Chick-fil-A opening a new location in Sayville Plaza; Taco Bell also planned

Chick-fil-A is coming to Sayville Plaza.

The fast-food chain confirmed to Greater Long Island on Tuesday that it will open a new restaurant in the once-struggling shopping center along Sunrise Highway in Bohemia.

A Taco Bell is also in the works for the plaza, according to the property manager Transformco’s website. The Chick-fil-A will be built in a new, separate structure on the property — as would the Taco Bell — just east of the longstanding Burger King near the highway service road.

“It’s our pleasure to confirm that we will be opening a new Chick-fil-A restaurant at Sayville Plaza,” the company said in a statement to Greater Long Island. “We look forward to joining the community and to serving all of our guests delicious food in an environment of genuine hospitality.”

Founded in Georgia in 1967, Chick-fil-A has grown into one of the largest fast-food chains in the United States, with more than 3,000 restaurants nationwide.

A spokeswoman for the Town of Islip, Carolyn Smith, was contacted by Greater Long Island regarding the Chick-fil-A and Taco Bell projects but has not yet responded.

The project marks another big win for the plaza, which had fallen on hard times after the closures of Kmart, Sports Authority, Babies “R” Us, Modell’s, Bed Bath & Beyond and other retailers. When Kmart shut its doors in 2020, the shopping center was left largely empty.

An Uncle Giuseppe’s grocery store is also on the way.

The plaza is now fully rented, a sharp turnaround from just a few years ago. Chick-fil-A has not yet announced an opening date for the Bohemia restaurant.

_{Top photo: Ongoing construction at Sayville Plaza (Satin Widrow for GLI).}