After months of anticipation, Fuzzy's Taco Shop announced plans Friday to open a restaurant in Braeburn Square, the new retail complex on the Wichita State University campus. Next summer Fuzzy's will join the Shocker Store, Starbucks and Meritrust in the development near 21st and Oliver.

Fuzzy's franchisee Trace Welch said he was attracted to Braeburn Square by its location on campus near busy streets and two freeways; its convenience to students, faculty, staff and visitors; and beautifully landscaped amenities including indoor and patio dining overlooking a central events plaza and small lake with fountains and firepots.

Fuzzy's will be in walking distance of WSU residence halls, classrooms, sports venues and Innovation Campus partnership buildings, including the Law Enforcement Training Center and Airbus. Fuzzy's plans to be open from early morning to late at night.

“Braeburn Square is going to be a great location for Fuzzy's and I think WSU folks are going to be happy with our food and fun atmosphere,” Welch said. “The developers and university have planned Braeburn Square as a great destination, with one of the best patio spaces I've seen anywhere.”

Welch said he chose the location next to the just opened Shocker Store because he thinks WSU sports fans will want to regularly visit both.

“Fans can shop for their gear, then come watch the games on our TVs,” Welch said.

The Braeburn Square Fuzzy's will be about 4,200 square feet inside, with bar and table seating, plus a large patio overlooking the Braeburn Square performance space, lake, firepots and fountains. It is expected to open in early summer 2019, with indoor-outdoor seating for about 180 guests. Other restaurants in Braeburn Square will also have patio seating.

Steve Barrett, a partner in the group developing Braeburn Square, said: “We've talked about Fuzzy's as an anchor since the beginning of this project because they do a great job serving large numbers of people in a fun atmosphere. With Fuzzy's, the Shocker Store, Meritrust and Starbucks as our first tenants, we believe these popular retail and restaurant destinations will attract additional high-quality tenants to the area.”

Brad Saville, president of Landmark Commercial Real Estate, said: “Braeburn Square's location as the front door to Wichita State adds an important element to the existing retail and restaurant mix in Wichita. The development and quality of construction is first class. I see Braeburn Square and the Innovation Campus as an important new economic driver that will help to attract additional office, retail and restaurant businesses to this part of Wichita.”

Saville's company represents Fuzzy's in Kansas expansion.

John Tomblin, president of the Wichita State Innovation Alliance, said part of the formula for creating a successful innovation district is to have all elements of learn-live-work and play in close proximity.

“As Braeburn Square grows, it will energize the retail and food environment on campus and in this part of Wichita. More companies will want to locate on campus and hire our students because of the daytime and night-time energy created, in part, by Braeburn Square.”

The public and WSU community will get a chance to see Braeburn Square during the Wichita State Open House Weekend, Sept. 28-30. The weekend kicks off with the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Shocker Store and includes the “Sip and See Party," campus and Pizza Hut Museum tours, Final Friday at GoCreate and more.

The mission of Wichita State University is to be an essential educational, cultural and economic driver for Kansas and the greater public good. Wichita State is a doctoral research university enrolling nearly 15,000 students and offering 59 undergraduate degree programs in more than 150 areas of study in seven undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers 45 master's and 12 doctoral degrees that offer study in more than 100 areas. Wichita State's Innovation Campus is an interconnected community of partnership buildings, laboratories and mixed-use areas where students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs and businesses have access to the university's vast resources and technology. For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.