Burke IHOP Opening Soon

The grand opening of restaurant will occur without any fanfare. 

"Running a 24/7 restaurant can be really trying at times," said Bo Wilhelm, owner of the IHOP soon to open in Rolling Valley Mall. "Therefore, I open my restaurants quietly on a weeknight, and there's enough buzz generated by the weekend that they're full," he said.

Wilhelm said he hopes to open the Burke restaurant in the evening on Tuesday, May 1, pending completion of the remaining county inspections.  It could be sooner or later, but one thing is for sure — it will be quiet.

"I don't advertise a grand opening.  It's just business as usual," said the Burke resident and graduate, whose son will graduate from Lake Braddock this spring.

Bo and his father, Doc Wilhelm, own the Wilhelm Restaurant Group (WRG), which Doc started. Doc owned all the Shakey's Pizza in the area before Dominoes and Pizza Hut were here. 

"Shakey's was the place to go," Wilhelm said. "My dad also opened the first IHOP in Fredericksburg in about 1993," he said.

WRG now owns 12 IHOPS in the Northern Virginia area.

"IHOP is a franchise, and some of the restaurants are owned by the corporation while others are owned by individuals," said Wilhelm. "Mine are individually owned stores, and those are usually better cared for, since an individual's money is on the line," he said.

In addition to his new Burke location, his other two Fairfax County locations are already open in Chantilly and Centreville.  He's currently looking for a site in Lorton, and plans to open an IHOP there within six to nine months.  All of his restaurants are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"I couldn't be here without my dad," said Wilhelm.  "He's still an integral part of the business."