It appears that Chick-fil-A will soon be opening a second location in the capital city.
Earlier this year, AAM Springfield, LLC filed a zoning petition to reclassify the property at 3200 Northfield Dr. At the time, it was operating as a Burger King restaurant. The zoning petition was filed on behalf of the contract purchaser and noted the buyer “desires to…potentially redevelop the restaurant to a size greater than the existing 4,032 square feet.” The zoning petition stated it would “continue operating as a commercial restaurant with a drive through and potentially increase the square footage of the current building by way of demolition and rebuilding.”
That Burger King location ceased operations at the end of March, and Sangamon County tax records show AAM Springfield purchased the property April 1 for $850,000.
The registered agent for the buyer’s LLC is listed as Jordan Chapman. According to his LinkedIn profile, Chapman works in project management at Alrig USA, a real estate and development firm based in Detroit, Michigan. The company previously completed another redevelopment project in Springfield, converting the former O’Charley’s restaurant in Prairie Crossing into Sweet Basil Café, which later became Harvest Kitchen and Bar.
Alrig USA has also developed several standalone Chick-fil-A locations in the Midwest, including projects in Missouri, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. The company’s website lists a multi-tenant retail development site in Bollingbrook under “active projects.” That location is anchored by a Chick-fil-A and has a second suite with a drive thru available to lease.
A source shared bid documents with SBJ that referenced a build out for the 3200 Northfield Dr. property with Chick-fil-A listed as the end user.
Chick-fil-A returned to the Springfield market in 2016 after a two-decade absence, opening a location at 2431 Wabash Ave. The franchisee, Isaac Freeman, referred an SBJ reporter to the corporate office when asked about plans for a second restaurant in the capital city. Messages sent to the corporate office were not returned and the manager for the Midwest development construction team did not return calls.
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We need another fast food restaurant like we need a hole in our head. No one wants to work so service is garbage. Why would you treat us to more of the same.
The woke brigade certainly won’t be happy about this.
What will they do in response?
Angrily post on Facebook?
Take to the streets?
Scream at the city council?
Hooray another bigot chicken joint
Yummy!