Breaking ground in Brockport
BROCKPORT, N.Y. – Construction has begun on a new Chick-fil-A restaurant on the corner of Fourth Section and Lake Road South. The construction of the restaurant brings excitement, concern and plenty of questions from local residents.
Chick-fil-A will be located at the site of the Citizens Bank Brockport branch, which closed in 2021. The business is expected to bring new jobs, an economic boost and chicken sandwiches to Brockport, but the community has mixed reactions to the restaurant’s construction.
Owner Aaron Reynolds and his wife Marcie are at the forefront of the project. For Reynolds, opening a Chick-fil-A in Brockport isn’t just about business, it’s about giving back.
A father of four and former youth pastor, Reynolds has been with Chick-fil-A for a decade. When the opportunity to return to the Rochester area aligned with a new Chick-fil-A location, the decision was simple.
“Chick-fil-A has these locations, and this one just happened to fit very well. This was a gold star opportunity, and we went headfirst into it. We thought that this would be great for the community of Brockport,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds is looking to make a meaningful impact in Brockport.
“When I run a restaurant, my goal is that everybody who comes through there has a better day because they came to the restaurant. That means we have to be a great team, and I know that brings the opportunity for a lot of jobs,” Reynolds said.
Hopes for economic growth
Reynolds expects the restaurant to open with 60-80 positions, including some full-time career roles.
“First and foremost, I’m an employer. My goal is to bring jobs to the area, full-time and part-time. I want to be able to bring some great full-time jobs for people who maybe want a change of pace. I will have some leadership positions that will absolutely be career-type positions for people. Chick-fil-A is a lot of people’s first job. Being able to provide that first step is great,” Reynolds said.
Many local residents view the restaurant as a positive step forward for the town’s economy. Longtime village resident, former mayor and owner of the Red Bird Cafe and Gift Shop, Josephine Matela, is among those excited to see progress at the Chick-fil-A’s site.
“I really believe that by developing that corner, it gets rid of an eyesore and something that hasn’t been used in many, many years. It’s going to create jobs and generate sales tax revenue for the county, town and village,” Matela said.
Matela feels that the arrival of Chick-fil-A could bring more people to the area.
“If you want to develop your municipality, you have to bring in things that attract people. One of the things that attracts people is places to eat. I believe that no matter who comes in here, if you have food that is quality, your service is fabulous, and you maintain consistency throughout, I don’t think that they should be afraid. It gives people more choices,” Matela said.
Reynolds shares that same vision. He sees the restaurant as a gateway to the rest of the village.
“It’s gonna bring more people to the community that don’t have a Chick-fil-A around. They are going to come in and get to learn more about Brockport. Chick-fil-A might get them in the door because it’s this big thing they haven’t noticed before, but then they get to go down to Main Street, and then they get to see all of Brockport. They get to see the university, the canal, they get to see all it has to offer,” Reynolds said.
Corporate controversy comes to town
Despite its popularity, Chick-fil-A has not been without controversy. The company has faced criticism in the past for its donations to organizations that critics say have supported anti-LGBTQ+ agendas. Although Chick-fil-A later stated it would no longer donate to some of those organizations, the company’s perceived stance on LGBTQ+ rights remains a point of contention for some.
Longtime resident and EOP counselor at SUNY Brockport Daniel Kandris acknowledged this aspect of the company’s history.
“Chick-fil-A doesn’t really align with my personal values and views but I’m not one to really push those on others. I myself have never given them a dime and I won’t,” Kandris said.
Fears of traffic and local disruption
Kandris is also concerned about the impact the new location will have on traffic.
“We have a large number of employees at the college who drive home from work. If you are thinking about people getting home after work between 4 and 6 p.m., you have two right-hand turns, which makes it impossible to get to the light at the left-hand turn. Me personally, I will be avoiding that area, which will push me back towards Hamlin and the college,” Kandris said.
Brockport resident Charilla Sandstrom-Conner is already planning detours in anticipation of the traffic.
“Usually, when I go to Wegmans Plaza, I take Route 31. But once that place is open, I’ll do my best to avoid that intersection,” Sandstrom-Conner said.
Her concerns are echoed by others in the community who fear the new restaurant could overwhelm an already busy area.
“I think it’s just going to be a disaster, to be honest. When you think about where the location is, the fact that Tim Hortons is there, which is already really busy, and the fact that Wegmans is across the street, it’s like the perfect storm of just ‘this is gonna be a nightmare,’” Kandris said.
Reynolds acknowledges these concerns and is actively listening to the conversations within the community.
“My ears are open, my eyes are open. I am listening to the concerns of the citizens of Brockport and Sweden in the surrounding area. I want to make sure that I know all of those concerns and that we address them. Then, I think over time, people will see that we’re your neighbor, and what that means to us is that we need to be a good neighbor. It means we need to care for the environment around us, the people around us, the traffic around us, and that’s what we’re going to do every single day,” Reynolds said.
Community or competition?
With the introduction of the new restaurant in the area, there are concerns that the chain might hurt smaller local businesses.
“We’re watching all of our small businesses struggle, so when you’re bringing in another chain restaurant, it doesn’t really have that community feel, and I think that’s what a lot of folks in this area are craving,” Kandris said.
Reynolds hopes to set a different tone with the restaurant.
Reynolds already has plans to support local nonprofits and schools through Chick-fil-A “Spirit Nights,” where a portion of profits will be donated to community organizations.
“We like to do things at Chick-fil-A called Spirit Nights. It’s an opportunity for us to highlight a local organization, whether it would be a sports team or a school group or a nonprofit, whatever it is, and then donate a portion of sales from that night, day, whatever it is to those groups,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds also plans to donate surplus food to local charities, a practice he began at his store in New Jersey. He plans to continue donations in Brockport.
“Apart from that, we donate all of our surplus food. I’ve been doing that in Jersey with a local nonprofit. I’m going to continue to do that in Brockport. We want to make sure that we’re taking care of food where we can and taking care of the people,” Reynolds said.
Jobs, hiring and local labor impact
Despite the 60-80 jobs the new restaurant will provide, some residents are concerned that the restaurant won’t bring enough employment opportunities.
“I’d like to think it will create more jobs, but at the same time, folks can always transfer stores from the other locations. They don’t hire a lot of employees or provide a lot of hours, so I’m not sure how greatly it will impact jobs in the area. I look at pay too; if they are going to pay more than some of the other businesses, that will affect our local businesses,” Kandris said.
Reynolds debunks these opinions with his plan to hire a new team, rather than having employees from other stores transfer to the new location.
“I’m hiring an entirely new team. I’m probably not going to have anybody with Chick-fil-A experience. That’s an awesome opportunity for me because I love coaching, I love training,” Reynolds said.
Village in the spotlight
Residents are eagerly watching to see whether Chick-fil-A will draw customers away from Main Street or complement the existing food scene. With the closest Chick-fil-A being located in Greece, some see this as a convenience. Others worry it will take attention away from struggling small businesses.
“I do worry that it might pull people away from Main Street a little bit. I hope that they are a respectful business that chooses to operate and be a part of the community, and embrace the small-town feel. We haven’t really seen that from our other chains, so they have a chance to be different if they choose to,” Kandris said.
Reynolds assures that his vision for the restaurant is to complement the other businesses of Brockport, not overshadow them.
“We’re not looking to take over experiences. We’re looking to make things better anytime we can complement things. That’s going to be the focus for me in Brockport, making sure people see us building those relationships,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds believes the key to a successful business lies in building something greater than a fast-food stop.
“As I get to know the nuances and the specifics in the community, I leave the door open to other ways to give back. I’m pretty passionate about that, and I want to make sure the community knows that we’re here to be a great neighbor,” Reynolds said.
While the physical structure is still being built, the debate over its presence is already in full swing. For some, it’s a long-awaited addition to the community. For others, it’s an uncertain step into a more corporate future.