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After spending 30 years in the Army working in the public relations field, Lt. Col. Mike Lovitt liked being in front of people.
After all, having the knack to inform and explain to other military members, as well as general public exactly what the Army is up to can take some finesse. He used those same skills when he took command of a basic training unit in charge of recruiting people to join the Army. There, it was all about working with people day in and day out.
When it was time to retire Lovitt wanted to continue working with people. He says he wanted to get into the restaurant business but he didn’t know quite how to do it.
Ten years later, Lovitt is now the managing Operator of the Chick-fil-A restaurant at Bristow, inside Sowder Village Square just off Route 28 near Manassas. You can see him nearly each day inside the eatery, whether it’s behind the counter training employees, at the drive-through window handing orders to customers, or out in the dining room making sure the customers’ food is prepared just how they like it.
“We try extra hard to create memorable experiences, and that means we’ll go overboard to make customers feel good about being here. When they leave here, we want them to ‘I can’t believe that that happened. Did they really carry my tray? Did they really come and clear my table,” said Lovitt.
The operator said his first experience with Chick-fil-A was in 1987 while he was stationed at Fort McClellan in Alabama. He aptly remembered the restaurant was then, as it is today, was closed on Sundays.
He retired from Fort Belvoir in 2004, and that’s when he decided he would enter the restaurant business by operating his own Chick-fil-A. Two months after retiring from the Army, Lovitt was operating a Chick-fil-A at Montgomery Mall in Maryland.
“After spending 30 years in the military, there wasn’t a challenge I thought I couldn’t handle,” said Lovitt. “Once stepping in here and learning to manage food cost, managing labor costs, after the first 90 days I was asking ‘what did I get myself into?”
With the help of his eldest son, Mike, they quickly got the hang of things. Lovitt was so successful he was given the opportunity he wanted for a long time – opening a new Chick-fil-A restaurant that, unlike the one inside the mall, had a large dining room.
His business has now evolved into a family one, with his younger son, Chris, and his wife, Jan, all playing roles at the restaurant. They, too, can be seen regularly helping guests inside the dining room.
To make Chick-fil-A at Bristow a center of community, outdoor movie nights are held here during the summer, family nights are held on first and third Tuesday of the month, and community groups meet here regularly.
“I’ve always known that a generous man will prosper,” said Lovitt. “I wanted to give to the community, and during our first few years we did give a lot because if you do give it will come back to you.”
There could be more business ventures ahead for Lovitt and his family, as they are exploring the possibility of opening their own bed and breakfast – something Lovitt has wanted to do even before donning a Chick-fil-A uniform.
“I will be here as long as can physically do this. My heart is in this. I love this,” he said.
Chick-fil-A at Bristow is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., and is closed Sundays. Fore more information, call them at 703-365-9292.
