Chipotle Could Come to Malibu

and could soon have new competition on the east end of Malibu. The owner of Malibu Village is in negotiation with Chipotle Mexican Grill about opening a restaurant at the mall on the east side of Cross Creek Road off Pacific Coast Highway, majority owner Matthew Khoury told Malibu Patch on Friday.

A press release dated Feb. 2 from the real estate firm RKF states it had finalized leases with Malibu Village for Chipotle and the cosmetics chain Sephora. Khoury said he was not familiar with the press release and that RKF "jumped the gun" about Chipotle, but he said the Sephora lease was signed. The business is expected to open next month.

Khoury said Denver-based Chipotle was one of several businesses with which his company KRE Capital has been speaking about leasing the five vacant spaces at Malibu Village.

"We are talking to them," he said. "When we bought the property [last spring], there had been discussions with Chipotle for a long time. We're talking to them and a few people. Nothing is completely done with them."

Meanwhile, KRE Capital is developing plans to make Malibu Village a "gathering place." The plans, which Khoury said would be more established by next month, will include features that were previously part of the mall. They include coin-operated riding machines for children, a stand where "people can get a newspaper and a coffee" and a drop-off for mail and/or FedEx packages.