Chick-fil-A may move to old Golden Corral site

Chick-fil-A is planning to move from its current location to where the old Golden Corral restaurant was located.

The Southern Pines fast food restaurant currently sits on the corner of Highway 15-501 and Murray Hill Road and is asking the Southern Pines Town Council to move a few blocks down Highway 15-501.

Steve Malloy, who represented Chick-fil-A at the April 6 Southern Pines Town Council meeting, said that they are hopeful the new location could be opened by the end of the year. He qualified that statement by adding how quickly and smoothly the architectural and site plan review process goes will determine the project’s completion. 

 

The plan is for Chick-fil-A to relocate from its existing location to the site of the old Golden Corral located at Turner Street and Highway 15-501. The plan calls for a nearly 5,000 square foot restaurant to be constructed after the current building is demolished. The new facility will feature a double drive-thru with a stack-up for 96 cars.

 

Stacking Spaces is an architectural term that refers to how many cars can line (stack) up in a drive-thru without impeding traffic.

 

Some council members were concerned that the drive-thru line could back up onto Turner Street, but according to Southern Pines Mayor Carol Haney, “they know exactly what they are doing and set the standard” in reference to their drive-thru efficiency.

 

The council is expected to consider it at next week’s meeting.

 

In other business, the council heard a presentation for the renovation of an existing building at 210 West Pennsylvania Avenue. The existing space will be modified for a new restaurant for which the developer has not yet finalized a tenant.

 

The Town of Southern Pines is also setting up a scholarship program to allow disadvantaged youth to receive help to take part in town-sponsored youth events. The program is for most town programs, excluding summer camping programs, and the qualification will be for families receiving free or reduced lunches. The program is also open to home-schooled children, but those parents will need to provide additional financial information.

According to Reagan Parsons, Southern Pines Town Manager, “We have always attempted to help make sure that all youth can participate in the programs, but this will add some structure to it.”

Photo: Rendering of the Chick-fil-A elevation of the proposed building on Turner Street is courtesy of the Town of Southern Pines.

 

Sandhills_Sentinel~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Chris Prentice. Contact him at [email protected].