Clarion Travel Center Could Include Fatburger, Buffalo’s Cafe, Tikka Shack, Jimmy John’s, Dunkin’, and Truck Stop.

| June 20, 2022


CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Clarion County residents and visitors from I-80 Exit 62 later this year will be able to visit a new travel plaza that expects to house restaurants such as Fatburger, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express, Tikka Shack, Jimmy John’s, and a Dunkin’, along with a small truck stop.

The Clarion County Planning Commission gave preliminary approval for the Clarion Travel Plaza to be located at 79 N. Point Drive, near the Microtel Inn and Suites at Trinity Point, in Clarion, Monroe Township, pending answers asked by Monroe Township Supervisors of developer GJAMS Clarion Holdings, LLC.

Owner Angad Sandhoo, of Cogan Station, Pa., attending the program remotely, and engineer Stephen Gibson, of McTish-Kunkel and Associates, of Montoursville, who attended the Wednesday night meeting, discussed the questions and agreed to answer the supervisors in writing.

Sandhoo, who owns similar travel plazas, wants to get started as soon as possible. GJAMS purchased a 5.327 parcel adjacent to the Microtel Hotel at Trinity Point.

The project will include a new 9,958 square foot store with outdoor seating and a small truck stop.

Other features will include the following:

• A gasoline dispensing island with a canopy;
• A diesel fuel dispensing island with a canopy;
• An interstate fleet vehicle fast-charging station for electric-driven vehicles;
• A car wash;
• A bituminous paved parking lot area with two paved access entrances, one from State Route 68 and one from North Point Drive;
• 60 total automotive bill parking spaces, 10’ x 20’ in size; and
• 19 total truck trailer parking spaces.

Planning Director Kristi Amato said the preliminary approval is for five years, and the project could be phased in during that period.

“Thank you, but with what we’re planning, financially it is in our best interest to get everything done as quickly as we can,” said Sandhoo. “The only item that could be phased is the car wash.”

Anticipated Travel Plaza Restaurants

Fatburger – Known as “The Last Great Hamburger Stand,” Fatburger is an American fast casual restaurant chain. While it is a fast food restaurant, the food is cooked and made to order.

Buffalo’s Cafe & Express – Co-branded at select Fatburgers restaurants, Buffalo’s Cafe & Express offers buffalo-style wings and 13 distinctive homemade wing sauces among other items.

Tikka Shack – Serving up Indian cuisine in a friendly, casual atmosphere, Tikka Shack’s lineup of menu offerings provides a variety of traditional Indian dishes, as well as simplified pairings.

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches – Jimmy John’s specializes in sandwiches, along with a few other baked goods. There are now more than 2,700 Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches locations across the country, making it one of the fastest-growing chains in the world.

Dunkin’ – Dunkin’ is an all-day, everyday one-stop for coffee and baked goods.

None of the travel plaza restaurants will have drive-thrus.

“With the concept of convenience, we want them to come in and buy other items, as well.”

“I’d love to get everything done as quickly as possible, but one of our challenges right now is just procuring everything we need for the project, and our goal is to get this done in the next nine to 10 months.”

Sandhoo estimated that for a project like this they would need approximately 40 employees, including 20 full-time and 20 part-time.

“We want to make sure that everything is properly staffed as we can with the business we’re expecting to have here.”

Initial hours will be 4:00 a.m. to midnight, and as the business builds, hours could increase to 24/7.

Many of Monroe Township’s questions about the project related to truck traffic for the truck stop portion of the project. The existing roads at Trinity Point meet PennDOT specifications in terms of heavy truckloads. 87 Lumber, another occupant of Trinity Point, regularly has truck deliveries for its business. A new sidewalk connecting to the Microtel Hotel would be the responsibility of CJMS Clarion holdings, LLC for maintenance and snow removal.

A highway occupancy permit for access from State Route 68 is in the process of approval. Pennsylvania American Water will supply municipal water service to the development. Monroe Township has given the approval to connect to their sewage system for this development. The EADS group has reviewed and approved the stormwater management plan application. The erosion and sedimentation control plan has been approved by the Clarion Conservation District. No modification applications are requested.

The unanimous vote to grant preliminary approval came from Keith Decker, Hugh Henry, Eugene E. Metcalf, Piney Township, Fred Anderson, Eugene M. Lerch, and Tom J. Spence.

Commission members also approved preliminary and final lot approval for lots nine, 10, and 11 and the Deer Run Development in Farmington Township requested by Vincent Distefano. The project received preliminary subdivision approval on May 22, 2009, but the five-year time limit to obtain final subdivision approval expired, and the applicant made another request for preliminary and final approval.

(Pictured below: Preliminary plans for a Clarion Travel Plaza at Trinity Point in Monroe Township were recently approved by the Clarion County Planning Commission.)

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