Chick-fil-A finally succeeded in wowing the Inglewood Planning Commission on Wednesday.
The commission unanimously approved a permit for a drive-thru Chick-fil-A at 3003 Manchester Blvd. Chick-fil-A staff told the commission they hope to begin construction as early as next year.
The restaurant’s approval came nearly two months after commissioners rejected preliminary designs as “cartoonish” and “plain-looking.” Chick-fil-A returned to the commission on Wednesday night with revamped drawings showing a sleek, geometric restaurant with space on an outer wall for a mural.
“You took our information to heart,” Commissioner Carolyn Fowler said. “It looks more like a flagship that belongs, for me, in Inglewood.”
The chicken sandwich shop will replace the vacant Big Lots that currently sits at 3003 Manchester Blvd. The store closed in late 2024, according to city documents.
The restaurant will have a footprint of 5,031 square feet — including a children’s play area — and be accompanied by a two-lane drive-thru queue and 67 parking spots.
Bernard McCrumby, director of city development services, said Inglewood looks forward to Chick-fil-A “becoming the catalyst for the redevelopment of that Manchester corridor.”
Faith Smith, an assistant city planner, said the city asked Chick-fil-A to place the main restaurant structure on Manchester to increase the street’s walkability and improve traffic circulation.
Public comments on the restaurant were limited, with just two commenters expressing concerns about the flow of traffic and visitors around the restaurant, which backs up to a residential neighborhood.
