Bulldozers and wrecking crews are making short order of the Burger King Restaurant in St. Joseph this afternoon, but don’t despair if you’re fearful of missing your Whopper fix. Quality Dining, Inc. CEO Dan Fitzpatrick tells me this afternoon that within about 10 weeks you should be walking into or driving up to a brand new, contemporary establishment ready to serve you once again.
Lunch crowds who are already missing their Chicken Coop option due to a fire last month, now are witnesses to the demolition squad which is taking down the building in the Southtown neighborhood of St. Joseph to make way for “a whole new, different style of store in a true contemporary vein,” according to Fitzpatrick.
While the St. Joe store at the divergence of Niles and Washington Avenues will be adding the dual drive thru concept that is increasingly popular at many fast food shops, it will not be the same style as the Burger King makeover accomplished last year on M-139 in front of the Fairplain Plaza.
Because he was traveling at the time of our conversation, Mr. Fitzpatrick did not have specs on the total square footage of the new building, but promises it will be a hit with Burger King lovers everywhere and is designed to be more attractive to those who haven’t shopped the brand in a while for whatever reason.
Quality Dining, Inc., which is headquartered in Mishawaka, Indiana owns nearly 160 Burger King restaurants in Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana, as well as 45 Chili’s Grill & Bar sites, including the one right next door to the St. Joe Burger King. Additionally, they own the Papa Vino’s brand which has yet another dining option from the Fitzpatrick stable barely a block away at Hilltop & Washington in St. Joseph Charter Township.
Having accomplished many a makeover at his wide array of restaurants, Dan is fairly confident in his projection that once the old building is leveled, the new restaurant should be ready for customers within 60 to 70 days, so stay tuned.
