LEHIGHTON, Pa. — Last month, this Chick-fil-A "coming soon" sign was out for everyone to see along Route 443 in Mahoning Township.
Now, the banner is gone, and the frame it was attached to sits on the side of the road near Lehighton.
RELATED: Chick-fil-A coming to Carbon County
So is the chain moving into Carbon County or not? According to Chick-fil-A Incorporated, the answer is no.
A statement sent to Newswatch 16 reads in part:
"We are always evaluating potential new locations in the hopes of serving existing and new customers. While we hope to serve the Carbon County community in the future, we do not currently have any locations to confirm."
"Oh, I kind of hoped they were going to come, but I'm also kind of moving to Texas soon, so I guess I don't care. I mean, I like Chick-fil-A, so maybe, hopefully," said Stephen James, Jim Thorpe.
"Oh, I don't see why they would put up a sign if it wasn't going to go there. It was in the paper, too, wasn't it? Yeah, it doesn't make any sense unless they changed their minds," said Robert Behler, Lehighton.
Mahoning Township officials were aware of the "coming soon" sign, but plans were never filed.
A lot of people are talking about the Chick-fil-A sign, so Newswatch 16 stopped by the Carbon Chamber to see what directors had to say. Kathy Henderson is the director of economic development for the Carbon Chamber. She doesn't know if the sign was a prank or a misunderstanding but says it's certainly a mystery.
"I think if it's not legitimate, it's fooled a lot of people. It's caused a lot of conversation among local people and developers, township, and county. All of us are questioning is this real or is it not. None of us have heard anything to make it seem like it is concrete and actually moving forward. I mean, with no plans being filed with the township or county, right now, it doesn't look like it's actually happening, so, unfortunately, we can't say yes or no," said Henderson.
Newswatch 16 reached out to the real estate company listed at the site, but our calls were not returned.
Henderson says the chamber made contact with the agency earlier this month and was told they were looking into the situation.