PURE Taqueria, a Mexican restaurant chain based in Alpharetta with seven locations in Georgia, says it plans to move into the former Melt restaurant building in Avondale.

On its website, the chain says it plans to open its first store outside Georgia in Birmingham in the spring of 2024 at the location of the former Melt, 4105 Fourth Ave. South.

“I think that’s very important to the 41st Street entertainment district to get that up and going,” said Jeff McGee, president of the Forest Park and South Avondale Neighborhood Association.

“That’s a prime spot. Melt was very popular. Filling that spot is very important to that area.”

The planned new restaurant should help the neighborhood bounce back from recent high-profile departures including Post Office Pies and Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog Barbecue restaurant.

Corporate representatives of PURE Taqueria made a presentation to the neighborhood association last year to get their support for a parking variance. The lot has parking for eight cars, while zoning regulations would normally require parking for 43 vehicles.

“They came before the neighborhood last fall to get a parking variance for their parking lot and the neighborhood supported the variance,” McGee said.

The web site shows an architectural drawing that promises a redesigned building for the new restaurant. The building that has been vacant since December 2022 and recently was sprayed with graffiti by vandals. “That’s been on there for about three, maybe four weeks,” McGee said.

Melt operated in Avondale from 2014 through 2022 and moved to Lane Parke in Mountain Brook in 2023.

PURE Taqueria describes itself as a “fresh, fun taqueria concept specializing in amazing margaritas, tequilas, mezcals and creatively authentic Mexican fare.”