Brown Street fast food restaurants receive makeovers
By: Grace McCormick – Staff Writer
To some students’ dismay, the Burger King and Taco Bell on Brown Street are temporarily closed due to renovations. Have no fear, however, because Burger King reopened Saturday, and Taco Bell will open sometime in 2015. Both establishments closed within the past month.
While Burger King is receiving updates on the pre-existing building, Taco Bell has been completely torn down, which is the reason for the later opening date.
Keith Klein, senior development specialist for the city of Dayton, said, “both buildings needed renovations due to the fact that they were older and had not been updated in awhile.”
He went further to comment that Taco Bell actually had a fire three to four years ago, so that was probably a major deciding factor for the business to update.
Many students at the University of Dayton seem optimistic about the updates on Brown Street, but some do not venture that far down the road where the establishments are located.
Katie Bourgeois, senior and early childhood education major, mentioned that regardless of where one resides, the developments and renovations on Brown Street are clearly positive signs for the community.
“I live far away from those restaurants, but all college kids love options,” she said.
One student that cannot wait for the reopening of Burger King and Taco Bell, Kevin Farrell, sophomore mechanical engineering major, said he misses the 15 cent chicken nuggets and one dollar tacos.
Depending on where students live, their opinion on the reopening varied. Several students were pleased to find out that Taco Bell was just temporarily closed. Some thought it was torn down for good.
According to a May 28 Dayton Daily News article, the Taco Bell building will be receiving quite a few updates. A 2,100-square-foot building will replace the old structure, offering more seating for customers. The drive-thru will still be present, and outdoor seating is an expected addition.
An Oct. 27 Dayton Daily News article said Burger King’s roof, exterior and interior of the building have all received restorations. Burger King’s renovations have been completed more rapidly than Taco Bell’s because the original building is receiving updates; it is not being completely rebuilt.
“The fact that we are seeing more investment on Brown Street shows that the University and city are working together to grow,” Klein said.
Klein said that he was not aware of any new projects following the lead of Burger King and Taco Bell renovations.
“It is very exciting to see the changes that have happened over the last couple of years,” Klein said. “If you think about what is happening on Brown Street, a lot of restaurants have only been there a short time. It really shows the commitment to growth along the Brown Street corridor.”
