NAVARRE — Restaurant officials with Taco Bell say they will be coming back bigger and better in the coming months.
Gail Ferres, area coach for the fast food eatery, says plans for a total renovation are already underway as insurance claims are being processed and contractors are surveying the remains of the U.S. Highway 98 restaurant.
“We will be back,” Ferres said. “We’re anticipating somewhere around Thanksgiving, if not sooner.”
Taco Bell was destroyed June 28 after an electrical fire in the facade and attic caused damage to about 25 percent of the building, making it a total loss.
The U.S. Fire Marshal’s Office said the fire was started from an electrical short. Strong winds that day contributed to the fire’s magnitude.
“It’s amazing to see the damage that occurred,” Ferris said of the now-charred remains. “We’re still perplexed how something that was at the very front of the building could do so much.”
Now, the board outside of Taco Bell reads that the restaurant will be back and will be strong.
Ferres said the building will need to be gutted before construction, which she said should be anywhere from 90 to 120 days away. Until then, she said she’s hoping the community will continue to rally behind the restaurant.
“Don’t count us out,” she said. “We’re moving rapidly on this and we’re looking forward to sales greater than where we were this summer.”
Ferres said the remodel will give the restaurant a new look, more room and better service.
“We will be a lot stronger than what we were,” she said. “We will have the latest and greatest Taco Bell has to offer. I’m real excited.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.
