Tucson's Fall Retail Shake-Up: Barnes & Noble Opens, Eegee's Closes Three, 7 Brew and Angie's Move In
TUCSON, AZ — Tucson's storefronts are changing hands fast this fall. In the past three weeks a new Barnes & Noble opened on Oracle Road, Ono Hawaiian BBQ opened its first Tucson spot on Grant, three Eegee's closed, and two chains, 7 Brew and Angie's, lined up to move into empty fast-food buildings. Meanwhile Park Place Mall went up for sale.
Every closing here is someone's job ending, and every opening is a hiring window. Here's what's changing, where, and when the jobs are likely to follow.
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📍 Tucson's Fall Retail Shake-Up at a Glance
| Barnes & Noble | Opened October 7 at 4380 N. Oracle Road, in the old Joann Fabrics space near Wetmore |
|---|---|
| Ono Hawaiian BBQ | Opened October 9 at 6610 E. Grant Road, the chain's first Tucson location |
| Eegee's | Closed at 3250 E. Valencia Road and in Marana on September 25, and at 2510 E. Speedway on September 28; the Speedway store is moving down the street |
| Angie's | Moving into the two former Eegee's buildings in Marana and on East Valencia Road, early 2027 |
| 7 Brew | Up to six drive-thru coffee stands planned in former Salad and Go locations |
| Park Place Mall | For sale at 5870 E. Broadway; stores remain open |
| Jobs | No headcounts announced; 7 Brew's Tucson franchisee is taking applications now |
Now Open: A New Bookstore and Hawaiian Barbecue
Barnes & Noble opened its newest Tucson store on Wednesday, October 7, in the Oracle Wetmore Shopping Center, next to World Market and just south of Tucson Mall. At more than 16,000 square feet, it carries books, toys, games, vinyl and stationery, plus a Barnes & Noble Café. Store manager Bret Christopherson has been with the company 21 years. The opening crew is already in place, but a new store heading into its first holiday season is a good bet for seasonal booksellers and café staff.
Ono Hawaiian BBQ opened its first Tucson restaurant on Friday, October 9, at 6610 E. Grant Road on the east side. The Hawaiian barbecue chain, founded in 2002, hasn't published hiring details, but new restaurants typically keep posting counter and kitchen openings for weeks after the ribbon cutting.
The Fast-Food Reshuffle
The biggest churn is in quick-service food, where one chain's closing has turned into another chain's opening, as the Arizona Daily Star laid out in detail.
- Eegee's closed three stores. The Tucson-born chain shut its locations at 3250 E. Valencia Road near the airport and at 8160 N. Courtney Page Way in Marana on September 25, and its store at 2510 E. Speedway on September 28. The Speedway store is relocating to 2810 E. Speedway, with a target of late December or early January. Eegee's emerged from bankruptcy about a year ago under new ownership.
- Blake's Lotaburger left Speedway. Its store at 2810 E. Speedway closed October 11 to make room for Eegee's. Its locations on West Valencia and North Craycroft are reportedly unaffected.
- Angie's is taking the two empty Eegee's buildings. The fast-food chain plans to open in Marana around early January and on East Valencia Road in February or March. A real estate investor bought both buildings and is leasing them to Angie's.
- 7 Brew is converting Salad and Go drive-thrus. Salad and Go's Tucson locations closed during the chain's bankruptcy, and a court awarded its leases, six of them in Tucson, to 7 Brew. Franchisee P2 Brew plans up to six drive-thru coffee stands, at 3220 N. Campbell Ave., 5501 E. Speedway, 7980 E. Speedway, 2080 W. River Road, 1302 S. Kolb Road and 10071 E. Old Vail Road. Two 7 Brew stands are already open in Tucson, on East Speedway and on Tucson Marketplace Boulevard.
- Swig is coming too. The soda chain's first Tucson shop is expected in the former Salad and Go at 1730 E. Tucson Marketplace Blvd. No date yet.
For job seekers, the timing matters. None of these chains has announced how many people it will hire, but quick-service openings often staff up in the four to six weeks before doors open. That likely puts Eegee's on Speedway and Angie's in Marana hiring around the holidays, and Angie's on Valencia in early 2027. 7 Brew is the one taking applications now, through its Tucson franchisee's 7 Brew careers page.
For Sale, Not Closing: Park Place Mall and El Güero Canelo
Park Place Mall, at 5870 E. Broadway, is one of Tucson's two remaining enclosed malls, and it's on the market. Real estate firm Newmark is marketing the 1.1-million-square-foot center, and the Star reports that apartments on the south parking lot are being explored, along with office space to help keep the shops busy. Dillard's, the Century movie theater, Total Wine and Old Navy anchor it today. Tucson Mall on Oracle has also been for sale since last year with no buyer. A sale by itself changes the landlord, not the tenants, so the listing alone doesn't touch anyone's job. The longer-term change is the mix: Bourn Cos. already owns the old Macy's building there, and we've seen how mall redevelopment plays out at Uptown at the old Foothills Mall.
El Güero Canelo, the Sonoran hot dog institution, is also for sale. Owner Daniel Contreras, who opened the original South 12th Avenue stand in 1993, is retiring. The sale covers three restaurants, on South 12th Avenue, East 22nd Street and North Oracle Road, and the offering cites a staff of about 90. Nothing announced says the restaurants are closing.
One true goodbye: Garcia Cleaners & Shirt Laundry, a south side family business for 117 years, closes for good at the end of October.
Coming Next
- Bisbee Breakfast Club, Vail: under construction at Mary Ann Cleveland Way and Colossal Cave Road, expected in spring 2027, joining the chain's five Tucson-area restaurants.
- HTeaO, midtown: the Texas-based tea chain's first Tucson shop, at Speedway and Camino Miramonte just east of Country Club. No opening date announced; the Star expects 2027.
- Kukai Japanese Kitchen: going into the former Dante's at 2526 E. Grant Road. Opening date pending.
💰 Same Job, Different Floor
Two of these openings sit outside Tucson city limits, and that changes the minimum wage. The City of Tucson's 2026 minimum is $15.45 an hour, but it applies only inside city limits. Angie's in Marana and the Bisbee Breakfast Club in Vail fall under the Arizona minimum of $15.15. A Tucson mailing address doesn't settle it either, so ask where the job is when pay sits near the floor. Our 2026 minimum wage guide explains the difference.
What It Means for Tucson Job Seekers
If you worked at a store that just closed, the same skills carry straight into the places opening. Quick-service, coffee and retail employers hire from the same pool, and several of these hiring windows open between now and spring. Most of the roles below are anticipated, not posted.
- Fast food and quick service: crew members, shift leads and kitchen staff for Angie's, Eegee's and Ono (fast food crew member career guide, line cook career guide).
- Drive-thru coffee and drinks: 7 Brew and Swig run on fast, friendly baristas.
- Bookstore and retail floor: booksellers, café staff and cashiers, plus retail sales associates across the malls heading into the holidays.
- Store leadership: every new location needs assistant managers and store managers.
More Retail and Seasonal Hiring
On the southeast side, Sprouts, Costco and Walmart are reshaping Old Vail Road in Rita Ranch. For work you can start before Thanksgiving, see who's hiring seasonal workers right now, and our Fall 2026 job fairs guide lists every upcoming hiring event.
🔎 Search Jobs Now
- Barnes & Noble jobs in Tucson
- 7 Brew jobs in Tucson
- Eegee's jobs in Tucson
- Fast food jobs in Tucson
- Barista jobs in Tucson
- Restaurant jobs in Tucson
- Retail jobs in Tucson
- Cashier jobs in Tucson
- Part-time jobs in Tucson
Browse the Retail and Restaurant and Food Service guides in the TucsonHIRED Career Center for role-by-role pay and requirements.
Want the next opening in your inbox? Create a free TucsonHIRED account and set job alerts for 7 Brew, Angie's and other new Tucson openings.
📢 Employers: Opening a New Location?
With this many storefronts turning over, experienced crew members and shift leads are looking right now. Post your openings on TucsonHIRED and reach local candidates before your doors open.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the new Barnes & Noble in Tucson?
It's at 4380 N. Oracle Road in the Oracle Wetmore Shopping Center, in the former Joann Fabrics space next to World Market. It opened October 7, 2026.
Which Eegee's locations closed?
Eegee's closed its stores at 3250 E. Valencia Road and 8160 N. Courtney Page Way in Marana on September 25, and at 2510 E. Speedway on September 28. The Speedway store is relocating to 2810 E. Speedway, targeting late December or early January.
When do the Angie's restaurants open in Tucson?
Angie's hopes to open in the former Eegee's in Marana around early January 2027, and on East Valencia Road in February or March. Neither has announced hiring yet.
Is 7 Brew hiring in Tucson?
Yes. Tucson's 7 Brew location pages link to franchisee P2 Brew's careers page, which is taking applications. P2 Brew plans up to six more stands in former Salad and Go locations.
Is Park Place Mall closing?
No. The mall at 5870 E. Broadway is for sale, but its stores remain open. According to the Arizona Daily Star, apartments on the south parking lot and office space are being explored alongside the retail.
Is El Güero Canelo closing?
No closing has been announced. Owner Daniel Contreras is retiring and has put the three restaurants up for sale.
From Oracle and Wetmore to Speedway and Country Club, Tucson's strip centers are filling back in. Get your resume current now, and you'll be ready when the next "Now Hiring" sign goes up.
