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Greg Oliver

Herb Tyler, who along with wife, Karil, operates the Chick-fil-A restaurant in Seneca and will also operate the soon-to-open Clemson location, views work inside the Tiger Boulevard site with Donnie Jenkins of W.H. Bass Construction of Atlanta. The Clemson site is set to formally open July 23.

CLEMSON — Construction of the new Chick-fil-A restaurant on Tiger Boulevard is continuing to progress, and officials say it will open July 23, one month earlier than originally scheduled.

In fact, Herb Tyler, who along with wife, Karil, will operate the Seneca and Clemson locations, said he is already taking applications for 65 positions.

“We’re taking applications in the site trailer, located at the back of the store,” Tyler said, adding that applications can be picked up between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and left in the application drop box upon completion.

The 4,179-square-foot, stand-alone restaurant at the former Burger King site at 1061 Tiger Blvd. will seat 104 patrons — 94 inside and 10 outside — and feature an indoor play area for children. The Clemson Chick-fil-A is among 65 the company plans to open across the country this year.

A recent tour of the Clemson store with Tyler and project manager Donnie Jenkins found that the interior will consist of a different tile and serving counter common with the chain’s newer prototypes. It also features more of an open-air atmosphere that makes the restaurant appear larger.

Stamped concrete will be featured in the patio area as well as the drive and pass-through lane. A herringbone brick pattern can also be seen on the exterior of the building that is mixed in with regular brick.

Jenkins said demolition of the Burger King had to be completed before construction of the new Chick-fil-A could officially begin. That included undercutting five feet of soil due to pourings both from Burger King as well as a previous store built on that site.

But once the work began, things picked up in a hurry with between 80-85 different workers on site.

“We will start stamped concrete, paving, interior painting and trimming work and getting signage as well as the shelves and equipment inside,” Jenkins said.

Tyler said Karil will serve as area marketing director and Ray Grove, of the Seneca Chick-fil-A restaurant, will serve as director of operations for both restaurants.

“Karil and I are a team,” Tyler said. “She’s ready for it, I’m ready for it and it’s something we’ve been praying about for a long time. This gives us an opportunity to serve the foothills even better.”