Sonic Drive-In to open near Green Acres Mall

Fast-food chain Sonic Drive-In will open its first Nassau County location this fall at an outdoor shopping center near Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream.

The 1950s-style eatery, known for its hamburgers, hot dogs and shakes delivered to customers car-side by servers on roller skates, will open a 1,716-square-foot restaurant at the new Green Acres Commons shopping center under construction at 750 West Sunrise Hwy.

Santa Monica, California-based Macerich Co., owner of Green Acres Commons and Green Acres Mall, also announced Tuesday that fitness center chain 24 Hour Fitness and beauty store chain Ulta Beauty will join Sonic this fall or winter at the $83.7 million Commons next to the mall.

Previously announced Commons tenants include Ashley Furniture Homestore, BJ’s Brewhouse, Burlington Coat Factory, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dick’s Sporting Goods and discount store Five Below. About 90 percent of the 350,000-square-foot shopping center, set to open this fall, is now leased, officials said.

“Our goal with the new Green Acres Commons is to deliver more of the retailers and services desired by this attractive market, where upscale Long Island suburbs meet dynamic Queens neighborhoods,” Joe Floccari, senior property manager of Green Acres Mall, said in a statement.

Oklahoma City-based Sonic has more than 3,500 U.S. restaurants, but it only has one location on Long Island, in North Babylon, which opened in 2011. The Valley Stream location will employ about 75 people, a representative of the local Sonic franchisee organization said Tuesday.

Other efforts to open Sonic restaurants have been opposed. In March 2012 the Hempstead Town Board of Appeals rejected a proposed Sonic in East Meadow after some residents and business owners raised concerns about traffic, parking and the restaurant’s proximity to bars.

SEE PHOTOS50 chains we want on Long Island

In January Smithtown Town Board members approved a site plan for a Sonic in Nesconset. The approval came more than a year after the town Board of Zoning Appeals reached a settlement with the chain following a legal battle in which a State Supreme Court judge vacated the board’s initial rejection of the company’s special exception request.

In addition to Nesconset, Sonic still plans an East Mea dow location and one in Riverhead, the representative said.