CVS foreseen in Cary

In Cary, it appears CVS will anchor the retail portion of the pending SearStone development at High House Road and Davis Drive.

SearStone is a senior living center that is pre-selling homes. Though construction hasn't started, plans for the development include a medical office building and a hotel.

In 2007, Cary allowed developers to increase the amount of retail space in the project, which is now zoned for 125,000 square feet. But we haven't heard much about it since then. Finally, at the end of December, Sears Farm LLC sold the 14 acres that will house the retail shops to a Charlotte commercial development group.

So far, CVS is the only tenant that has been announced. The developer plans to begin construction on the CVS as soon as it receives approval. According to CVS, the store is supposed to open in the first half of 2010.

SearStone must pre-sell 70 percent of its homes before the N.C. Department of Insurance will permit residential construction to begin. Developers hope to begin construction on the rest of the project by the end of this year.

Some changes are afoot in Durham's American Tobacco Historic District.

Symposium Cafe, which was a founding partner in the revitalization of the American Tobacco area and opened in 2005, closed at the end of December.

"It just didn't fit for either party anymore," said Michael Goodmon, vice president of real estate for Capitol Broadcasting. (Capitol Broadcasting CEO Jim Goodmon was the developer behind the transformation of the American Tobacco campus from an abandoned tobacco plant into a retail and entertainment complex.)

This summer, Symposium Cafe will be replaced with a new restaurant called Cuban Revolution Restaurant and Bar. A Rhode Island chain, Cuban Revolution serves Cuban tapas and offers dance music for patrons.

Also at American Tobacco, the Ben Benson's steakhouse that was previously announced has been delayed because of the recession, though owners say they still plan to build there as soon as the economy improves.

In Fuquay-Varina, less than half a year after coming under new ownership, the America's Mattress store at 1003 E. Broad St. is closing.

Owner Teri Baker said her lease was up and she's considering moving to a larger space in the future. Until she finds one, she's treating this as a store closing liquidation sale. The store is open Friday through Monday until the end of the month.

OTHER ITEMS: In Raleigh, the Flying Biscuit Cafe at Cameron Village will open Monday. ... In Durham, Green Tango opened its second restaurant this week, serving healthy salads and wraps in the new Pavilion East center at 2608 Erwin Road. ... In Rolesville, Junie Luv Creations is open at 254 Southtown Circle selling gifts and wedding accessories. ... In Cary, the former Vespa Ristorante at 200 S. Academy St. is now Klara's Restaurant, serving Czech and European cuisine. ... Also in Cary, an AT&T Experience store is under construction next to Mimi's Cafe at Cary Towne Center. Experience stores showcase AT&T products and allow customers to test them out there. That store should open this summer.