Culver's bringing its ButterBurgers to U.S. 19 in Port Richey

PORT RICHEY Culver's, a popular restaurant best known in the Midwest for its ButterBurgers, has submitted plans for a restaurant in Port Richey at the city's busiest U.S. 19 intersection.

Plans call for a 4,200-square-foot, 123-seat restaurant at U.S. 19 and Richey Drive, across from the highway's bustling Ridge Road intersection. It will be the first franchise in Pasco County for Wisconsin-based Culver's, which has been making a recent push in Florida, including two restaurants in Tampa and another in Largo.

Culver's Port Richey franchise owner Krys Zielinski, 34, who moved from Germany to Wisconsin 14 years ago, said that after an exhaustive search for a restaurant location, he is thrilled to be settling with his family in Port Richey. He said construction will begin this month, with an opening date slated for April.

"It's a beautiful location," Zielinski said. "The street is busy, and the corner lot is awesome. So I'm pretty pumped. It's a great spot to be."

Culver's opened its first restaurant in Sauk City, Wis., in 1984 and now has more than 500 restaurants across 22 states. The restaurant in Port Richey will be on a former used car lot, also slated for another 3,000 square feet of retail space, according to plans submitted to the city.

The chain touts its signature ButterBurgers, with never-frozen beef on a lightly toasted, buttered bun. Culver's is also known for its vanilla and chocolate custard made daily, as well as a flavor of the day. The quick-service restaurant also offers chicken sandwiches, shaved prime rib sandwiches, hand-battered fish, beef pot roast and fried chicken.

Port Richey City Manager Tom O'Neill said Culver's could not have selected a better location for the restaurant an area that has been booming with development, including a Wawa service station and sub shop last year and a new Asian fusion restaurant currently under construction, both across the street.

"It's a sign that the U.S. 19 corridor is being looked at with a lot of interest," O'Neill said. "It will be another thing that will beautify and modernize the corridor."

Culver's bringing its ButterBurgers to U.S. 19 in Port Richey 12/10/14 [Last modified: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 2:57pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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Culver's bringing its ButterBurgers to U.S. 19 in Port Richey