New Chick-fil-A opening Thursday on Far South Side
Restaurant will bring 100 jobs to Pullman area, and is locally owned and operated
CHICAGO (WLS) -- There was a ribbon cutting Wednesday on the Far South Side for a new Chick-fil-A. It's the first to open on the South Side.
The restaurant officially opens Thursday at 11131 S. Corliss Ave., and is located right off the Bishop Ford Freeway at 111th Street in Pullman.
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Trademark Chick-fil-A cows were thrown from the roof during the celebration Wednesday.
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It's the latest addition to a booming area.
The restaurant will bring 100 jobs to the Pullman area, and is locally owned and operated.
"What we've done over the last 15 years, it is so breathtaking, so breathtaking to see everything that we have done from 111 to 103rd of over $2 billion in public, private partnership," 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale said.
It's highlighting the perseverance of a community that has redeveloped the neighborhood since the 1990s.
"When we closed 29 liquor stores in one day in our community, was the catalyst that started the movement," Beale said.
It will be open 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Chick-fil-A Pullman is one of 15 new Chick-fil-A restaurants opening in the Chicagoland area by 2027, adding an estimated 1,500 additional jobs to the city, the restaurant chain said in a news release.
Chick-Fil-A donated $25,000 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository Wednesday, as well.
It's all part of larger development to revitalize the community.
"We've actually executed on over a half a billion dollars of new investment," said David Doig, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives president. "We want people to understand this scenario of opportunity. It's an area of economic growth; it's an area of prosperity."
There have been nearly 200 acres of development in Pullman Park and more than 2,000 jobs have been added in the area, from Walmart to Amazon to Planet fitness and a Dunkin' and Jimmy John's on the way.
All, including Chick-fil-A, have put hyper-focus on hiring from the community.
"This restaurant employs over 100 team members, all of them from the community, and I'm really proud of the fact that 80% of them could walk to work if they choose," Chick-fil-A Pullman Owner and Operator Elise Mills said.
Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives is behind the development of Pullman Park. Doig said they're just getting started.
"We've actually got the historic hotel Florence, which is what we're looking at, and then working with the local black owned operator, Andre Gardner, we're going to be building a new Hampton Inn," Doig said.
The development is not only bringing jobs, but housing to the area, instilling a community, where work and home prosper.
"As they become gainfully employed, they move through the process of equity and generational wealth through homeownership," said Shenita Muse, Hope Center Foundation executive director. "So, we have retail, and we have the rooftops."
