Local franchise owner Butch Ruprecht closed his Ten Mile Drive McDonald's restaurant in Jefferson City at midnight Saturday in preparation for its demolition this Wednesday.
"It's a total rebuild," he explained.
Ruprecht said the McDonald's will be closed for approximately three months, opening at the end of October, prior to Halloween. The rebuild is not expected to interrupt traffic flow, Ruprecht said.
"It has been about two years that we knew it was coming on," the business owner said.
Construction was supposed to start earlier this summer; however, a new "test" design was rolled out, pushing back the rebuild.
The 3124 S. Ten Mile Drive location will be the newest model of the stores in the world. The design, which features a three-lane drive-thru, will become the new normal for stores next year.
Ruprecht said the new design also creates a quieter atmosphere by moving the McCafe section around the corner, not making noise up front near the seating area. All new modern seating and landscape are also on the agenda for the new building.
As far as equipment goes, the employees will be getting mostly new items to work with. The current grills and milkshake machine, both of which are already new, will be brought back into the kitchen. Much of the other equipment being replaced is to be donated to various charities.
Although the restaurant will be losing daily business because of construction, Ruprecht said the cost is worth it.
"We want to continue to grow and reinvest into the business," he said. This is "something we need to do for our customers."
The local owner said his employees will be dispersed to his three other McDonald locations throughout Jefferson City, on Missouri Boulevard, Eastland Drive and inside the Stadium Boulevard Walmart.
The other restaurants "will be taking on additional help from our South Ten Mile location to help accommodate customer's needs," Ruprecht said.
The dispersement will allow employees to keep their jobs during the transition, as well as provide some extra help at the other locations.
The McDonald's was built in 1981 and has received various improvements throughout the years, including a front addition, updated seating, a second drive-thru and the McCafe cells.
"We ask for your patience during construction; please visit the other stores," the business owner said. "We appreciate your patronage."
The locally owned fast food chain has been in Ruprecht's family for more than 45 years.
Mix and match sodas spread
Firehouse Subs still has some of the tastiest subs in town (Can you even get a beef and cheddar brisket sandwich anywhere else?), but they no longer stake claim to the only Coke Freestyle machine.
Wendy's on Missouri Boulevard now offers the create-your-own-soda machine, which offers more than 100 possibilities. Some are good (Fanta punch), while others (raspberry Mellow Yellow Zero) aren't even as tolerable as the suicide sodas we used to con the roller rink snack bar guy into making back in the day.
Gordons celebrate 44 years
Dan and Darrel Gordon, Gordon Real Estate, and Gordon Builders are celebrating 44 years in business in Jefferson City. Gordon Commercial Real Estate is a project developer in Springfield, Columbia and Jefferson City.
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