Site work has started in northwest Emporia in advance of a new restaurant.
Panda Express has confirmed plans to occupy the space left vacant at 2830 West 18th after Golden Corral closed its doors almost seven years ago. Tentative plans are to have the restaurant open by summer.
Restaurant representatives have not confirmed whether the existing building will be left standing or will be torn down. However, they call it a free-standing restaurant with a drive-thru option.
Panda Express offers Chinese food and has over 2,000 locations.
The announcement about Panda Express comes as Golden Wok ends its first week in business locally. Golden Wok replaced the longstanding China Buffet at 2804 West US Highway 50. It also comes as Wendy’s made a triumphant return to Emporia in December after not having a local presence since 2015.
