Long John Silver’s plans to relocate one of its Springfield restaurants, but it won’t be moving far. A new building is under construction at 3112 S. Dirksen Parkway, just down the street from the current Long John Silver’s restaurant at 2929 S. Dirksen Parkway.
The existing restaurant is a freestanding building in front of the AMC Springfield 8 movie theater, located on the north end of Capital City Shopping Center. A $1 million building permit was filed Nov. 17 for construction of a new restaurant on the vacant lot between Hilton Garden Inn and Shangri-La Dispensary.
A spokesperson for Long John Silver’s told SBJ that the new location is tentatively scheduled to open in the spring.
“With the move, we are building a brand-new restaurant that provides guests with an even better dining experience,” according to a written statement provided to SBJ. “New features include a modern restaurant design, digital menu boards and upgrades to enhance convenience whether guests dine in or carry out. Even though we have a new look, we will continue to provide the bell-ringing service that customers associate with Long John Silver’s.
According to its website, Long John Silver’s has 473 locations nationwide, including 17 in Illinois. Springfield has another LJS restaurant at 1030 Clocktower Drive. The brand has had a presence in the capital city since 1977, not long after the company launched in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969.