Raising Cane's opening falls further down calendar

PERKINS TWP. — Many looked forward to Sept. 14, which coincided with when a local Raising Cane's would debut. But Tuesday came and went without anyone walking inside or hitting the drive-thru, ordering chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, Texas toast and its signature sauce from there. So what gives? In a nutshell, it comes down to ownership issues with this specific location and the company's other Ohio-based restaurants. And the natural follow-up question: When could Sandusky's spot open? Sept. 30, according to company spokesman Russell Ford. When asked if a sluggish job market brought on a postponement, Ford said on Tuesday, "I wish I had insight but still waiting to get some info." Original reports showed the restaurant opening by mid-July and then on Sept. 14. Back then, a former Perkins Township employee indicated, "The main driver causing the delay is staffing issues with the labor shortage in the area." Erie County — which in April, May and June had the worst unemployment rate among Ohio's 88 counties — had an employment rate of 7% in July, ranking it 17th worst in the state among the 88, according to figures from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Raising Cane's invested $1.5 million to build its first Sandusky-area restaurant on Milan Road (U.S. 250) beside Mad River Harley-Davidson.