Raising Cane's to come to Mount Pleasant by next year
City Planning Commission will meet for a vote and public hearing on Oct. 8
The northernmost Raising Cane's restaurant in Michigan is currently in Saginaw. However, it could be in Mount Pleasant as soon as next fall.
Mount Pleasant city commissioners have been working to bring in the restaurant chain for a long time now, Mount Pleasant Director of Planning and Community Development Manuela Powidayko said.
Currently, the restaurant chain must be issued a Special Use permit, which would allow it to build the drive-thru portion. Powidayko said this was the first of many licenses the chain restaurant needs to be fully approved for construction.
“They have a few months of permitting work to be done throughout this year,” she said. “But they did indicate the intention to construct next year during construction season, and be ready to open before CMU comes back, during the fall.”
The new Raising Cane’s building would be located immediately south of the Papa John's, where the former La Señorita restaurant was at 1516 South Mission St., Powidayko said. The building has been vacant for a long time. Raising Cane's would demolish the old building and install a new store with indoor seating and an outdoor patio.
Powidayko said she has yet to see opposition from the community to the chain restaurant’s move to Mount Pleasant.
Mount Pleasant is certified by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) as a “redevelopment-ready community, " Powidayko said, which means that the city actively markets to businesses to expand to the city.
“We have multiple (stores), spreading across local businesses and national chains, and food, entertainment and other businesses that may connect to us directly,” she said.
The Mount Pleasant City Planning Commission will meet for a vote and public hearing to decide whether to issue Raising Cane’s the Special Use permit on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place at the city hall commission chamber.
Powidayko said she is confident the vote will pass to allow Raising Cane’s to begin construction, which could begin next summer.
