Restaurant Coming to Old Theater Site
A Texas Roadhouse restaurant is planned on the site of the former Town & Country Cinema. Glenn M. Sides
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Coming to a theater near you: Texas Roadhouse.
During its Thursday work session, the Aberdeen Town Board voted unanimously to approve a site plan for a Texas Roadhouse restaurant that will be built on the site of the abandoned Town & Country Cinema on U.S. 1.
The Texas Roadhouse plan calls for a 6,678-square-foot building that would seat 241 patrons.
Mayor Betsy Mofield called the plan a “wonderful idea” and said she was glad the restaurant “jumped on the opportunity” to open there.
Representatives from Texas Roadhouse told the board that they have a lease agreement for the site. Construction on the new restaurant will begin after the theater building is demolished.
Texas Roadhouse, which has more than 340 restaurants in 46 states, features steaks and ribs as its main fare and is also well-known for serving unshelled peanuts.
The southernmost entrance to the shopping center will be closed permanently, as required by the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and an additional 17 parking spaces will be added near the front of the new building. Some of those will be handicapped spaces.
Pam Graham, of the town’s planning department, told the board that the NCDOT has also requested some drainage improvements be made to the site.
“As you know, there have been drainage issues there for years, but the property owner and the developer are working together to resolve those,” she said.
Graham said the landscaping plan, which includes an outdoor patio and a sidewalk fronting on the highway, will be appealing.
“I believe you will see a great improvement in the visual quality of the site,” she said.
The building will front the highway. Its entrance will be on the north side of the building, which faces the Mount Fuji restaurant.
Commission-ers Robbie Farrell and Walter Wright jokingly took issue with the name of the restaurant. Farrell asked if the restaurantcould fly a North Carolina flag instead of a Texas flag, and Wright said it would be nice if the restaurant could be called “Aberdeen Roadhouse.”
“We’re glad to have you, and I don’t care what you call it as long as you pay your taxes in Aberdeen,” Mofield said after the plan was approved.
In other business, the board also unanimously approved the involuntary annexation of Legacy Links golf course, with an effective date of June 1, 2012 — the latest date allowed by state law. The board could have made the annexation effective as early as July 7.
Representatives of the golf course said at a previous meeting they did not wish to be annexed because they felt the course did not need or could not take advantage of the services provided by the town. If town planned to proceed with the annexation, they asked that it be delayed because the course will be closed this summer for renovations.
The board discussed the possibility of delaying the annexation longer if the golf course would agree to petition for voluntary annexation. The board opted against that scenario because some board members felt there was no way to guarantee the golf course wouldn’t withdraw the petition.
Board member Alan Parker first made a motion for the involuntary annexation to take effect July 7. Pat Ann McMurray made the second, but the motion failed on a 3-2 vote, with Farrell, Wright and Jim Thomas voting against.
After further discussion, Thomas made a motion to make the annexation effective June 1, 2012, which passed unanimously.
Contact Tom Embrey at tembrey@thepilot.com.
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Comments
Jibbs 1 year ago
Roger that! I love Texas Roadhouse.
bloomstreet 1 year ago
lovin' some Texas Roadhouse.
AM910 1 year ago
Watched many a movie in that theater. I remember when they let people smoke in the back rows! That was THE hangout before Cinema 4 opened. Good times.
Glad we're getting a Texas Roadhouse. Maybe this will lead to even more changes at Town & Country Shopping Center.
Matt_Woodruff 1 year ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
HolleysLives 1 year ago
Does anyone have any accurate information regarding the status of Kohl's and Buffalo Wild Wings? I haven't heard anything about either of them lately.
dustyrhoades 1 year ago
Like AM910, I've got a lot of fond memories of that old place. Saw Star Wars for the first time there with all my buds. Sigh...
But I guess they have to do something with the site.
eflat7 1 year ago
Also saw Star Wars there with my Dad. I guess it's just real estate to some. To me it's just another reminder of the years going by...
CC85 1 year ago
What memories....went on my first "date" in that place in the 8th grade and played "Galaga" plenty of times in the lobby......
TooHot 1 year ago
Great. Another restaurant. This place needs more restaurants.
But that shopping center is bordering on blighted so anything that is torn down and rebuilt has to be a good thing.
eflat7 1 year ago
True.
Arestorer 1 year ago
That would be a good place,for a Great Steakhouse.... Texas Roadhouse aint one!!
WLD23 1 year ago
Or a great place for a roller skating ring.
Zoey 1 year ago
"the involuntary annexation of Legacy Links golf course" "the course did not need or could not take advantage of the services provided by the town." and last, but not least.... " I don’t care what you call it as long as you pay your taxes in Aberdeen,”
Taxation without Representation is Tyranny!!!!......Just Shameful....
,
CSmithson 1 year ago
Bittersweet. Saw my first movie there. Definitely remember seeing Star Wars (probably my 2nd movie). All those weekend matinees getting me and my brother out of our mother's hair for a couple of hours....Playing Asteroids in the lobby. Sticky floors... The good old days
deewee99 1 year ago
I went to see "The Sound of Music" with my first real GF in this theater. But as with GF's times change. It's an eyesore for sure now and I'm looking forward to seeing something different there.