Carlisle will soon have a new locally-owned restaurant providing an additional dining option for the city. Work is being completed to convert a building that previously housed a Family Dollar store into Route 70 Fish & Chicken. A separate donut shop will occupy a small part of the building.
Restaurateur Talal Hmoud, who moved to Arkansas last year, said it will be a family-oriented restaurant.
“That’s our main focus — families, local residents, people in the community and travelers coming off the interstate,” Hmoud said. “We’re hoping to grow, make this side of town busier and bring more people and more business to the area.”
Hmoud said the menu will give customers plenty of options.
“We’re going to serve fish, catfish, shrimp, chicken, bone-in fried chicken, Philly cheesesteaks, cheeseburgers,” Hmoud said. “[My dad] is going to be the chef and will be doing the cooking. I’m here helping him and putting everything together.”
Randy Phillips said he bought the building with the goal of expanding opportunities in the city.
“I’m a lifelong resident of Carlisle,” Phillips said. “I was born here in 1958 and have lived here my whole life. I love Carlisle and I want to see Carlisle grow.”
Phillips said a driving force behind the decision was his desire to give back to the community.
“Carlisle needs more restaurants,” he said. “Counting Sonic, we’ve only got a handful of places to eat, and Carlisle also doesn’t have a family-oriented sit-down restaurant like this.”
Phillips said the restaurant will open soon, which will give it time to smooth operations before the Specklebelly Goose Festival on Oct. 24.
“They’re shooting for around the 1st of August,” Phillips said. “That’ll give them three or four months to get established before the festival and hunting season. We hope all the festival visitors will come in and enjoy the restaurant.”
Carlisle Mayor Jon Plafcan said the opportunity to add two new food options to the city is one that he is excited about.
“Anytime you’ve got added activity and added availability for people to choose to stay in town instead of going out of town for dinner or whatever, I think that’s exactly what we’re trying to do,” Plafcan said. Anytime we can have someone move in and provide for our local citizens, I just hope the citizens will help them out as well by going to eat there and enjoying themselves.”
Plafcan said he is hopeful that Route 70 Fish & Chicken will be able to give back to the community in the way owners desire, starting with the large dining area.
“They’ve got a nice, big dining room, I think it’ll seat about 112 people.” Plafcan said. “The kitchen is huge, too. It ought to accommodate a lot of business.”
Plafcan said the donut shop will be managed by Sheila Cook.
This story was reported by Harding University intern Eli Dean.
