Marcus Lalario of Sugar Shack Unlimited is bringing his vision for food, nightlife, and cultural programming to Bellevue, Washington, this summer. He has partnered with KG Investment Properties (“KGIP”) and Harrison Street Asset Management (“HSAM”) to debut Willie Burton’s, a new food & beverage, on a site formerly occupied by a car dealership. Sugar Shack Unlimited will manage branding and design, marketing, operations, and event activations for the project.
Lalarios’s popular neighborhood burger-and-shake joint, Lil Woody’s, and his new drinking establishment, The Bar @ Willie Burton’s. Brady Williams, the James Beard-winning former chef of Canlis and current owner of Tomo in White Center, will present two fast casual concepts.
Willie Burton’s represents “Phase Zero” of KGIP & HSAM’s vision to transform a seven-acre site at the junction of the Eastrail, Wilburton Light Rail Station, and Bellevue’s Grand Connection Crossing into a dynamic, high-density, mixed-use destination with residential living, employment, and lifestyle amenities. The Wilburton project expands north of Wilburton Village, home to Trader Joe’s, Virginia Mason, Target, and a PCC Community Markets store, among others.
The first phase of the development plan is to introduce approximately 600 mid-rise and high-rise apartments and townhomes as well as approximately 20,000 sq.ft. of lifestyle space, providing a mix of retail and dining along the Eastrail multi-use corridor. The City of Bellevue completed a 300-acre rezone of the Wilburton neighborhood in the summer of 2025.
The project sits at the junction of the Eastrail, Wilburton Light Rail Station, and the upcoming Grand Connection Crossing. The Eastrail is a 42 mile bike-pedestrian corridor stretching from Renton to Woodinville, and the Grand Connection Crossing is the City of Bellevue’s bicycle & pedestrian bridge that will cross from the Eastrail over I-405 and connect at-grade with the Grand Connection corridor through downtown Bellevue all the way to Meydenbauer Bay. The site also is directly served by the adjacent Wilburton light rail station, which will provide direct access to Seattle upon completion.
Says Marcus Lalario: “For some time, we have been exploring the opportunity to bring our Seattle-born burger brand to the Eastside, and we are thrilled to introduce this cool new gathering spot to Wilburton. Having Brady join the Bellevue project with his creative concepts is amazing. Willie Burton’s will be an energetic indoor-outdoor space where people get together—a true hub for communal life.
“From the outset, our vision has been in sync with KGIP and their team,” Marcus explains. “Together, we are confident in our ability to create a contemporary destination that welcomes individuals and families alike, combining exceptional dining with a wide range of engaging activities. “This venture is designed not only to align with current trends, but also to actively contribute to Wilburton’s continued growth.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Marcus, Brady, and the Sugar Shack team on this project and bring Willie Burton’s to life,” says Steve Kramer, KGIP Co-founder. “We were drawn to the synergy between Lil Woody’s and Marcus’s ability to craft and produce engaging events. With deep roots in the community, he has a demonstrated track record of designing experiences that bring diverse groups of people together. Bringing Brady’s culinary talent to the food hall will be a huge draw. Willie Burton’s will be a fun community gathering spot for everyone. My favorite is the outdoor beer garden and kid’s playground next to the bike trail!
“Willie Burton’s reflects our approach to mixed-use development, says Peter Kaye, Partner and Portfolio Manager of Residential Real Estate & Mixed Use at Harrison Street Asset Management. “We look for neighborhoods where infrastructure investment and community demand create conditions for thoughtful, long-term growth. Wilburton’s transit connectivity, trail access, and recent rezoning align with the qualities we consider when evaluating residential and lifestyle opportunities. Supporting food and beverage programming on this site reflects our broader commitment to building communities where people want to live, work, and spend time. We are pleased to be part of Wilburton’s next chapter.”
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ABOUT SUGAR SHACK UNLIMITED
Sugar Shack Unlimited is a collective of businesses, from bars and restaurants to art galleries, clothing lines, event production, and a digital media company—all driven by a passion for culture, community, and creativity.
Led by Marcus Lalario, a visionary entrepreneur with over three decades of influence in Seattle’s nightlife and arts scene, they bring together diverse ventures, including popular dining spots, concert series, and charitable events. The goal is to enrich Seattle’s cultural landscape by blending hospitality, music, fashion, and social responsibility into a vibrant and inclusive experience.
ABOUT KGIP
Established in 2001 by Steve Kramer and Rick Gervais, KG Investment Properties (KGIP) is a full-service commercial real estate firm specializing in asset and property management, development, and investment services across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. KGIP guides its institutional and private equity clients through every phase of the investment lifecycle. The firm’s current 26 million square foot portfolio spans office, industrial, retail, and multifamily assets. Deep expertise in the region’s economic, geographic, political, and regulatory landscape provides clients with a distinct advantage in achieving their real estate investment goals.
ABOUT HARRISON STREET ASSET MANAGEMENT
Harrison Street Asset Management is a leading global alternative investment management firm with over $108 billion in assets under management through highly differentiated assets across real estate, infrastructure, and credit strategies. Headquartered in Chicago, Toronto and London with over 600 employees in offices across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the firm offers innovative solutions across a variety of closed-end, open-end and specialized vehicles on behalf of 1,100+ institutional and over 300+ Registered Investment Advisors.1
1 HSAM data and descriptions of HSAM’s business are generally comprised of the aggregated data and business activities of investment advisors that are owned in whole or in part by HSAM. Assets under management (“AUM”) reflects the AUM for the investment advisory and asset management clients of such investment advisors and is inclusive of the regulatory AUM of such investment advisors that is reported in their respective Form ADVs.
