The Escambia County Development Review Committee has signed off on final approval for Chick-fil-A to build a new restaurant on the site of the former Dodge’s convenience store at 1710 E. Nine Mile Road.
Dodge’s closed down abruptly in September 2024, allowing Chick-fil-A to begin the pre-application process in February 2025 to relocate from its existing restaurant inside nearby University Town Center and construct a 5,394-square-foot restaurant with a dual drive-through.
The former Dodge’s gas station is planned to be scrapped and rebuilt “in order to help improve customer service, customer safety, and overall restaurant operations” for the new Chick-fil-A, according to CPH Consulting’s pre-application forms.
Chick-fil-A received conditional use approval from the Board of Adjustment on May 21, 2025, to allow for the drive-thru within 200 feet of low-density residential and medium-density residential zoning, according to Escambia County spokesperson Kaycee Lagarde.
Over a year after the process started, Chick-fil-A received the final necessary approval Aug. 5 from Escambia County DRC.
Some of the benefits of the new location will be a reconfigured kitchen to improve capacity, dual drive-thru lanes, a reconfigured parking lot that would accommodate the expanded drive-thru lanes, order point and meal delivery canopies and an outdoor patio seating area.
The former Dodge’s site has about 1.80 acres to accommodate the restaurant and parking lot.
Dodge’s closure came as a surprise to patrons when it shut down abruptly in September 2024. Like Chick-fil-A, Dodge’s was a known quick-service spot for flavorful fried chicken.
Aside from the popular fried chicken, Chick-fil-A’s menu also offers breakfast, salads and wraps, nuggets, beverages and desserts, such as its popular seasonal peach milkshake.
For more information on Chick-fil-A’s menu and existing locations, visit chick-fil-a.com.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Chick-fil-A receives final OK to relocate to former Dodge’s site
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
