Downtown Concord has a new smash burger spot. Bae's Burgers, the Mooresville restaurant that grew out of a food truck more than eight years ago, opened its second location inside The District Exchange marketplace at 22 Union St. North, Suite 110.

The opening fills the final slot in the 17-business marketplace in downtown Concord.

Husband-and-wife founders Fabian Elmes and Claire Connelly launched Bae's Burgers in 2018 after watching Food Network's "The Great Food Truck Race" at home and deciding they could do the same thing. Both were tired of working for other people.

"We were like, 'We can do that,'" Elmes told The Cabarrus Compass, describing the moment the idea clicked.

What started as a food truck became a brick-and-mortar restaurant on North Main Street in Mooresville. Now, more than eight years later, the brand has a second permanent home in Cabarrus County.

The menu

Bae's Burgers builds its smash burgers with a fresh blend of chuck, short rib and brisket, pressed onto the flat-top and served on a Martin's Potato bun. The name itself stands for "before anyone else," according to the restaurant's website. The Concord menu also includes fries and the Fry Chicken Sando, a fried chicken sandwich, according to the Charlotte Observer.

What's next

The Mooresville location operates Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. The restaurant's website shows an active online ordering link for the Concord location.

The District Exchange plans a grand celebration Saturday, Aug. 22, with free meals, discounts and live music to mark its full occupancy.