Wesleyan’s campus teems with hungry Bobcats. When students forego the dining hall, they Eat Fresh, Good Mood Food, and they’re Lovin’ it; however, the addition of fast food giant Taco Bell will soon have students’ taste buds singing a new kind of phrase: “Yo quiero Taco Bell.”
The rumors are true. According to Steve Foster, executive director of the Upshur County Development Authority, Buckhannon plans to welcome Taco Bell before the end of the year. Fiesta Holdings, LLC, of Baltimore, Md., will construct the restaurant.
“We’ve been talking to [Fiesta] for two or three years about coming to Buckhannon, but it was just a matter of them finding the right spot,” Foster says. “It’s something [Wesleyan students] have been asking us about for a while now.”
Foster is right, as local students rejoice at the thought of spending less money on food and eating Tex-Mex favorites. Phil Fisher, treasurer of Wesleyan’s Alpha Psi Omega, says Taco Bell’s cheap prices are “perfect for a college student’s budget.” He says he wishes he’d had more time to enjoy the food during college, stating it is now “too little, too late” for him. Fisher graduates in May.
“Taco Bell should have been brought here much sooner,” Fisher says. “The plan to build is genius. This area has been dying for one for years. Now, students won’t have to drive to Elkins to get their fix.”
The restaurant will be located on Main Street, between Progressive Bank and CVS Pharmacy—a prime location for townspeople.
Whispers of additional town developments include Buffalo Wild Wings and a strip mall. While little is known at this time, one thing is certain: Buckhannon is seeking, and finding, modernization. Marketing and Graphic Design Intern Ana K. Torres-Dominguez is pleased with the developments.
“There will be so much more local variety,” Torres-Dominguez says. “This not only gives students more options for activities, but it also helps the town economically. I love the sense of community here; I’ve never experienced this atmosphere or environment before coming to Buckhannon. Bringing new establishments to the area will create bigger opportunities for the community to interact and grow.”
With the addition of Taco Bell, Buckhannon will surely Live Más.
Article as published in WVWC Pharos, Volume 106, Issue 2
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