JOHN COFFELTEditor

McDonald’s USA will be building a new restaurant location at the corner of McArthur and Oak streets in the coming months.

Company representatives brought before the June 22 Manchester Regional Planning Commission a request for approval of a site plan for the restaurant and approval of a preliminary/final plat that combines three lots (1103, 1105 and 1107) located across Oak Street from the Speedway station.

The restaurant will be just over 4,000 square foot. It will have a two-lane side by side drive-thru that will accommodate an estimated 80% of the volume of what most McDonald’s are seeing.

There will be one entrance from Oak Dr. and two from McArthur, according to the plan.

The committee approved the plan with punch list items that will require the company to submit a TDOT permit for the entrances onto McArthur and engineers to take a closer look at possible water drainage onto the neighbor’s property.

Concerns were raised at the meeting on whether the McArthur exits would allow left turns across traffic so close to the stop light.

According to the city, the lots have existing sewer taps and the line does not fall under the TDEC moratorium.

Five Below coming to Manchester

Five Below, a value retailer with most items priced from $1-5, is planning to open a Manchester by the middle of September.

According to Jackovic Construction Superintendent of Construction, Jason Slater, construction is set to wrap up by Sept. 1.Store openings are usually about two weeks after that.

The plan for the store located in Whispering Pines Shopping center along with Hibbitts Sporting Goods and Tractor Supply will be a complete rebuild.

Five Below was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Penn., offering trend-right, high quality products loved by tweens, teens and beyond that focuses on a “let go & have fun” shopping experience.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.