center. Spiegelglass Construction Co. is slated to be the general contractor for the project, having also worked on Shake Shack’s Central West End location and two Kansas City branches.

Spiegelglass owner Tim Spiegelglass told St. Louis Magazine today that a number of issues have to be ironed out before the project is likely to be given the green light and that it could be several months before the city of Ladue will announce its final decision and construction can commence. It’s understood that Shake Shack also plans to take over the Globe Cleaners space adjacent to Pei Wei. Without that additional square footage, the project might not have been viable.

× 1 of 2 Expand Photo by George Mahe The prospective location for the city's second Shake Shack × 2 of 2 Expand Photo by George Mahe Pending approval, the future Shake Shack patio Prev Next

Founded by St. Louisan Danny Meyer in New York City in 2004, Shake Shack currently has more than 200 restaurants across the United States and internationally. Over the past year, Meyer has led the company through an aggressive expansion that has seen sales increase and share prices double in year-on-year value. Meyer has said that he hopes to open more St. Louis stores if the first two prove successful.

Two days before Shake Shack opened its first store in St. Louis, in a revelatory Q&A with SLM, Meyer discussed his hometown haunts, hospitality (a word he now practically owns), and yes, his high school.