The long-dark KFC at 2000A Pulaski Highway in Edgewood is getting a new identity: an Arby's. The fast-food conversion is expected to open its doors in 2027, bringing a fresh roast beef option to a stretch of highway that lost its fried chicken outlet.
The project is tied to Harford County, which received a permit request for the conversion in late September, according to the Baltimore Sun. The franchise operator behind the new location is Luis Group Management, a company that describes itself on its website as a locally owned and operated independent franchisee of Dunkin', Baskin-Robbins, Arby's and Jersey Mike's Subs.
Edgewood had 25,713 residents in the 2020 Census, and 27.6% of residents were under 18 that year. Those figures provide a snapshot of the community, though they do not measure current demand or predict how the new restaurant will perform.
Luis Group Management is based in Silver Spring, Maryland, and operates restaurants across the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., markets, per the company's own site. Its location listing already includes the Edgewood address at 2000A Pulaski Highway, suggesting the Arby's conversion fits squarely into the company's existing regional footprint.
Arby’s says it has more than 3,500 restaurants worldwide. Separately, Inspire says franchised restaurants are independently owned and operated, with franchisees making their own decisions about employment and restaurant operations.
Hiring Already Underway for the New Location
Luis Group Management highlights career opportunities.
On its careers page, the company says it wants to bring on hardworking, friendly and team-oriented people, and it points to advancement opportunities for those who join.
What's Still Unknown
Several details about the project have not been verified, including when the former KFC closed, when construction will begin, or the specific opening date beyond the reported year of 2027. There has also been no independent confirmation from Arby's corporate on the project, and information on hiring start dates, wages, or the exact number of jobs planned has not been made available.
A permit request is one step in a process that may involve further reviews, and county guidance distinguishes a site-plan review from other permit requirements. Harford County says a new tenant or a change of use does not require a site plan at the time of a permit application; its building-services guidance also says regulated work must be inspected and approved. The county’s rules help explain why a permit filing alone does not establish a construction start or opening date.
For now, Edgewood residents driving past the empty building on Pulaski Highway have a concrete timeline to look forward to, even if the finer points of the transformation are still taking shape.
