A new Hardee's is planned for 1727 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, just off US 78 (Stone Mountain Freeway) in Tucker. The new, approximately 3,000 square foot restaurant would be built on currently vacant land, adjacent to Stars & Strikes.
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| The new Hardee's should look similar to this |
The restaurant is being opened by Capstone Restaurant Group (FKA Lund Brown Enterprises), a Boulder, Colorado- based franchisee of both Hardee's and sibling concept Carl's Jr. According to their website, Capstone is the second largest franchisee of the Hardee's/Carl's Jr. brands with over 300 locations. Capstone operates nearly 70 Hardee's in Georgia including locations in Athens, Alpharetta, Villa Rica, Roswell and Sandy Springs.
Late last year, Capstone opened a new Hardee's in Lilburn a few miles from the upcoming Tucker restaurant.
The new Hardee's in Tucker will mark the return of the brand to the area after a long absence. Over 20 years ago, Hardee's operated a location at 4487 Hugh Howell Road, later home to Enzo's Pizza and today home to Cook Out.
Started by entrepreneur Wilber Hardee in Greenville, North Carolina in 1960, Hardee's has gone though a number of ownership changes over the years, as well as periods in which it closed many locations. Today, the brand, along with sibling concept Carl's Jr., are owned by Atlanta based Roark Capital Group, the same firm behind such companies as Moe's Southwest Grill, Jimmy John's and Corner Bakery Cafe.
Earlier this year, CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., moved its headquarters from southern California to Nashville, Tennessee.
More recently, following former CEO Andy Puzder's resignation after a controversial and unsuccessful bid to become Labor Secretary, Hardee's has dramatically shifted their marketing direction.
Gone are the days of scantily clad women such as Kate Upton, Kim Kardashian, Charlotte McKinney and Nina Agdal, among others, hawking the chain's burgers.
Instead, the company introduced a new spokesperson, played by actor and musician Charles Esten, star of the popular CMT drama Nashville. Esten portrays Carl Hardee, a fictitious character loosely based on Hardee's founder Wilber Hardee Sr. and Carl's Jr. founder Carl Karcher. New spokesman "Hardee" is seen in the below commercial returning to Hardee's headquarters and "taking over" the company that his seemingly irresponsible son "Junior" had been running.
The company's new tagline: "Pioneers of the Great American Burger."
Jason Marker, a fast-food veteran who previously served as President of Kentucky Fried Chicken, started as CKE's CEO this past April.
Sources close to both Capstone and The City of Tucker indicate that the deal to bring the restaurant to Tucker is nearly done, but not yet 100%. The restaurant, which does not need a SLUP (special land use permit), could begin construction as soon as later this month and could open by the end of the year, January at the latest, under current conditions.
While many area residents are surely disappointed that the Tucker City Council recently voted against "The Rise," a planned 88 acre mixed use development, the advent of a Hardee's restaurant should nonetheless be a welcome sign as it shows that restaurants continue to be attracted to Tucker.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming Hardee's? Were you in favor of or against "The Rise"? What other restaurants would you like to see open in Tucker?
Please share your thoughts below.
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