By Tamas Mondovics
The grand opening ceremony for the much-anticipated, brand new Chick-fil-A South Brandon is now scheduled for Thursday morning, January 26.
Owned and operated by Paul and Tammy Holmberg, the new restaurant is located at 2010 Bloomingdale Ave. in Valrico, and is a much-welcomed addition to the recently opened Crest Pointe Towne Plaza, anchored by the new Walmart Supercenter.
As part of the opening celebration and festivities, local residents are invited to an overnight parking lot campout beginning the day before.
Come daylight, the first 100 customers are promised to be rewarded with the ultimate prize of free Chick-fil-A meals for a year.
The special event is part of Chick-fil-A’s signature First 100 event dating back to 2003.
The new 130 seat restaurant is just one of dozens of privately owned and operated Chick-fil-A restaurants to open this month, featuring a double drive thru, serving guests 6 a.m-10 p.m, Monday through Saturday.
The Chick-fil-A South Brandon will traditionally remain closed on Sundays the same as all other Chick-fil-A restaurants now numbering more than 2,000 across the nation.
While serving freshly prepared breakfast and daily entrees, the basic Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, which perhaps because of its simplicity, and of course great taste, continues to lead the charts as many guests’ favorite.
With attention to details while promising the best service possible, the Holmberg’s are confident of the successful opening and operation of their new restaurant, which is not their first.
In fact, Chick-fil-A South Brandon will be the couple’s third Chick-fil-A in the area and the fourth, counting the one they had owned and operated at Regency Mall in Racine, Wisconsin in 1992.
“In 1998, we relocated and transferred ownership and opened the Chick-fil-A at Lake Brandon Village, which we currently own and operate,” Tammy proudly said, adding that in 2013 the two took over ownership and operations at the Westfield Mall Brandon, until December 2016.
“We are currently hiring and training the needed 100 employees,” said Tammy’s son Jake, who will be managing the new restaurant.
While welcoming applicants under a temporary canopy set up on the parking lot just outside the nearly completed restaurant, Jake took pride in the great turnout of prospective new full-time and part-time employees.
‘We have had more than 200 apply within the first couple of days,” he said.
The Holmbergs’ success is only a continuation of what was started by Chick-fil-A founder, Truett Cathy, who has opened his first restaurant in Hapeville, Georgia in 1946.
Cathy founded the Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. in 1967. More familiar to most, however, is the picture of the now famous renegade cow, caught in the act in 1995 with a paintbrush in mouth, painting the three words “EAT MOR CHIKIN” on a Texas billboard.
Chick-fil-A’s family owned and privately held restaurant company system sales exceeded $6 billion in 2015, which marks 48 consecutive years of sales growth. Aside from serving great food, Chick-fil-A South Brandon is promising its successful relationships with local schools, organizations and neighboring businesses. For information about the new restaurant and guidelines for the grand opening First 100 event, visit www.chick-fil-a.com/Legal#first_100.
