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Chick-fil-A opens on ETBU Campus

January 17, 2020

The new Chick-fil-A on East Texas Baptist University’s campus served its first customers on Monday, January 13. The popular food chain, now located inside the Ornelas Student Center on ETBU’s campus, is officially open to the public and campus community.

“We are so excited to reveal Chick-fil-A in Marshall, here at ETBU,” ETBU President J. Blair Blackburn said. “In a partnership with Sodexo, ETBU’s dining service provider, we’ve invested in this project, and we are so grateful that we can now offer America’s favorite restaurant for our campus community. However, this is also for the Marshall community. East Texas Baptist is Marshall’s University, and our doors are open for Marshall to come and enjoy this new addition to campus.”

Construction of the new restaurant was recently completed in record time, just seven weeks, in order to be up and running in time for the start of the Spring 2020 semester. ETBU crews worked hand-in-hand with Ross Slone of Slone Construction in Marshall to get the job done.

“We were able to meet with Chick-fil-A, and their architects designed the restaurant to fit in our space,” ETBU Director of Construction Cameron Burger said. “Without the help of our general contractor from Slone Construction, the University staff, and Chick-fil-A, we wouldn’t have been able to complete the project in such a timely manner and with such excellence.”

The restaurant hours of operation will be Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and will be closed on Sundays.

“It is amazing how the students are going to get to enjoy having this on campus,” ETBU Board of Trustees Member Billy Foote said. “I can’t even begin to tell you what this place means to me. I get teared up quite often just thinking about it, so to be a part of what’s going on and to see the school continue to flourish, it’s incredible.”

Not only will the restaurant provide additional food options for anyone looking for the iconic chicken sandwich, but the construction and opening of Chick-fil-A is already having a positive impact on the economy of Marshall through hiring mostly local contractors.

“The $1,000,000 construction project, and these remarkable job opportunities to serve with such a reputable Christian-owned company has significantly impacted the economic development of our city,” Dr. Blackburn added. “The sales from our Chick-fil-A restaurant add to the tax base for improving Marshall.”

ETBU’s pursuit to open the restaurant and Chick-fil-A’s commitment to Christian higher education has allowed for the creation of over 40 part-time and full-time jobs for both members of the Marshall community as well as ETBU students.

“Our full-time staff will be comprised of members from the community, and our part-time staff will be members from the community as well as ETBU students,” Retail Manager for Chick-fil-A Stephanie Williams said. “I’ve been with Sodexo for almost ten years, so when my boss asked me if I wanted the management position I was excited. My responsibility is to take care of the whole store, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to do this.”

As ETBU Tigers start the spring semester, students have already begun lining up for food and enjoying the new space for fellowship. ETBU senior Reagan Walker shared her excitement, “It’s great having Chick-fil-A here because not only does it create jobs for students, but it’s a good atmosphere with good food,” Walker said. “We already do a lot of driving back and forth to the Chick-fil-A in Longview, so now it’s really nice to have it on campus.”

Members of the public, who would like to visit Chick-fil-A in the Ornelas Student Center, can find parking in the lot adjacent to campus at the corner of East Avenue and North Grove Street.

“It’s wonderful that this restaurant has been brought into the school,” Marshall community member Tom Wynn said. “I think it will have a very positive effect on the community, it’s a good draw to get people to come and see the ETBU campus, it’s good food, and they’ll be around good people. I think the addition will be very positive for the city, the University, and for Chick-fil-A.”