Remodel of local restaurant under way

WESLACO — “Closed.”

That is the message displayed on a sign as well as in the windows of the Stars Restaurant in Weslaco on Business 83.

But the restaurant won’t stay that way for long.

Fans of the longtime chain fast food joint don’t have to panic, the business is remodeling and is set to re-open as early as two-and-a-half months from now, said Greg Barrett, president of Stars Restaurants.

The old restaurant will be demolished and rebuilt from the ground up. Splitting from the Sonic chain in 1986, Stars Restaurants operates 38 locations throughout the state, many based in the Valley with a few locations in West Texas, the Panhandle and Zapata. Barrett said in 2007, Stars had its best sales in company history, leading to the hiring of more employees as well as remodeling existing locations and establishing new ones.

Barrett said the new Weslaco location will appear similar to Stars locations in La Feria, Hidalgo and Las Milpas. This marks the fourth local remodeling project for the chain within the last 14 months.

Barrett said the exterior will consist of a state-of-the-art building with a brand new jukebox design to bring back the look of a 1950s drive-in. A new vestibule will be the biggest change, featuring a yellow neon sign on top with the Stars logo inside of it.

To continue the old-school theme for the restaurant, the menus will rotate inside a display at each parking space and new picnic tables will allow outdoor seating.

“We’re trying to do things the old-fashioned way,” Barrett said.

As for the interior, Barrett said employees will have more room to work and bigger freezers to store unprepared food.

“We’re going to pay a lot of attention and detail and make it look beautiful,” Barrett said.

A new Stars restaurant is also set to open in Progreso at the intersection of Cameron and U.S. Highway 281 within four months.