An Andy’s Frozen Custard is being built on Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith.

A demolition permit was pulled this week to take down the former Hill Architecture building at 6609 Rogers Ave., next to Arby’s for the future Andy’s.

Becky Reidle, officer manager at Andy’s Custard headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, said the franchisee has a tentative timeline to have the store ready for customers sometime in “early 2020.”

Kevin Keefner, real estate manager for The Westphal Group, said the local firm retains ownership of the property where Andy’s Frozen Custard is being built by Gateway Construction. The demolition permit was issued to H.L. Johnson & Son on July 9.

There are at least seven Andy’s Frozen Custard stores now in Arkansas, according to their website. There are two in Rogers, one in Fayetteville, two in Conway and two in Jonesboro. A note on the Andy's website also says one was being planned for Little Rock. There are many other Andy’s Frozen Custard stores around the country, including many in the home-base state of Missouri and several in Oklahoma around Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Andy's Frozen Custard was founded in March 1986 in Osage Beach, Missouri, by John and Carol Kuntz. Their son, Andy, and his wife, Dana, worked at the original Springfield store. They grew the franchise to more than 50 locations in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. There are also plans for locations in South Carolina and Louisiana, the website adds.

“These shops offer customers near and far, from its Osage Beach roots, a slice of hometown Americana where it’s fun to be a kid for a while,” the Andy’s website notes. “At the heart of each Andy’s is a fun work environment, where everyone shares in the fanaticism that brought Andy’s to life, and keeps it going strong.”

Some of the inviting treats from Andy’s include the James Brownie Funky Jackhammer (frozen custard blended with peanut butter and brownies, then filled with hot fudge), the Ooey Gooey Concrete (frozen custard blended with Heath Bar, creme caramel and almonds), the Key Lime Pie Concrete, and the seasonal “Words Can’t Describe It” Apple Pie Sundae. Andy’s also offer cream sodas and frozen custard floats.