Houchens Industries is making more moves in its restaurant holdings.

The Bowling Green employee-owned conglomerate is building a new Sonic Drive-In fast-food restaurant at 1901 Russellville Road, in front of Western Gateway shopping center near Russellville Road and Morgantown Road.

It will replace the existing Sonic at 2144 Russellville Road, according to an email from Houchens Restaurant Division Manager Christian Lucas.

Lucas said no date has been set for the new Sonic to open, but he indicated the existing restaurant will close on the same day the new one opens.

A building permit filed with the city of Bowling Green said the new Sonic will be a 1,372-square-foot structure that will cost $1.5 million to build.

Site work has started on the new Sonic that will be located close to a Rally’s restaurant that has closed.

It’s not the only restaurant development being done by Houchens, a 104-year-old company that has a number of restaurant franchises among its many holdings.

In May, Houchens opened a Slim Chickens restaurant within its Crossroads Express convenience store on Scottsville Road. It is now building a second Bowling Green Slim Chickens location at 2926 Nashville Road.

Houchens added Slim Chickens to a portfolio of franchises that includes Subway, Schlotzsky’s, Cinnabon and Which Wich. The company is already making plans to expand the new brand, according to Andy Baker, the Slim Chickens district manager for Houchens.

“We have plans to build three in the Bowling Green area,” Baker said after the opening of the Scottsville Road Slim Chickens. “We have a few sites in mind for a third location.”

Baker called Slim Chickens a “quickly-growing brand” and said Houchens could expand it beyond the Bowling Green area.