Olive Garden in Big Rapids? Here's how it would happen - The Pioneer

BIG RAPIDS — The announcement of a new chain restaurant or fast food joint opening in Big Rapids may excite many.

But, what is the process of getting said establishments to open new locations in town?

Here’s what we found…

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Big Rapids officials recently OK’d a listing agreement with REMAX/Together real estate agent Joe McNally for the marketing and sale of the former Hanchett property on North State Street. The property was once the site of a manufacturing company, but the building was demolished after its closure and the property has sat vacant for years.

The Pioneer reported on the agreement and shared a story on its Facebook page. From there, readers expressed what they'd like to see at the vacant property owned by the city.

Some of the common responses included: Chik-fil-A, Olive Garden, a new skatepark and “anything but another pot shop.”

The Pioneer contacted Big Rapids city manager Mark Gifford for more information on the process of how new chain restaurants open in town, specifically in Big Rapids.

“I’d love to have an Olive Garden here,” Gifford told the Pioneer.

“I’ll do everything I can to make it happen. We just don’t know how to make it happen,” he added.

When chain restaurants or businesses open new locations, the property typically isn’t city-owned, Gifford explained, which doesn’t give city officials much of a voice.

“These choices (of new restaurants opening) are not those of local government — other than broad zoning restrictions that say you can have a fast food restaurant,” he said.

‘ONE DAY THEY SHOW UP’

Prior to the arrivals of, for example, Applebee’s or Ruby Tuesday’s, Gifford said city officials did not initially approach the businesses for a few reasons.

“Nobody knows who to talk to,” Gifford said. “ … You can’t figure out who owns these things (chain businesses). It’s an LLC … who do you talk to?”

“It’s hard to get to a decision maker on this stuff because we don’t know who they are,” he added.

In past experiences, Gifford said many chain restaurants have an algorithm of what they’re looking for. What that algorithm is, is still unclear, he said.

“What ends up happening is one day they show up and say, ‘We want to build Ruby Tuesday’s,’” Gifford explained. “Nobody asked them. They picked us because for reasons we met what they were looking for.”

In February, Marshall’s announced its plans to open a new location in Big Rapids. The store is expected to open by September.

“I was asked, ‘Who got Marshall’s to come here?’ I told them, 'Marshall’s wanted to be here,'” he said. “The decisions are made outside our sphere of influences.”

Meagan Bernstein, spokesperson for Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden, provided the Pioneer a copy of the company’s site selection criteria.

When selecting a new location, per the criteria, Olive Garden looks for: a population trade area with a minimum of 100,000 people and prime regional locations that will have minimum impact to existing locations.

The preferred site must be roughly 2 acres with space for up to 145 parking spots.

EXPANSION SUCCESS STORIES

The city of Big Rapids has witnessed success at a business recruiting level through economic development efforts.

Two examples of that include owners of Serendipity in Cadillac opening a location in Big Rapids, as well as Connie Freiberg, owner of the Blue Cow, expanding her business and opening the Blue Fish in Manistee.

“It can work. Where I’ve seen it work the most is with the small, individually-owned local businesses,” Gifford said. “They’ve been able to open up another version of themselves in another community.”

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Olive Garden in Big Rapids? Here's how it would happen - The Pioneer
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