BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
Framing for the new Millbrook Taco Bell began in earnest this morning. If you traveled by the site on your way to work, you will have a surprise this afternoon. Workers arrived early and soon had up one wall, and then another, etc. You can see the extent of their work as of around 1:30 p.m. in the photo above, taken today. The store could be up and running within 50-60 days.
“I am just getting excited, like all of Millbrook. I have already received several calls this morning. It should have been up and running already but COVID-19 put a stop to all of that,” Mayor Al Kelley said.
When COVID-19 began, the Mayor said Tacala Inc. LLC had five stores in different stages of construction. Those were completed first, and now the focus is on the Millbrook location.
“We will be eating Tacos up there before you know it. They had five under construction when all of this hit, and they had to stop all five. From there they have worked in stages, and the work they have done today is amazing,” Kelley said.
Twice before the city was extremely close to having a Taco Bell under another franchise owner, and twice the plans fell through just days before the deal was signed and sealed.
The first instance was five years ago, on a location close to the current property.
That plan fell through when the property went into bankruptcy. Later, talks began again but two days before the end of due diligence, the former franchise owner for this area backed out.
It was at that time that the Mayor penned a letter to Corporate officials at Taco Bell asking for guidance on how to get a store locally.
From there, the city learned that the former franchise owner for this area was bought out by another group which holds well over 300 Taco Bell locations across the country. They are so big, Millbrook Mayor Al Kelley said, that they have their own engineering division because they build so many.
“This time, it was serious,” Mayor Kelley said. “This has been such a long process, with a lot of disappointment along the way. One of the biggest hot buttons in recent memory is the desire for a Taco Bell in Millbrook.”
Tim Minor is the Site Designer for Tacala Inc., LLC, the new franchise owner for this area. Last last year when Taco Bell was announced, he said that weather always plays a factor, but area residents could expect an open and operational Taco Bell between Jack’s and Main Street Urgent Care within 90 to 120 days from breaking ground. But, then COVID-19 happened, and those plans were sidelined temporarily.
This particular store will be somewhat unique. It will be 2,700 square feet, on 1.3 acres of land, with 28 parking spaces, a drive-thru and an outdoor, covered patio area with fans in the summer and heaters for colder months.
Millbrook City Engineer Stuart Peters is in talks with the Alabama Department of Transportation, as a traffic signal will be necessary for that location as well as other road work.
“This has just been a long time coming, and I know that Tacala Inc. does so many of these stores, they may not understand how important it is to a city like Millbrook,” Mayor Kelley said in an earlier story. “But I want them to know that this is huge and will jump start further development I believe.”
Council members and department heads have praised the diligence and leadership of Mayor Kelley, Economic Development Director Ann Harper, City Engineer Stuart Peters as well as multiple members of city staff who have continued to work through the process.
“I just think this is a great thing, and it shows the vision, the leadership and the fact that all of us are on the same page for the betterment of Millbrook,” said Councilwoman Olivia Venable in an earlier story. “This is such an exciting time for our city.”
As for the location of the Taco Bell, Mayor Kelley said it actually makes perfect sense in the big picture. No doubt, it would be a great sales tax generator even if only locals visited. However, he said to consider the proximity to I-65, the number of travelers on the interstate, and the convenience of pulling off at that Millbrook exit and have multiple choices for dining.
“We are just very excited,” Mayor Kelley said. “A day doesn’t go by without someone asking one of us about Taco Bell. Of course, they ask us for a lot of other restaurants, as well.”
This is where education is important, as many people don’t always understand the process. As a city, officials can’t just snap their fingers and say, “Here is your (insert whatever),” Kelley said. It takes entrepreneurs or franchises that want to locate to the city. From there the city can offer incentives, such as tax rebates, but in the end, competition is huge among restaurants and new businesses among all cities.
The city has Economic Development Director Ann Harper, who works to reach out to potential businesses. The city also hired a consulting team a couple of years ago with strong contacts.
We learned this morning of a new family dining restaurant that is planned, and will have more details as that information is released.
“I wish this process was easy, but it is not,” Kelley said. “But there is no question Millbrook is growing, people are moving here and raising their families here. We still maintain something of a small-town atmosphere which appeals to a lot of people. But we are a far cry from when I grew up here. We have come so far, so fast.”
Millbrook was formally recognized as a city in 1977.
