A&W on its way to Summerside

By Stephen Brun

SUMMERSIDE - It took more than a year after plans were first announced, but A&W's famous root beer is coming to Summerside.

The city's development officer Thayne Jenkins confirmed Wednesday that crews have been working for the past several days at the site of the new fast food restaurant, located at the corner of Granville and Ryan streets.

Owner Derrick McQuaid, who is also the franchisee for A&W's Charlottetown restaurant, said the Summerside location should open in January 2012.

"It's going to be a triple-A location for it, with access off Ryan Street," McQuaid said Wednesday.

"I've always wanted to go to Summerside, but I was busy with other projects. As soon as the opportunity came available, I jumped on it."

In June 2010, APM Group CEO Tim Banks announced plans for an A&W restaurant near one of the company's Granville Street properties, the former Holland College building.

This new restaurant will sit across Ryan Street from that property, at the edge of the County Fair Mall's parking lot.

APM is leasing the commercial land for the project from Crombie REIT, a division of Stellarton, N.S.-based Empire Corp., the mall's landlords. The McDonald's restaurant at the other side of the mall also leases its land from Crombie.

APM has contracted MacLean's Construction of Charlottetown for the A&W project.

"We're looking forward to bringing A&W to Summerside," said APM president Duane Lamont. "A&W has seen quite a bit of success in Charlottetown and we know they will be even more well-received in Summerside"

Jenkins said, according to the building plans, the new restaurant will be 1,860 square feet and seat 50 diners.

McQuaid said the A&W chain has been enjoying a recent growth across Canada, which he attributes to baby boomers rediscovering the restaurant.

"Hopefully we'll be selling root beer and teen burgers in Summerside in no time," he said.

sbrun@journalpioneer.com