Burger King moves in; Arby’s is out
BROOKSVILLE – One fast food chain is on the way to Brooksville and another has closed its doors.
Motorists probably noticed the plastic construction canvas erected last weekend around a good-size swath of outparcel on the part of Western Way Plaza that fronts State Road 50.
WENDY BIDDLECOMBE/STAFF The Arby’s in downtown Brooksville closed this week, a victim of the economy.
That would be the site of the new Burger King, which has been a long time in the planning stages and is expected to open in October.
But patrons of the Arby’s restaurant at 843 S. Broad St. downtown were greeted by a different sight when they visited Monday: “Closed.”
That leaves only one Arby’s, at 12915 Cortez Blvd., just west of the State Road 50 and Mariner Boulevard intersection.
Jason Rollins, Arby’s communications and public relations manager, said the corporate office closed the Brooksville location due to “a tough economic climate.”
All of the employees were offered positions at other nearby Arby’s locations, he said.
Meanwhile, when the new Burger King is built, it will be the fourth one in Hernando County. The others are at 2096 Mariner Blvd. in Spring Hill, 30290 S.R. 50 near Ridge Manor, and 1390 U.S. 19, just south of Spring Hill Drive.
The new restaurant is going between Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Walgreens and the overall parking spaces will be re-striped and re-configured to create more spaces for patrons.
Buddy Selph with Tommie Dawson Realty said the new Burger King will be one of the chain’s prototype restaurants and will contain 3,200 square feet, 68 seats and a drive-through.
The manager of Western Way Plaza will re-stripe and re-configure the existing 1,223 total parking spaces at the center to accommodate Burger King, said Selph, who brokered the deal.
“This will not affect parking at the shopping center at all,” he said.
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