Call it the Deluxe treatment – as in Dick’s Deluxe, that is. Now that Dick’s Drive-In has announced it will be locating a new restaurant in the Northend, City of Edmonds officials are continuing their efforts to woo Dick’s owners to Edmonds, and will be meeting with restaurant representatives on Thursday. The high-traffic Edmonds locations being promoted by the city include spots along Highway 99 and Highway 104.
But be forewarned, local hamburger fans. Dicks’ spokeswoman Carrie Shaw told us that Dick’s owners have met with Mountlake Terrace and Shoreline city representatives as well. “The site selection process continues to move forward. That is all the comment we have regarding the meeting,” Shaw said.
So what could Edmonds officials do to sway Dick’s folks to come to our fair town? At Tuesday night’s Edmonds City Council meeting, we learned that Council President Steve Bernheim has a personal connection to the local burger chain: Early in his legal career, he worked with Dick’s owner Jim Spady.
Bernheim said he’s hopeful that his history with Spady could work in the City’s favor, but there are no guarantees. “We’ll see what happens,” he said.
If Dick’s does come to Edmonds, I hope that they do not occupy a piece of real estate that would have been suitable for a company that sells higher-priced products that are subject to sales tax.
The city needs to collect more sales tax in order to minimize property tax increases.
That old Jimbo’s lot needs some burger love.
Steve:
If you’re talking about the one near 196th, that’s Lynnwood.
Hey Ron, last time I checked I paid sales tax on prepared food. They will make it on the volume. We know it won’t be the old Skippers property as an Indian restaurant is going in there.
Paul:
Hopefully you’re right and their low transaction prices will be offset by relatively high volume. Thanks for your input.
@Paul, Ron;
The secondary effect is the one I look forward to – more thriving, fun businesses and places to go in Edmonds, which means Edmonds becomes even more inviting to new families looking for where to settle down. A few thousands in sales tax is good, but, gaining new residents provides a much greater, long term contribution.
I think adding a Dick’s would also make Edmonds a more inviting destination for day trippers, by contributing to that “critical mass of retail”, as Mr. Clifton phrased it when speaking of the rebound of our Downtown. Placing the new restaurants such that they inspire the thought of, “as long as we’re here, let’s do a little shopping,” contributes to this impact.
The location of a new Dick’s will be critically important to the secondary effect of the business. But first… let’s do whatever we can to make sure it’s at least in Edmonds!
It would be great to get it into Downtown Edmonds. Near the Ferry. Too bad Skippers was purchased.
It would be a good idea to come to Edmonds, for sure. We have the ferry terminal, which im sure would help with the business, plus the locals who have love it already.
Too bad about the Skipper’s site, indeed. It’ll be an Indian restaurant? There used to be one across the street — I thought it failed.
“That old Jimbo’s lot”?? We’re talking Edmonds here, not scuzz city.
The two most logical locations would be at Ballinger Terrace, or at 128th. While I’d love to see Dick’s where the X was, or Day’s Drive-In, or where Burger Chef was at Westgate, it needs to be somewhere with easy access. By the ferry would be fun, but traffic would be even more terrible than ever, at least until the novelty wore off
How about the vacant parcel next to Bartell’s and Starbucks? Or the now defuct apartment project on Edmonds Way just east of Qwik & Kleen?
With the plans for the multi-modal site and moving the ferry terminal, the Skippers property would have been the wrong choice. Probably.
With all of the regulation that the City of Edmonds has (they chased K-Mart and the huge tax revenue out when they wanted to rebuild as a Super K) it will be a very huge piece of luck if it actually goes in the City of Edmonds.
There is a huge piece of property in the 23300 block of Highway 99 that is open. It is in the unincorporated portion and not regulated by the City of Edmonds. If it was built there, it could be annexed later and grandfathered in as built.
Kafe Neo is opening a new restaurant in what was Johnny’s not Skipper’s. I would love to see Dick’s set up in the old Sandy B’s location on Main Street or by Jade Palace. There is also the old Girasol space on Hwy 104. Basically anywhere in Edmonds with lots of parking would be great.