Southington Chick-fil-A Officially Opens

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A new Chick-fil-A restaurant officially opened at 801 Queen St. in Southington on Thursday.

Franchise Operator Mike Hartman is graduate of Shippensburg University with a degree in information systems management, Hartman worked extensively in the insurance industry, most recently as a senior project manager in Connecticut.

Hartman, a Connecticut resident for almost 20 years, said the franchise owner opportunity was "a great fit" for his entrepreneurial goals and his desire to "positively impact young people and the community."

The chain receives about 27,000 applications each year for about 100 available locations.

Hartman, his wife, Diane, and their three children were chosen.

“My family, team members and I can’t wait to welcome guests to the Southington Chick-fil-A where our
goal will be to provide a remarkable experience by serving freshly prepared food, with healthy options, and with sincere hospitality,” Hartman said. “We’re not just in the chicken business — we’re in the people business and we are thrilled to serve the community which has such strong ties to our family.”

Hartman invited the first 100 guests not only to receive free rood for a year, but to participate in a children’s book drive benefiting the Southington YMCA. New and gently used books can be dropped off at the Southington Chick-fil-A until Friday. The donated books will be placed in a nearly 3-foot

Book House to serve as a free library exchange, he said.

The Book House, built from reclaimed wood, is donated by the Chick-fil-A Foundation. Since 2014, Chick-fil-A has collected more than 51,908 books that have been donated to 311 local organizations in 44 states and Washington, D.C.

The 4,831-square-foot Southington Chick-fil-A restaurant features:

• A heritage restaurant interior design that showcases handmade, authentic materials for a vintage inspired
• interior, including a large gathering table made from reclaimed wood, subway tiles, and a light fixture made from recycled Coca-Cola bottles.
• A two-story interactive indoor play area for children and free Wi-Fi.
• A designated Chick-fil-A Mobile One ordering pickup parking spaces and dual drive-thru ordering lanes and screens to enable customers to move quickly into a single lane for payment and pickup.
• A dining room with seating for 122 with additional outdoor patio seating for 28.
• A newly hired staff of 120 team members.
• A full-service menu with a variety of healthy options and breakfast until 10:30 a.m., and will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Like all Chick-fil-A locations, it will be closed on Sunday to provide a day of rest and time with family and friends for team members.

Southington’s Chick-fil-A becomes the ninth Chick-fil-A restaurant in Connecticut and comes about three
years after the chain began expanding in the state and three months after the most recent opening in Norwalk in October 2017. The first Chick-fil-A restaurant in Connecticut opened in October 2014 in Brookfield and was quickly followed by locations in Danbury and Wallingford.

Photo Credit: Chick-fil-A