By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A Culver’s restaurant will be serving up its trademark ButterBurgers, Wisconsin cheese curds, and creamy frozen custard next year in Bowling Green.
On Wednesday evening, the Bowling Green Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously to grant a variance to the Wisconsin-based restaurant.
One board member, Chris Ostrowski, posed a question about the project from his daughter. “She asked how soon will you be open?”
Culver’s restaurant plans to open up a site on West Gypsy Lane Road, east of the entrance to Walmart. The entrances to the restaurant and the two drive-thru lanes will all come off the Walmart parking lot.
The restaurant requested a zoning variance to allow for the construction of six signs – four wall signs and two signs on a pylon. That exceeds the maximum of three signs allowed for a business under Bowling Green’s zoning code.
But Thomas Yurysta, an engineer with Proudfoot Associates, was quick to point out that the restaurant would still be under the square footage allowed for signage by the city’s zoning code.
“Culver’s has their own standard model, to put their oval sign on every side of the building,” Yurysta said. The restaurant also is required to have a message board listing their frozen custard flavor of the day, he said.
Ben Galaviz, the owner of the proposed Bowling Green Culver’s, told the zoning board that he moved from Wisconsin “to spread the Culver’s joy in Ohio.” Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana are pretty much saturated with the chain already, he said.
The restaurant fits well in Ohio, Galaviz said.
“It’s where families come together” and where sports teams meet up, he said.
“We’re excited to get down here and sell you guys a lot of great food and custard,” he said.
Galaviz owns the recently opened Culver’s in Holland, and will be breaking ground soon for one in Perrysburg.
As for the Bowling Green site, Galaviz said he expects to break ground in October. But because asphalt companies close up in November, the restaurant likely won’t open until next April.
Zoning board member Rose Hess was conflicted about granting a variance allowing the restaurant to have more signs. She said the city is “inundated with signs.”
“That intersection drives me crazy,” she said.
But zoning board member Hobart Johnson said the signs are part of the franchise requirements. And board member Bob Waddle said the reasonably sized signs are less objectionable than the exteriors of some businesses.
Both Judy Ennis and Matt Bostdorff, on the board, gave good reviews to the Culver’s frozen custard.
“Unfortunately, I’m probably too familiar with their product,” Bostdorff said with a smile.
