Groundwork begins at Raising Cane's site

Initial groundwork is showing early signs of life for the planned Raising Cane's fast-food restaurant at Sunshine Street and Campbell Avenue.

Building permits on file with the city list Texas-based Embree Construction Group Inc. and Louisiana-based CSRS Inc. as contractors working on the project. One Springfield permit points to a declared valuation of $1.8 million for the restaurant construction project at 321 W. Sunshine St.

Russell Ford, a marketing executive overseeing the Raising Cane's account via Champion Management LLC, confirmed via email that the restaurant chain is still planning its Springfield market entry in 2020.

"Due to ever-changing market conditions, opening dates are constantly changing," Ford said. "We are hoping to open later this year."

Springfield Business Journal previously reported Raising Cane's was planning a restaurant in a 3,500-square-foot free-standing building next to a commercial development that now houses Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care and Missouri Title Loans.

Property owner Jason Pullman, who developed the retail center next to the Raising Cane’s site, in April told SBJ his "guess is they’ve been delayed a month" in the Raising Cane's construction process. The restaurant originally was expected to open this summer.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based Raising Cane's features a menu of chicken fingers, fries and coleslaw. Founded in 1996, the chain operates roughly 500 restaurants, according to its website.