Chick-fil-A set to open Thursday
By ROGER ADKINS, radkins@newsandsentinel.comArticle Photos
VIENNA - Some area residents Tuesday enjoyed a preview of the new Chick-fil-A restaurant set to open Thursday.
Meanwhile, visitors from out of state began scoping out spots to set up camp in the parking lot of the restaurant in hopes of being one of the first 100 people through the door to receive free Chick-fil-A food for a year.
The invitation-only preview of the restaurant, located at 210 Grand Central Ave., was held at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The restaurant's franchise operator is George Angelos of Parkersburg, whose family owns and operates several restaurants, including another Chick-fil-A, in the food court at Grand Central Mall.
Angelos, who has worked in the family businesses for years, had to pause several times during a speech at Tuesday's event after becoming overwhelmed by emotion while talking about his family's history in the U.S. The first members of his family came to America from Greece in 1913 with nothing and began building a prosperous life that led to a happy childhood for Angelos.
"I am so pleased that we are here today," he said.
The family's businesses would not have been prosperous if it weren't for the people who have become loyal patrons over the years. The Chick-fil-A franchise in the mall has been especially successful because of devoted supporters. That's one of the main reasons the Parkersburg area was chosen for a free-standing restaurant. Angelos said the company builds 75 restaurants a year and many larger cities were in competition for free-standing stores.
"All of it is because of you all," he said.
Angelos' parents, Francis and Kiki, are major players in the family's restaurants. The couple said they are thrilled with the new restaurant and they know their son will be a hard-working operator.
"We operate all of our businesses as a family," Francis said.
Kiki said she was overwhelmed by the positive emotions surrounding the opening of the new restaurant.
"We're so glad to see everybody here. It's overwhelming, a dream come true. We've been waiting for this beautiful building and now it's here. The whole family is ready to pitch in and make it a success," she said.
In honor of the Angelos family, the Chick-fil-A corporate office approved a large plaque on the wall providing a brief family history in text and photographs. Cindy Chapman, Chick-fil-A corporate spokesman, said it is the first time in the company's history such a plaque has been approved for a franchise operator. George Angelos sought the plaque as a surprise gift for his parents.
Members of the corporate office were on-hand for the preview event. Dozens of Chick-fil-A employees, managers and operators from other restaurants are in town to help launch the restaurant.
The restaurant will open Thursday morning, but many people are expected to begin camping out on the parking lot starting as early as 24 hours before the doors open, Chapman said.
Two families from Virginia were already in the area Tuesday for the event.
Brenda and Joe Lawson and their son, Matt, of Earlysville, Va., came to West Virginia for the grand opening. They said it was their third.
"It's a lot of fun and a really nice event," Brenda Lawson said.
Robert and Libby Knupp of Warrington, Va., said they've been to 19 Chick-fil-A grand openings in the last year.
"It's tons of fun. It's a very family oriented, good, clean, wholesome event," Libby Knupp said.
She said she and her husband plan to wait on the property starting 24 hours before the doors open.
"We came knowing we're going to hang out. The only way we're leaving is on a stretcher," she said.
