Franchise owners are planning to build a new Kentucky Fried
Chicken restaurant sometime later this year on McCray Street,
marking the return of the Colonel’s secret recipe to Hollister
after an electrical fire destroyed the restaurant about two years
ago.
Hollister – Franchise owners are planning to build a new Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant sometime later this year on McCray Street, marking the return of the Colonel’s secret recipe to Hollister after an electrical fire destroyed the restaurant about two years ago.
The Hollister Planning Commission approved plans to build the restaurant on a vacant lot near Mountain Mike’s Pizza on McCray Street earlier this month, Planning Commissioner David Huboi said.
Although a construction date has not yet been set, the restaurant is expected to be open for business later this year, according to Karen Gutke, director of real estate with Harman Management Company, the country’s largest KFC franchise owner.
“We’re anxious to get re-opened and start doing business in Hollister again,” Gutke said.
KFC had been a downtown fast-food staple in Hollister for more than 30 years before it burned down in 2003. The fire started after a corn cooker, which is used to boil corn on the cob, was left on overnight by employees. No one was injured in the fire but the restaurant was completely destroyed.
Gutke said a formal grand opening announcement would be made once specific dates for the commencement and completion of the construction have been set.
However, since the site does not have hook-ups to the city’s sewer system, the franchise will be forced to build and install its own wastewater holding tank and ship its sewage out of town for treatment in order to comply with Hollister’s building moratorium, Huboi said. The moratorium, put in place by the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board after 15 million gallons of treated sewage spilled into the San Benito River in 2002, prohibits new construction that would require new sewer hook-ups.
“We permitted them to go ahead as long as they have their own holding tank,” Huboi said.
The tank will hold all of the restaurant’s wastewater. Once full, the water will be pumped out and shipped to an out-of-town treatment facility, Huboi said.
Once the building moratorium is lifted, sometime between 2008 and 2009, the franchise will be able to connect to the city’s sewer system, Huboi said.
Huboi said the KFC would look good at its new location
“It will be tucked in with other new commercial buildings,” he said. “I think it will fit in well architecturally and aesthetically.”
The new restaurant will generate additional tax revenue for the city, but city officials said they did not know exactly how much. The city will stand to collect 1 percent of the restaurant’s total sales revenue, according to Hollister Development Services Director Bill Avera.
“We can’t balance our budget on the backs of Kentucky Fried Chicken,” he said. “But it’s a good place to get chicken.”
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
