Fay’s Finest Foods hopes to open next month in former bank building near Sandwich

Fay’s Finest Foods hopes to be selling its grilled chicken, pork chops and other fare by next month in the former Heartland Bank on Gletty Road.

The grilled onsite catering service, which has a pop-up drive-thru in Waterman, is planning a similar operation at the former bank building located near Sandwich. Fay’s had events at both locations last month during the Super Bowl.

“He’s looking to open by the end of April,” Sandwich Economic Development Director Don Aleksky said in updating City Council members about the project.

The land is not currently within the city limits of Sandwich. At the March 3 Sandwich City Council meeting, City Council members voted to approve an intergovernmental agreement between Sandwich and DeKalb County regarding the former bank building at 21 Gletty Road.

“This resolution authorizes us to have authority over the zoning and building regulations [for the building],” Sandwich Mayor Todd Latham said.

The DeKalb County Board has already approved the agreement. In January, City Council members voted to authorize Latham to execute a pre-annexation agreement with building owner Doug Arneson for the property.

The property is not contiguous with the city.

“And so we can’t do an annexation agreement at this time,” Sandwich city attorney Cassandra Gottchalk said. “We all agree that when it becomes possible, they’re going to come in to the city.”

Nathan Fay of Fay’s Finest Foods is excited about the new opportunity. He likes the fact the former bank property has four drive-thru lanes instead of just two.

“We’ve been doing a pop-up drive-thru in Waterman,” he said. “We’ve been averaging about 400 meals on a Friday, just in car traffic. The main thing is just to get a drive-thru going. We’re not looking to do dine-in right away. We just want to get the doors open.”

The business has strong ties to Sandwich as it has a longstanding tradition of selling its food at the Sandwich Fair.

Plans are for the restaurant to be open two or three days a week.