It seems like everyone I speak with regarding the new BJ's Brewhouse coming to the corner of Highways 6 and 84 near the Richland Mall can't wait for it to open.
Well, there's good news and bad news on that front.
The good news is the construction site looks to be going in a positive direction. For a while, excavation crews were busy digging. I now have heard from two managers at BJ's Brewhouse in Temple who said there were soil contamination issues with the site for the new restaurant. Apparently, at some point a gasoline spill at that highway intersection affected the soil in the area. So construction workers had to dig deep enough to remove the contaminated soil and satisfy inspectors. That set back the building process and opening schedule.
When I drove by this weekend, though, I could see some signs of the beginnings of a building, meaning the BJ's Brewhouse is going up instead of down.
In January, I reported that the BJ's Brewhouse people were looking toward an April opening. As of Wednesday, they're thinking more like late-May or possibly even June.
That's the way it goes with construction. I would imagine if we have a rainy spring, which would be welcome with the drought and all, that could slow things as well. We'll all have to be patient, but I think it's going to be worth the wait.
One more bite: Staying on the Temple beat, a new burger joint called Smashburger opened a few weeks ago near Scott & White Hospital. My source tells me the burger chain is looking for a spot to open a Waco location.
