Dick’s Drive-In Restaurants made its official announcement Tuesday that it has closed on the purchase of the Edmonds property and construction of the new drive-in is set to begin this week. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new restaurant — the first Dick’s has built since 1974 — with local dignitaries and company co-founder and namesake, Dick Spady is set for 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the northeast corner of the TOP Food and Drug in Edmonds.

“It’s full steam ahead,” said Spady, who turns 88 in October, “building the first restaurant in 37 years is an exciting endeavor and we’ve been welcomed with open arms by the Edmonds community. Now comes the really fun part where we get to watch a new drive-in take shape and become a part of the neighborhood.”

The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public and burger fans everywhere, and will include the winners of the company’s latest Facebook contest. The “Fab Fan” winners will help represent Dick’s 154,000 “FB friends” at the event by joining Dick Spady to break ground with the ceremonial shovel.  The names of those winners are expected to be announced tomorrow.

The new Edmonds drive-In is expected to open for business by early December. “We can’t wait to fire up those new grills, fry up the freshly sliced potatoes and whip up the hand-dipped shakes for all of our local north-end customers,” Spady said.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Cooper added, “This is a wonderful day for Dick’s Drive- Ins and for Edmonds. Dick’s is an example of the type of business we hope to continue attracting. I’m already thinking about what I’ll order as my first Dick’s Drive-In meal this fall.”

Strom Peterson, Edmonds City Council president, said, “While I am looking forward to my first Edmonds Dick’s Deluxe, I know it couldn’t have happened without our Economic Development Director, Stephen Clifton, or the continuing work of our city staff to keep this project on schedule. And, yes, I’ll have fries with that, and maybe a chocolate shake.”

“We join many others in welcoming Dick’s Drive-In to Edmonds,” said Troy Moore, store manager of the neighboring TOP Food & Drug store. “We have plenty of customers who hope construction goes smoothly and they’ll open soon.”

The Edmonds property is located on Highway 99 with easy access from Interstate 5 via 220th Street Southwest. The new drive-in will be close to Edmonds Community College, Swedish Edmonds Hospital, and Edmonds Stadium. The stadium is home field for all of the high schools in the Edmonds School District including Edmonds-Woodway, Lynnwood, Meadowdale, Mountlake Terrace and Scriber Lake.

“We look forward to making new friends along the way and feeding lots of hungry teenagers and their families after a big game,” Spady said.

Dick’s currently operates five restaurants, all in Seattle.The original Dick’s Drive-In opened in 1954 on Northeast 45th Street in Wallingford; the Capitol Hill Dick’s opened in 1955, the Crown Hill Dick’s opened in 1960, the Lake City Dick’s opened in 1963 and the lower Queen Anne Dick’s opened in 1974. The new Dick’s in Edmonds will maintain the original restaurant’s iconic 1950s look and
architecture.