A new Chick-fil-A on Balm Road in Riverview officially opened its doors to customers on August 20 at 6 a.m., bringing roughly 120 new jobs to South Hillsborough County along with a $25,000 donation to a local hunger-relief nonprofit. The restaurant's debut capped a summer of ceremony and construction along one of the fastest-growing commercial corridors in the county, where new retail keeps sprouting up to serve a surging population.
The public opening followed a ribbon-cutting ceremony a day earlier, on August 19, hosted with the Brandon Riverview Chamber of Commerce, according to the Osprey Observer. Restaurant operator Lorena Kurtjian Hernandez hosted the event, which drew community leaders, local organizations, students, and guests, and included a patriotic flag-raising ceremony and the national anthem performed by the Jule F. Sumner High School Stingray Battalion Honor Guard, Orchestra and JROTC.
Joseph Martinez welcomed guests at the ceremony and introduced Kurtjian Hernandez, sharing information about Chick-fil-A's history and mission, per the same account. Brandon Riverview Chamber of Commerce President Amber Aaron congratulated Kurtjian Hernandez and her team on the opening and welcomed the restaurant into the local business community, wishing them continued growth and success. BRCC Ambassador and Honorary Mayor Abraham Agosto presented a proclamation declaring August 19, 2026, as Chick-fil-A Balm Road Day in the Brandon-Riverview community.
From Argentina to Franchise Ownership
Kurtjian Hernandez immigrated to the United States from Argentina at age 10 and previously worked in hospitality technology consulting before pursuing Chick-fil-A franchise ownership, according to a Chick-fil-A press release. At the ribbon-cutting, she spoke about her vision for the new Balm Road restaurant and committed to serving and becoming an active part of the surrounding community, the Osprey Observer reported.
The public opening itself followed a promotional “Moove-In Party,” where patrons who showed up in cow-spotted attire received a free entrée or kid's meal, the Chick-fil-A press release noted. As part of the celebration, Kurtjian Hernandez also hosted a special Feeding America check presentation, handing a $25,000 donation to Feeding Tampa Bay to support hunger relief across South Hillsborough County, as reported by Tampa Bay Business & Wealth. The check presentation reinforced Chick-fil-A's stated commitment to supporting local communities and addressing hunger.
A Growing Corridor Backed by Major Infrastructure
The roughly 5,200-square-foot restaurant sits on 1.67 acres at 14310 S. US Highway 301, at the corner of Balm Road, developed alongside commercial neighbors including McDonald's, Dutch Bros, and Discount Tire, according to Tampa Bay Business & Wealth. The Balm Road store's design includes standard drive-thru lanes plus a dedicated Mobile Thru lane built specifically for digital orders placed through the Chick-fil-A app, a feature the chain has been rolling out at newly built suburban locations to shorten drive-thru queues.
The opening created about 120 local jobs across service, kitchen, and management positions, Tampa Bay Business & Wealth reported, adding to the entry-level employment base in a stretch of Hillsborough County that continues to add rooftops and retail at a rapid clip. That growth isn't happening in a vacuum: in May 2025, Hillsborough County commissioners adopted Phase 1 of the Balm/Wimauma Urban Service Area Expansion, a planning move tied to projections that the county could gain more than 530,000 residents by 2050, according to Plan Hillsborough.
Roads and Water Racing to Keep Pace
Local and state agencies are simultaneously working to catch up on infrastructure needed to support that growth. Hillsborough County Public Works is advancing a $14.85 million capital improvement project at the nearby intersection of Balm Riverview Road and Rhodine Road to add travel lanes and pedestrian safety upgrades, per Hillsborough County government records. Separately, the Florida Department of Transportation has scheduled a 1.05-mile milling and resurfacing project along US Highway 301 between areas south of Balm Riverview Road and north of Lake Saint Charles Boulevard, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
On the utility side, Tampa Bay Water and Hillsborough County are building the South Hillsborough Pipeline along with a new Balm-area water treatment facility designed to deliver up to 65 million gallons per day to meet rising South County demand, according to Tampa Bay Water. Those projects underscore just how much public investment is flowing into the Balm Road area alongside the private development bringing new restaurants, drive-thrus, and jobs to the corridor. For now, Chick-fil-A Balm Road says it plans to continue its involvement and positive impact throughout the community, according to the Osprey Observer.
