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By NATHAN HOWELL | Staff Writer

HELENA – After months of waiting and planning, Helena’s Chick-fil-A is finally scheduled to open April 8.

The popular fast food restaurant was originally approved to come to the city after the Helena City Council and the developer Retail Specialists, LLC reached an agreement back in late 2019.

Construction began last year on two developments that will see a number of new businesses come to Helena along the intersection of Alabama 261 and Shelby County 52, with Chick-fil-A being the first to open.

This particular location will have the largest drive-thru in the entire state of Alabama, which owner Brad Nichols said can hold 50 cars at any time.

“I am so excited and I love Helena,” Nichols said. “I spent part of my time in college serving Helena and working for a company driving throughout here which led me to have such a respect for their focus on education, first responders, and I am excited to be a pivotal part of the community.”

His hope is that he will be able to provide a convenient experience for locals, who previously had to drive to neighboring cities to enjoy the company’s famous fried chicken. He also said that he wants to use the restaurant as a way to improve the community.

“We want to be a feature in the community where people want to come and visit us. We want to serve food, build relationships and try to be a pillar in the community,” Nichols said.

One way of doing that immediately is by setting a goal of hiring 90 people, which will provide much needed income to local families and will keep tax dollars in the community for schools and other things.

“It is to care for a hurting world through being consistent, creating memorable moments and giving the world our best,” Nichols said. “Our three core goals are to be caring, be positive and be ambitious. We want to serve our community well, and care for our staff extremely well.”

The location will have its dining room open on the day of the grand opening for guests who want to eat inside.

Chick-fil-A in Helena is located at 2432 Helena Rd. and will be open Monday-Thursday from 6 a.m.-9p.m., and Friday-Saturday from 6 a.m.-10 p.m.