Arby’s giant hat sign on Henderson St. in Galesburg isn’t going anywhere, but the fast food franchise’s facility itself will disappear for a while.
Store Manager Shari Mahnesmith says while she’s not sure of an exact date of when the store will begin reconstruction, she thinks it should be sometime in mid-August.
Mahnesmith hopes they can be reopened by the holidays at the latest.
If they can, an early Christmas present will await those frustrated with Arby’s unique drive-thru that wraps around the building.
Plans are to make it so drivers order and pick up on the same side of the building.
Mahnesmith says the store will probably close a week prior.
The reconstruction will modernize the facility, using corporate blueprints to make it look more like newer Arby’s stores across the country.
Mahnesmith tells WGIL she hopes she can maintain most of her employees over the hiatus but knows that may not be the case.
“Right now coming up on the closing some of my employees are looking forward to a little time off but some of them are already looking for other jobs,” Mahnesmith says. “I’m sure we might lose a couple. We’re hoping everyone comes back and I’m pretty sure we’ll be doing some hiring.”
Mahnesmith reiterated the big hat sign out front is staying put adding, “If we couldn’t keep the hat we probably wouldn’t even be doing it.”
