It looks like the Twin Cities will once again have a KFC restaurant.
Ed Boyer of E.A. Boyer Building & Design Inc. in De Soto said he and his business partners plan to build and operate a KFC franchise in the development under construction on approximately 50 acres next to the Lowe’s store in Festus.
That’s the first announcement about a business to open in the planned unit development (PUD) being built on the southern end of Shapiro Drive by Larry Goodwin of Crystal City.
“We have the KFC approval,” Boyer said. “We have the contract on the property. We’re set to start construction Aug. 1 and plan to open Dec. 1.”
Boyer and his partners in the restaurant project – his daughter and son-in-law, Terra and Stan Richardson – also own and operate the KFC at 12961 Hwy. 21 in De Soto.
E.A. Boyer Building & Design will construct the new KFC, which will be at 1199 Shapiro Drive.
“I’ve built KFCs for 30 years,” Boyer said. “(KFC) talked to us about a 30-seat store. We are going with a larger store, 55 seats. It’s the first lot (entering the Goodwin development).”
He said no decisions about staffing had been made yet.
Festus Mayor Mike Cage said he’s happy that the KFC is coming to Festus and that Goodwin is developing the property where the restaurant is planned.
“I’m glad to see it happen,” he said. “It’s been a long time waiting for that property to develop. The city lives on sales tax. As far as citizens, another restaurant helps make this a better place to live, gives more variety.”
Goodwin requested that Festus rezone the property where the development is going in from B-2 commercial use to PUD, and the city approved the request in early 2018. The request included a plan for commercial, light industrial, manufacturing, retail and food service businesses to be housed on 12 to 13 lots covering the 50 acres.
Goodwin said Monday that he recently closed a deal with another business for a spot in the PUD and has several others deals nearing completion. However, he said he wants to leave it to those businesses to announce their plans to the public.
Previously, there was a KFC on Truman Boulevard in Crystal City, and before that there was one on the corner of Walnut and North Second streets in Festus.
