A new burrito joint is looking to expand south of the border - the state border, that is.
Atlanta-based Willy's Mexicana Grill is opening up its first out-of-state franchise in Gainesville.
Carl Hoover, the franchisee of the restaurant, said construction is under way. He said he expects the restaurant, on Southwest Archer Road, to open in early November.
The restaurant is known for its burritos, but it also serves quesadillas, tacos, salads and nachos.
Hoover said he has eaten at Willy's in Atlanta for years and had always wanted to open a franchise.
"If I died tomorrow and didn't get to open a Willy's, that would be my only regret," he said.
Hoover is the vice president of Hoover Foods, the Suwanee, Ga.,-based company that owns the Wendy's franchises in Gainesville, including the one at 3611 SW Archer Road.
Willy's will share this parcel of land with the newly renovated Wendy's, which is set to open later this week, Hoover said.
The fast-food restaurant was vacated in 2008 after Hoover Foods' lease ran out and the company was unsuccessful in its attempt to buy the building outright.
Hoover Foods bought the property in 2010, according to county records, and has since been renovating the building that was originally built in 1978.
The improvements include technological upgrades, such as digital menu boards and a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine - a touch screen soda fountain with 125 flavors of Coke products.
