Kentucky Fried Chicken plans to open a restaurant at the former Starbucks location on East Main Street in Albert Lea.

The transfer of ownership will be completed today, with new owner Todd Stewart of Klamath Falls, Ore., hoping to open the KFC franchise before the end of the year. Stewart and his brothers own several fast-food restaurants in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. They also own the Long John Silver’s and KFC restaurants in Austin.

Stewart said he is happy that he could acquire the prime real estate in this crossroads community, crediting a local commercial real estate developer with helping to get the deal done.

“I’m excited about it. It’s great that we could work out a deal. Tom Leland contacted me last year about this property. He was the real driving force in making this happen,” Stewart said.

Full-time and part-time employment could reach a total of 25 people, according to Stewart. Remodeling work on the building is expected to begin within two months, although some architectural and engineering work will be required before construction can begin. Stewart said that permits and approval from local government must still be acquired.

Kentucky Fried Chicken hasn’t been available in Albert Lea since Dec. 31, 2004, when the restaurant on South Broadway Avenue closed.

Stewart said he knew that KFC wanted to get back into the Albert Lea market, but it took time to get a deal done. The former Starbucks building is not typical of the design and layout of a usual KFC chain restaurant, Stewart said, but having an existing building in a prime location overrode any objections from the company.

“In today’s tough business climate, it’s much more economical to buy an existing building than it is to build a new one. The building is in great condition. That and its location caused KFC to sign off on the deal,” Stewart said.

In freeway logistics, it is easier for motorists to turn right than left. Property on the right turns is usually more valuable than the left. Interstate 35 drivers coming off Exit 11 and Exit 12 coming onto Main Street encounter Taco John’s and Perkins on the right. They soon will see KFC, too.

The Stewarts are the franchisee. KFC Corp. is the franchisor.

KFC Corp. is part of Tricon Global Restaurants, a Louisville, Ky.-based company that owns the Yum! Brands of KFC, A&W, Long John Silver’s, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. The Yum! restaurants were spun off from PepsiCo in 1997.

KFC is the world’s most popular chicken restaurant, according to information on the company’s website. More than 12 million customers are served every day at the company’s 15,000-plus outlets in 109 countries, which include 5,200 outlets in the U.S.

Yum! Brands Inc. says it is the world’s largest restaurant in terms of chain restaurants, with more than 36,000 locations around the world. Yum! is listed at No. 239 on the Fortune 500 List with revenues in excess of $11 billion in 2008.