Two southern Delaware County (Ohio) restaurant sites are being repurposed it was announced in separate stories today. The two locations are about one-half mile apart along Polaris Parkway in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus Business First’s Dan Eaton is reporting that the former Mackenzie River location — at 1515 Polaris Parkway in Columbus — will be demolished. In its place will be a new Chick-fil-A location. Eaton is reporting that there has been no word from the company on how this will affect the current Polaris location on Sancus Avenue. It is the third reported time the restaurant chain has purchased a location to tear down a current building and build a new restaurant. The restaurant has a cult-like following and in “perception of quality” studies it has continually been the top national fast-food restaurant.
Meanwhile, NBC News 4 is reporting that the former O’Charley’s Restaurant — at 1425 Polaris Parkway — will become the first Ohio location for Fogo de Chao. Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian steakhouse concept whose current closest location is in Troy, Michigan. The restaurant, founded in Porto Alegre in 1979, made its United States debut in 1997 with a location in Dallas, Texas. Today the restaurant has locations in North America, South America, Europe, and Africa. The brand is expanding at breakneck speed, with 14 locations “coming soon” on its website, and that doesn’t include the Columbus location.
When this and the former gas station at Polaris Parkway and Lyra Drive redevelopment is complete, the I-71 and Polaris Parkway area will have an entirely different flavor.