Culver’s commits to Brandon - Construction to start in spring

After years of speculation that a Culver’s restaurant is coming to Brandon, it’s finally going to happen in 2026. 

Chad Pearson, spokesperson for CR-Brandon and part of the Investment Properties Group, LLC behind the project, confirmed that the popular fast-casual chain is planning to build in the growing community.

On Thursday, Pearson and his partners signed the paperwork to purchase property for the new restaurant.

Hints that a new restaurant featuring a two-lane drive-through surfaced in a recent Brandon Planning & Zoning Commission meeting packet. The Northwest District of the Wesleyan Church submitted the conditional use application for the double drive-thru. Pearson explained that the application was part of the due diligence process required before purchasing the property.

“The church still owns the land, so they had to apply for the drive-through permit on our behalf,” Pearson said. “We needed to know the city was comfortable with that before we could move forward.”

The land, located directly west of Celebration Community Church – formerly a bowling alley – will be the location for the Brandon Culver’s store. Pearson said discussions about that location date back nearly 10 years, but said Brandon’s current 11,000-plus population and the surrounding area and its close proximity to the I-90 exit here, aligned with the ownership group.

“Brandon is a growing community, and being positioned right off I-90 makes it a strong market,” Pearson said. “It really stood out to us compared to other potential locations.”

Pearson has been involved with the Culver’s brand for more than two decades and is part of the ownership group of five Culver’s restaurants in Sioux Falls, along with a sixth location in Marshall, Minn. The group recently broke ground on a new Culver’s in Tea, which is on pace to open in June.

The Brandon restaurant will be locally operated by Jessie Reily, who will serve as the owner-operator. Reily has worked for the company for more than a decade and is currently the general manager of the Culver’s location on Louise Avenue in southwest Sioux Falls.

“Jessie has grown up with this company,” Pearson said. “His goal has always been to become an owner-operator and really invest himself in a community.”

Reily has begun Culver’s corporate training in Wisconsin and will relocate to Brandon as the project moves forward. As owner-operator, his name will appear on the restaurant, and he will be responsible for daily operations and community involvement.

“His plan is to get involved, hire locally and really become a part of Brandon,” Pearson said.

Pearson noted that while the real estate and restaurant operations are handled by separate entities, that structure allows experienced managers like Reily to step into ownership without having to take on the cost of land and building development. With architectural work already underway, Pearson hopes to break ground as early as March, weather permitting.

Construction typically takes five to six months, and their goal is to open the Brandon Culver’s in the fourth quarter of 2026, Pearson said.

Pearson said Culver’s restaurants in markets this size typically employ 60 to 80 full- and part-time workers. He said the Brandon store plans to be active in the Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and looks forward to contributing to the local economy.

“We’ve had a strong presence in Sioux Falls and Marshall, and we want to bring that same level of involvement to Brandon,” he said. “We’re excited to finally make this happen.”