Story by Emily Williams, Contributing writer

Checkers/Rally’s Franchisee, Jerry Holt, said the Checker’s/Rally’s that is coming to Murray will be a new type of building called a modular building, which is built in a factory and brought out on a truck to the new property.

“In one day you’ve got a new restaurant sitting there on the new property,” Holt said. “This is the first time we’ve ever done something like this, so we’re excited to see how it works.”

A new Arby’s will be on the same property across from Hardee’s.

“We have already started the foundation for the location,” Holt said. “We’re probably going to open the Arby’s around March or April, depending on the rest of the year’s weather. Then the Rally’s will follow right behind that.”

Bruce Kim, Director of Franchise Development, said Checkers/Rally’s management told him the chain is growing strategically, and has been around for 30 years. The chain is known as Checkers in Tennessee and as Rally’s in Kentucky; but they only differ in name.

“Murray is a nice little town,” Kim said. “It’s so exciting to reach into all parts of Kentucky and grow steadily within it.”

Kim said the company owns and operates 305 of the 838 Checkers/Rally’s stories directly.

“This is pertinent because some franchise companies don’t have any stores that they own and and operate,” Kim said. “We’re different. We know what’s going on in the marketplace, we know what’s going on with trends. We’re tied very much at the hip with our franchisees.”

Holt said he believes Murray is a good fit as a location for the Arby’s chain because Murray is 30 miles away from any other location, and there is security in placing these chains in a university setting because of the surplus of students who will have access to it.

“We’re just excited to be coming to Murray and other towns in the future,” Kim said.