Plan filed to redevelop site of Charlie Brown's steakhouse in Wayne. Here are details
WAYNE — A growing car wash chain plans to knock down the former Charlie Brown’s Fresh Grill on Hamburg Turnpike to open its second location in Passaic County.
Spark Car Wash, a limited liability company based in Summit, applied to the township for construction of the 4,860-square-foot facility — directly across from Preakness Shopping Center and about 275 yards east of the Alps Road intersection.
The proposal will require approval by the Planning Board, but it could be weeks before a hearing is scheduled.
Drawings on file with the planning department show the car wash would feature a single tunnel that is slightly more than 135 feet long. The 1.5-acre site would also have 37 parking spots, most of which would have floormat cleaners installed.
The chain has locations in the Sicklerville section of Winslow Township, in Woodbridge Township and just over 8 miles away from the Wayne site on Route 46 west in Woodland Park.
According to the company’s website, it intends to open more locations in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Kyle Van Decker, its chief executive officer, told the Courier Post last month that the market is ripe for this type of enterprise. “It’s one of the more vibrant retail industries right now,” he reportedly said.
As for Charlie Brown’s, business could be better.
The once-eminent chain of steakhouses, also well-known for its salad bar, is down to two locations: Scotch Plains and Woodbury.
PUBLIC SAFETY: Bronx man dies in weekend motorcycle crash in Wayne
Several others, including the bar and restaurant in Wayne, shut down at the onset of the pandemic and never reopened.
Multiple dining uses have inhabited the property. Charlie Brown’s opened there in April 1998; before that, it was the address of Roy Rogers Family Restaurant, Sandwich Pub and a short-lived Italian spot called Pastavino.
The property was owned by Valley National Bank, but it was sold along with an adjoining lot to a Glen Rock-based commercial developer in October.
The developer, VanRock Properties, will lease it to the car wash if its plan is approved.
The car wash would share a driveway with the neighboring lot, which is proposed to be redeveloped as a Chipotle Mexican Grill — complete with a drive-thru lane and outdoor seating for 22 people.
The board held its first hearing on that proposal this month, and its next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 28.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Charlie Brown's steakhouse in Wayne gets redevelopment proposal
