The Auburn City Council held its second meeting of the month on Tuesday night. While a variety of topics were discussed, the construction of two new fast food restaurants dominated the conversation.
The names of these restaurants have yet to be released. One restaurant will be located at 1120 South College St., the other at the intersection of Gay St. and Opelika Rd. It is headed by Cafe Racer, a coffee and donuts shop based in Athens, GA. This will be their second location, but it is unclear exactly what the new restaurant will be.
“The most equivalent I can give you is more of like a Panera Bread," said Brett Basquin, Chief Engineer at Foresite Group, the engineering company over the project. "It's more of a breakfast food, café, sandwiches, bistro that has coffee in the drive-thru use. This is their expansion outside of Athens and I think this particular location, with a site plan, does work."
Brad Galland, a representative working with Cafe Racer, was also present to discuss the new project.
“We are breakfast, lunch and dinner," Galland said. "We don't operate late into the evening hours. Breakfast carries over into about two in the afternoon. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and things of that nature in the later hours – that is the expectation."
Council Member Tyler Adams of Ward 4 was concerned with the capacity of the restaurant and how it would be set up.
“We are closer to a 50/50 split at our location in Athens [between drive-thru and walk-up] and that’s our expectation for this location," Galland said. "Drive-thru is a component of our business, but not the main driver. We have done our best to ensure as much parking as we possibly can."
According to Galland, there will be around 40 employees and wages will be well above minimum wage at close to $20 per hour. There will be an outdoor green space, as well as indoor seating and a drive-thru.
“Our concern is where the site is located in relation to everything else," Basquin said. "Everything around us has a drive-thru. If we did a restaurant without a drive-thru, it’d be permitted by right. If our sight is downtown, all these other people have drive-thrus too."
Council Member Sonny Moreman of Ward 5 asked Galland why they chose Auburn for their second ever location.
“Auburn is very similar to Athens,” Galland said. “We like the college atmosphere, the college base and the town in general. We like this location, we like that it’s walkable and accessible by vehicles. We like the mid-size feel of towns like Auburn. We love the college students and that atmosphere. I wouldn’t be standing up here if we didn't believe that this wouldn't be a great location not only for us, but for the community.”
Moreman was pleased with Gallands sentiments.
“This is not a multinational corporation," Moreman said. "This is a unique business and I think auburn is a good place to put a unique business."
The motion was approved by all but one council member, Bob Parsons of Ward 6.
“I think the problem of mixing pedestrian traffic with vehicular traffic – we are compounding it now as we vote in opposition to our future land use plan," Parsons said. "To that end, I wish you well."
The City Council’s next meeting will be held at 106 N. Ross St. on April 2 at 6 p.m.
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Sam Vise, junior in journalism, is the community reporter for The Auburn Plainsman.
