City might help turn former Church’s Chicken into Zesto
The Winston-Salem City Council may help fund the transformation of the former Church’s Chicken on New Walkertown Road into a new Zesto eatery.
The building, located at 2600 New Walkertown Road, has been vacant since the Church’s Chicken there closed a couple years ago. 2600 NWR, LLC is requesting $260,000 in Revitalizing Urban Commercial Area (RUCA) funds from the city to upfit the facility into a Zesto franchise location. Zesto is a fast food chain that specializes in hamburgers and ice cream that currently has no locations in the state.
2600 NWR, LLC, which will purchase the property, was started by Goler Community Development Cooperation to request the RUCA funds, which are used to revitalize commercial property in certain areas of the city. The $260,000 will be evenly split between a low interest loan and matching loan. The item was unanimously approved in the finance committee this week and will be on the council’s consent agenda on Monday, Aug. 21.
Goler CDC President Michael Suggs said he felt Zesto will be successful there and will help spur development in the area.
“We think it’s a great location, it used to be a restaurant that had been there over 20 years, it did well, and it’s in the middle of a community that doesn’t have a whole lot of food options,” said Suggs.
City Council members were impressed with the proposal and had faith in the project. Denise “D.D.” Adams said that it’s a much-needed use of the location.
“It’s going to be great for people in the community to see this structure come back to life,” she said.
GCDC, LLC, another Goler connected limited liability company, will serve as operator for the restaurant and has applied for a $100,000 small business loan, which will be used for working capital, furniture, fixtures and equipment. The request is being considered by the Small Business Loan Committee and, if approved, will then go to the City Council for a final vote.
Suggs said the Zesto could open by the end of the year.
