Edmonds will have a Dick’s Drive-In in the northeast corner of the Top Foods parking lot on 220th and Highway 99, Dick’s Drive-In officials announced Friday morning. The restaurant is expected to open in late 2011, and will have a look that is similar to the Wallingford Dick’s on 45th Avenue, which is where Friday morning announcement was made.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Cooper was present for the press conference, accompanied by two members of his staff — Community Services and Economic Development Director Stephen Clifton and Planning Manager Rob Chave  — whom he credited with working hard to bring the restaurant chain to the city.

“It’s just the kind of business we look for to come to Edmonds — family-owned, committed to giving back, committed to good jobs,” Cooper said. “The location adjacent to Top Foods, another family-owned, locally controlled company, is a perfect fit.”

Cooper said it was especially appropriate that the announcement came on the weekend of his 40th Edmonds High School reunion, and he recalled all the times in high school when he and friends would made a stop at the Holman Road Dick’s on their way to Seattle’s Golden Gardens.

The idea of locating a Dick’s in Edmonds has been the talk of the town ever since the drive-in chain announced that it would be building its first new location since 1974.  Dick’s ran a poll on its website asking customers where a new restaurant should be built, and the Northend won, with 46 percent of the vote. Edmonds residents also submitted videos stating their case for why Dick’s should come to Edmonds, with two of them featured on the Dick’s website.

City of Edmonds officials met with restaurant representatives in late September to make their case why Edmonds should be the preferred location, although other cities — including Mountlake Terrace, Lynnwood and Shoreline — were also reported to be in the running.

The plan is to carve out about an acre in the northeast corner of the Top Foods lot, with easy access to Highway 99, officials said, adding that close proximity of the chosen location to Edmonds Stadium and Edmonds-Woodway High School was a factor in the decision.

Dick’s founder Dick Spady was present during the announcement, which was made on Spady’s 87th birthday.