The Hardee’s on U.S. 72 East in Athens closed recently, and the property was bought in January by a company called Soland Partners.

Soland Partners is an investment and development company based out of New York and Toronto owned by Rebecca Richardson and Emily Peyser, who are each originally from Australia.

So, how does a duo of ladies from the “Land Down Under” end up owning real estate in Athens? The answer is simple: golf, of course.

Richardson said she and Peyser came to the University of Alabama to play Division I college golf “a number of years ago.”

“It was these golf endeavors that first brought (us) to Alabama from Australia, and a continued interest in the business climate, coupled with a genuine love for the South, that brought (us) back years later to invest,” Richardson said.

Soland Partners acquired the property that was once Dairy Queen in November 2019 and recently reached a deal to sell it to CSC Properties out of Clearwater, Florida. CSC Properties then developed the space for Chipotle, which is set to open its Athens location in March.

“We love the Athens market and are proud to bring national tenants and new business to the area,” Richardson said. “The city has been great to work with — very organized and responsive. Athens/Limestone County is a real growth market of Alabama, with strong economic tailwinds.”

Their interest in the area led Soland Partners to purchase the former Hardee’s property.

“We are thrilled to have the site as part of our portfolio,” Richardson said. “It’s an A-plus location with great traffic counts — a true interchange site, capturing traffic from both Interstate 65 and locally. We are looking to develop the site with a national tenant and are excited by the interest we have to date.”

Richardson said she and Peyser are “bullish” on Athens and plan on doing further business in the city in the future.

“We plan on growing our footprint in the area,” she said.