Cook Out — the restaurant that had lines of traffic wrapped around it for months when a branch opened in Johnson City — is likely coming to the West End of Elizabethton, according to city officials.
If site plans are approved at the Elizabethton Planning Commission meeting in February, construction should begin soon after.
“The only thing we’re waiting on to seal the deal is Planning Commission approval, and I don’t anticipate anything big coming up,” said Elizabethton Director of Planning and Economic Development Jon Hartman.
He said the company has been interested in this area for some time, so the city reached out to them.
“If approved, I assume construction will begin quickly,” said Hartman, adding that this may not be until February or March.
This project has been months in the making. Hartman said he was aware that they were looking for a location in the area so he contacted their brokers and spent about six months searching for the location before one was identified. While the location for the new restaurant has been found, some details are still being worked out regarding the purchase of the property.
“Hopefully we’ll seal the deal in the next month or so,” he said.
The deal on the prospective location will finalize once it receives Planning Commission approval.
Cook Out is famous for its 40 flavors of milkshakes, custom-topped burgers, hotdogs, North Carolina style barbecue, quesadillas, fried okra, chicken tenders and hush puppies.
Founded in Greensboro, N.C., it is a privately owned fast food restaurant chain in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Maryland. The chain has since expanded and now has more than 170 locations in over 100 cities. Most locations consist of a drive-thru and outdoor seating while some, like the Johnson City site, offer an indoor dining room.