Wally Kennedy: Tunnel car washes trending in area
Oct. 21—Those fancy tunnel car washes are popping up everywhere — especially in high-traffic areas.
The latest to get one could be the village of Airport Drive. A public hearing was held this week before the village's Board of Adjustments to determine whether a former convenience store at the southeast corner of the Stone's Corner roundabout will be torn down to make way for a new car wash. Talk about a high-traffic area.
According to the village's clerk, the request for a special-use permit was filed by JCH Investments. It was not clear which car-wash brand is being represented by the investment company. The property, which has been on the market for a couple of years, is under contract. Details to come.
More on Whataburger
Whataburger is spending a lot of money to get a piece of Joplin's hospitality market via one of the last available spots on South Range Line Road.
Whataburger has filed for a $2.7 million permit from the city to construct one of its iconic orange-and-white-striped restaurants at 2014 S. Range Line Road, the former home of Taco Hut. That compares to Panera Bread, which is spending $1.4 million to construct a new restaurant across the street from Whataburger at 2101 S. Range Line Road. This is where Pizza By Stout was located.
You can also compare it to the $1.6 million that will be spent building an Hawaiian Brothers Island Grill where the soon-to-be demolished Red Hot & Blue is located at 2601 S. Range Line Road. There's also the new Raising Cane's, 1237 S. Range Line Road, which cost an estimated $1.5 million to construct.
The site where the Whataburger is to be constructed is special. Joplin Creek is located on the north side of the property. There is a possibility part of the creek could be capped with concrete. The site also involves the construction of a new access road to the restaurant's west side. Still, it's a notable investment in Joplin and further confirmation that Joplin's commercial real estate is desirable — even if you have to spend more to make it happen.
No word yet from the company about when construction could begin.
Whataburger, according to its website, was founded on the premise of making made-to-order burgers on toasted 5-inch buns — a burger so big you need two hands to hold it. Harmon Dobson opened the first Whataburger as a roadside burger stand in 1950 at Corpus Christi, Texas. It is now based in San Antonio with 900 locations in 14 states, and sales of more than $3 billion annually.
The Whataburger that is coming to Joplin is part of an expansion by the company into Missouri. Five Whataburgers have recently been constructed in the greater Kansas City market, with 10 more on the way there. Whataburger was recently recognized by "Restaurant Business" as one of the 10 fastest-growing burger chains in its annual Top 500 report.
New flooring shop
LL Flooring is opening a new storefront in Northtown Center at 732 S. Range Line Road. The site is under construction in a space formerly occupied by Aaron's, which relocated its rent-to-own furniture business less than a year ago to the former Pier I store in North Point Shopping Center at 410 S. Range Line Road.
LL Flooring, which specializes in hardwood, laminate, vinyl plank, tile, bamboo and cork flooring, as well as flooring tools and accessories, has seven stores in Missouri.
The company, which was founded in Massachusetts, has grown to be one of the largest retailers of hardwood flooring in the United States.
Contact Wally Kennedy at wkennedy@joplinglobe.com.
