Hermitage’s only Wendy’s is set for a short move down North Hermitage Road, with a smaller restaurant planned just north of the existing location. The current store is expected to keep serving customers throughout construction before eventually giving way to a new chapter for the property.
The Hermitage Planning Commission approved the major land development plan Monday, according to The Sharon Herald. The proposed restaurant would be built along North Hermitage Road, just south of Hickory Global Methodist Church and within walking distance of the current Wendy’s.
The city’s meeting agenda identifies the project as a 2,577-square-foot Wendy’s at 120 North Hermitage Road, with Butterfli Holdings 011 LLC listed as the owner. The plan includes conditions such as drawing corrections, stormwater review and approval of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection requirements, according to the City of Hermitage planning packet.
The new shop is designed to be leaner, with about 100 seats instead of roughly 150 and approximately 1,500 fewer square feet than the existing restaurant. That smaller footprint is expected to make service more efficient, particularly for drive-through customers, while the current Wendy’s remains open during construction, The Sharon Herald reported.
After the new restaurant opens, the existing Wendy’s is expected to close and be demolished. The old site is then expected to become home to a new Arby’s, turning the project into more than a burger-chain relocation and giving Hermitage a fast-food shuffle measured in footsteps rather than miles.
The Wendy’s Plan Still Has More Steps Ahead
Planning Commission approval clears a major hurdle, but it is not an opening date. Hermitage’s land-development guidance says approved plans proceed through county review, action by the City Board of Commissioners, recording and construction-permit requirements before work can begin, as outlined by the City of Hermitage.
The submitted packet lists Nov. 1, 2026, as the deadline for Board action, though no construction schedule or opening date has been announced. The Wendy’s proposal was reviewed during the same busy planning cycle as Meijer Supercenter and Meijer Express plans for Hickory Fields, adding another fast-food and retail change to Hermitage’s North Hermitage Road corridor.
