Parking Issues Discussed As Taco Restaurant Approved In Newtown

NEWTOWN, PA — The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors on Wednesday granted conditional use approval for a new taco restaurant to open at the Village at Newtown Shopping Center.

Bomba Tacos & Rum, an Ohio-based Latin-style restaurant and bar, will open in the new building under construction at the shopping center. The establishment has already received approval from the township for its liquor license transfer.

The eatery describes itself as a "premium casual taco restaurant." The menu features a variety of Latin-inspired dishes, including tacos, bowls, salads, soups, and appetizers. The drink menu includes a range of rum cocktails, as well as margaritas, sangria, wine, and beer.

The 108-seat restaurant will have an open-kitchen concept with an additional 75 seats in an outdoor screened-in porch area, according to Joe Blackburn, the attorney representing the shopping center. Music will not be permitted in the outside seating area as part of a condition of approval.

Parking issues at the shopping center, which have been a concern among many in the community, were discussed during the hearing. Supervisor Kyle Davis, who cast the lone vote against the taco restaurant's proposal, was the first to raise the issue. He asked if the applicant believed there was adequate parking to accommodate for the eatery's patrons.

Blackburn said the restaurants in that section of the shopping center serve a different rush-hour peak. Fast casual Chipotle and Mod Pizza, for example, have patrons that are in and out quickly, whereas Bomba Tacos, Solstice, and Iron Hill will serve longer-stay customers, he noted.

Blackburn said that the new parking spaces in the quadrant under construction are starting to become available for shopping center customers.

"Those spaces are starting to come online and I absolutely think you'll see an alleviation of both the traffic and the parking concerns," Blackburn said.

"The busy times of these restaurants are not going to be the busy times of McCaffrey's," he added.

When construction is complete, the shopping center owner has committed to undertake additional traffic studies to address outstanding concerns, Blackburn said.

Bomba Tacos currently operates three locations in Ohio. A location in Malvern opened recently. The Newtown restaurant will be the second Pennsylvania location.

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