SILVERDALE — One of the hottest restaurant franchises in America is slated to come to Kitsap Mall Boulevard late this summer.
Five Guys Burgers and Fries will open in a 2,500-square-foot space next to Jimmy John’s at 10061 Kitsap Mall Blvd., said Jeff Coombe, who manages the building for owners C.D. Stimson Company of Seattle.
“We’re thrilled about it,” said Mike Barnett, who with his wife, Lisa, owns three other franchises in Snohomish County. “We’ve wanted to come to Silverdale forever.”
Five Guys, founded by the five-son Murrell family as “a carry-out burger joint” in Arlington, Virginia, in 1986, has seen a meteoric rise in recent years. Following the success of its first five restaurants in the Washington D.C. metro area, the company began selling franchises. Since 2003, it has grown to nearly 1,500 locations worldwide.
The company markets itself as being devoted to using the freshest beef and preparing food only when it is ordered — it uses no freezers at its locations. It's also known for its peanut oil fry recipe that has won fans all over the globe. Diners can customize their burgers while snacking on free peanuts and listening to rock ’n roll, another staple of the chain.
The Five Guys culture enticed Barnett, a retired Navy commander stationed at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor from 1991 to 1994, to go into business as a franchisee. Following two successful locations in Lynwood and a third in Bothell, he was ready to expand across Puget Sound.
“And if you’re going to start in Kitsap County, it has to be Silverdale,” he said.
Barnett has signed a lease and plans for the restaurant are being finalized. Next up will be the permitting process, followed by construction. Barnett hopes to open in late summer.
