It’s official. White Castle, home of the iconic “slider” hamburger, broke ground on the first Arizona restaurant for the 98-year-old family owned business. Located at 9310 East Via de Ventura in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Talking Stick Entertainment District near Scottsdale, White Castle expects to start satisfying the taste buds of Arizona “Cravers” by fall 2019. In attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony was legendary shock rocker and Cravers Hall of Fame member, Alice Cooper.
“White Castle has so many fans in the Phoenix area who have been clamoring for us to come,” says Lisa Ingram, fourth-generation family member, White Castle president and CEO, who was on-site for the groundbreaking event earlier today. “Many years ago, we sent semi-trucks full of sliders across the nation to Fountain Hills to temporarily satisfy their Crave. Today, we’re officially here for the long haul.”
The new restaurant is expected to bring 50 to 75 new jobs to the area.
Joining the groundbreaking festivities was life-long Craver and Phoenix-area resident, Alice Cooper. After trying his first slider as a young boy in Detroit, Cooper’s Crave has continued and it’s become common for him to choose tour locations based on proximity to White Castle restaurants. In July 2014, Alice Cooper was inducted into the Cravers Hall of Fame as a member of the “Craver in Extremis” category, which recognizes public figures who have expressed their love for White Castle.
“Being inducted into the Cravers Hall of Fame will go down as one of my all-time favorite honors,” says Cooper during the groundbreaking event. “They promised me a Castle close by, but I never thought they would do it. This is going to be epic.”
Since its inception nearly 100 years ago, White Castle has held fast to its founder’s belief that families everywhere should be able to enjoy an evening at a restaurant with tasty food at a great value. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle is excited to venture west to become part of the desert community, providing a place where morning, noon and night, fans can satisfy their cravings and create memorable moments.
Founded in 1921, White Castle is home to The Original Slider, recognized by Time Magazine as the most influential burger of all time. Today, White Castle’s famous fare is served 24 hours a day, seven days a week in most restaurants, including breakfast.
White Castle owns and operates nearly 400 restaurants in 13 states, with the next expansion planned for Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2019.
