Charleys Philly Steaks is coming to a Bradenton Walmart after 3 McDonald’s close
A Charleys Philly Steaks restaurant planned for a Bradenton Walmart store would be the first of its brand in Manatee County.
Paperwork filed with Manatee County Building Services indicates a Charleys is coming to the Walmart at 2911 53rd Ave. E. Requested construction inside the Walmart for Charleys includes flooring, lighting, finishes, interior walls and equipment.
“Charleys Philly Steaks founder and CEO Charley Shin tasted his first Philly Cheesesteak back in 1985 while attending The Ohio State University. As a young undergrad with an appetite for success, Shin knew he wanted to share this sandwich experience with others in a big way. After experimenting with countless ingredients and perfecting his recipe, Shin turned his entrepreneurial dreams into reality in 1986 when he opened his first restaurant called Charley’s Steakery, a 450-square foot space near The Ohio State University campus,” the company website says.
There are now over 700 Charleys locations in 46 U.S. states and in 17 countries in retail shopping centers, airports, strip centers, and Army & Air Force bases.
Three Bradenton area Walmart stores, including the one planned for Charleys, previously contained McDonald’s.
The owners of those McDonald’s confirmed in March 2021 that they were closing those restaurants.
“We have made the difficult decision to close three of our McDonald’s in Walmart restaurants at the end of the month,” Doug and Denise Wheeler, McDonald’s owner/operators, said in the 2021 statement.
Restaurants without drive-thrus, like the ones inside Walmart, often struggled during the throes of the pandemic when in-person contacts were more difficult.
Early in the pandemic during an earnings call McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said the company was accelerating some restaurant closings.
Of the 200 U.S. closures planned for 2020, more than half were low-volume restaurants in Walmart stores. Restaurants in stand-along locations with drive-thrus were faring better during the COVID-19 pandemic than those in Walmarts and malls.
It was unclear if the former restaurant space in the two other Bradenton Walmarts would also become Charleys or another brand.
This story was originally published November 4, 2022 at 10:09 AM.
