He's also making quite a sizzle as he builds. And it's hard to motor around Detroit without seeing Hawkins' face plastered on a billboard or draped alongside a DOT bus, promoting 99-cent Whoppers. But Hawkins eagerly dares to tread there. The practice has its advantages, says Hiram E. Jackson, a Detroit businessman who works with Hawkins locally. Hawkins' stores use less land than an average Burger King because there's no indoor seating.
Customers can order inside or use one of two drive-thru lanes outside.
While Hawkins is concerned about the bottom line, he also feels he has a bigger mission. Like combining the ingredients for a frosty shake, Hawkins hopes to mix food, jobs and his commitment to the inner city into a satisfying concoction that revitalizes neighborhoods, heightens self-esteem among young employees, and makes him a major player in many urban markets across the country. In addition to Detroit, Hawkins will open restaurants in Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, Oakland and New York City. Several Detroit observers say Hawkins is already making an impact locally. He noted that Hawkins has capitalized on the idea of using vacant lots on narrow strips, which Detroit has in abundance.