Prince Rupert falls behind in the Northwest Burger Gap

It's a whopper of a get for the Town of Smithers, with the Town Council last week approving plans for a new gasbar/convenience store/restaurant combo, with Burger King set to be the feature franchise for the new model of commercial activity.

The location on the west side of the town, will be at the former KFC location, that restaurant having exited Smithers a number of years ago leaving a vacant building behind it.

The Smithers Council received an extensive report on the proposed re-purposing of the property in question, including a review of the Burger King concept for the community. 

One which the Council members in Smithers explored in some detail and appear to have received with some enthusiasm during the course of their near two hour session of October 26th (see 1:38:00).

The concept of a shared space with a convenience store/gas bar is one of a number of themes that Burger King franchise seekers can explore from the International Food Chain's outline for prospective community partners.

Should the plan work out, it will make for the first Burger King west of Prince George.

The old KFC site in Smithers (top photo) could soon
be revived as a convenience store, gas bar, Burger King
as indicated by the drawing above
(From Smithers Town Council Agenda for October 26)
click to enlarge

Smithers success (if all moves forward) in bringing the Fast Food giant to the their community will add to their food fare options, though the Bulkley Valley still trails the Northwest leader of Terrace when it comes to the familiar names of fast food, with the Skeena Valley community hosting a number of recognizable brands.

It also serves to remind Prince Rupert residents of our own challenges in luring the national franchises to town, the last of the Fast Food mentions coming in 2019 when Mayor Lee Brain had rejected the prospect of an A & W for the Upper parking lot of the Rupert Square, the promised plan to find an alternative site seemingly one that hasn't panned out as of yet.

That nationally known and popular spot for a quick burger, fries, onion rings and signature root beer has locations in Terrace, Kitimat Smithers and Houston, Burns Lake across the Northwest.

While other communities have continued to attract new dining options ( a Google Search turns up a range of familiar national names for most communities ) ...  Prince Rupert has bade farewell to a number of familiar brands in the past, among them a KFC, Dairy Queen and a Boston Pizza to name a few.

The City of Prince Rupert has also had less than a successful record in attracting any large national names to the community, particularly in the food and retail industries, a trend that goes back many decades.

It's a somewhat surprising situation considering the 24 hour nature of industry in the region which would seem to make fast food in particular well suited for those working shifts at any of the industrial pursuits to be found.

There is no word on when Smithers anticipates the King to open up for business, but when it does, the options for a pit stop in the Bulkley Valley community will make for much debate in the car as travellers arrive at the town limits.

More notes on the Commercial sector across the Northwest can be reviewed here.