BRADLEY — Just about the time aluminum baseball bats will be making contact with a baseball at the Bradley Sports Complex, the area’s second Culver’s restaurant will be opening.
The newest Culver’s, which plans to break ground on Monday, will be located directly north of the Aldi’s grocery store along Bradley Boulevard, across the street from the Bradley Commons Shopping Center.
Culver’s officials said the development of the $45-million-plus baseball-softball complex at St. George Road immediately east of Bradley Commons was a factor in their decision to invest $3 million on a new site.
If all goes as planned, said Rachel Vandergriff, part owner of Bourbonnais restaurant and the planned Bradley site as well as the local’s general manager, the Culver’s will be ready for customers by May — or about 30 days prior to the official opening of the sports complex.
Vandergriff, of Kankakee, is a 2015 graduate of Manteno High School.
The Culver’s locations are under the management of Milazzo Restaurant Group, of Wales, Wis., a community 30 miles west of Milwaukee.
The area’s first Culver’s, 983 N. Convent St., Bourbonnais, opened in November 2008.
Culver’s a fast-food style restaurant is known for its ButterBurger, frozen custard and Wisconsin cheese curds.
The Milazzo group purchased the business is 2016. The Milazzo group installed the second drive-thru lane at the Bourbonnais site in June 2023. The company has 25 sites and is developing others.
The 3,752-square-foot building will have a seating capacity of 99. The restaurant will employ about 75 full- and part-time workers. Like the Bourbonnais site, it will feature a double drive-thru.
Vandergriff said Culver’s ownership has always believed the Kankakee County region could support two sites. She said the sports complex will only add to the customer base.
“The baseball project will drive traffic here,” she said. “One of our co-owner’s sons plays travel baseball. So he knows what this development can bring. The baseball field is definitely a good motivator” for the project.
Ownership had been talking about a second Kankakee County site for a few years. She added there is no concern the second site will pull customers from the current location.
The restaurant will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
