The new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant arrived in Kalispell by truck on Monday night, in preconstructed pieces of walls and flooring.

By Tuesday, the construction site on the empty lot next to Burger King on U.S. 93 South was a new scene of stacked facades, pine wood flooring and cranes dropping all the pieces in place.

Kramer Enterprises began construction at the building site in early September, laying the foundation in place for the prebuilt exterior walls to be lowered into place.

The Burger King next door was built the same way with pre-constructed walls and exterior pieces.

Both Burger King and Popeyes are owned by former U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg’s Big Sky King Properties.

Rehberg said the quick assembly of the prebuilt pieces allows for construction to go on through the winter. It was a building model they first tried on the Burger King in Billings, and crews were able to move quickly through the exterior building phase in the cold.

“The cold weather usually just delays things,” Rehberg said. “Knowing Kalispell, you can never predict the weather.”

Big Sky Properties also owns the Popeyes franchise in Billings, the first and only other of its kind in Montana. Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is a Southern-themed chain that rebranded itself in recent years to help expansion into other regions of the United States.

Rehberg said the hiring process should begin this week, as Big Sky King Properties Operations Manager Matthew Colebank arrives in Kalispell to oversee the transition from construction to opening day. The restaurant group plans on hiring at least 60 people.

During the opening week, Rehberg said he will be bringing an experienced crew from the Billings Popeyes franchise to Kalispell to assist the local staff.

“When we opened the Popeyes in Billings there was a two-hour wait,” Rehberg said. “Usually it’s pretty popular in the first week.”

Rehberg said the next steps of construction will be securing the walls, adding the roof and finishing the interior of the building.

The building value was listed at $475,000.

“We’re right on schedule with construction and we’re excited about bringing another business to Kalispell,” Rehberg said.

Reporter Seaborn Larson can be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.