Cove Burger King celebrates grand reopening

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Although it’s been open about two weeks, Burger King in Copperas Cove celebrated its grand reopening on Wednesday afternoon with a ribbon cutting by the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors. 
The ribbon cutting was celebrated with food giveaways, along with a drawing for a television. 
Sonora “Chichi” Butler, store manager, has been with the restaurant since its opening in 1979 and looks forward to the store’s continued success in Copperas Cove. 
“Copperas Cove has been wonderful; we’re glad to be back here. I opened this place in 1979, 39 years ago and I’m a glutton for punishment, opening it again,” Butler joked. “Copperas Cove has the best customers in the world, and it’s the best town.” 
Matthew Bars, director of operations for Ampler Burgers, LLC, the franchisee which purchased the Copperas Cove store and oversaw the store’s new construction, was on hand for the grand reopening celebration. 
“Having been here for 39 years, that’s very impressive,” said Bars of the store’s history in Copperas Cove. “We’ve been here long enough to understand how much the community cares about good food and cares about Burger King. We’re very, very humbled to have the opportunity to have the torch passed to us as new owners and have the opportunity to serve you the best food.”
Bars was impressed with the turnout for the grand opening, which included performances by the Copperas Cove Junior High School cheerleaders and dancers. He called it “probably one of the largest turnouts” from a community for a grand opening. 
The new restaurant is 2,800 square feet, and is open seven days a week, from 5:30 a.m. until midnight Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. 
Ampler Burgers also has multiple new restaurants scheduled to open in the next couple of years in the area, including remodels, said Nick Boyle, vice president of development for Ampler Burgers. The company operates 43 restaurants in Texas and New Mexico, with franchisee headquarters in Illinois.