‘Love that chicken’? Popeyes planned for Wheaton’s north side
The chicken sandwich craze may be heating up in Wheaton.
The Danada area is already home to a Chick-fil-A. On the other side of town, a vacant lot along North Main Street could become the site of a new Popeyes restaurant.
The city has received a zoning application requesting a special-use permit to allow the construction and use of a 1,580-square-foot commercial building for a fast-food and drive-through restaurant at 1815 N. Main St.
That property is next to the old Smokehouse, a mom-and-pop place that served plenty of chicken sandwiches during its 35-year run at Main and Cole Avenue but was better known for heaping gyro plates and Italian beef.
The proposed restaurant would offer drive-through and delivery pickup only, according to a notice for a public hearing later this month.
Tracy Jones, a city planner, confirmed there would be no indoor seating.
The application also asks the city to allow six on-site parking spaces instead of the required 24 on-site parking spaces.
Wheaton’s planning and zoning board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the request on Feb. 25.