Bahama Buck’s development in Allen Ridge is coming along slower than originally expected. According to franchise owner Dodd Roberts, the foundations for the building have been laid, but there are still a lot of unknowns.

“We are enduring a year of delays due to COVID,” Roberts said. “We are already supposed to be open.”

While other businesses in Allen Ridge like Fuzzy’s Taco Shop have since opened their doors to the public, Bahama Buck’s needs a drive-thru, which means it requires a separate building. Still, despite the challenges, Roberts is optimistic. He said that the location is a “unique property,” and he is looking forward to opening.

Along with managing Bahama Buck’s franchises, Roberts is the Director of the Halbert Center for Missions and Global Service at ACU. He sees the new franchise as an opportunity to further the department’s impact on both the ACU and Abilene communities alike through works of service.

“We try to be active so that the community knows we’re there to support people in need,” Roberts said.

Though he can’t say exactly when the new location will be able to start serving up shaved ice for the masses, Roberts expects the hiring process to begin sometime in the late spring.

Kelly Young, vice president at Abilene Christian Investment Management Company, said that the pandemic was not quite as big a hurdle for the developments as one would expect. Instead of fully-functioning locations having to shut their doors last spring, contractors simply slowed development until conditions were right. According to Young, the timing saved both the university and businesses a lot of money.

“Allen Ridge is fortunate COVID came when it did,” Young said.