The Brandon Portillo’s showcases 1930s decor and a double drive-thru lane. Credit: Ainhoa Palacios

After watching the building take shape for months, Brandon will soon see the opening of one Chicago restaurant brand's first Florida location.

Thursday morning, Portillo's held a sneak-peek press conference inside its restaurant at 1748 W. Brandon Blvd. Founder Dick Portillo was in attendance, and he shared the story behind his company's humble beginnings.

It began 53 years ago — April 5, 1963. Recently out of the Marine Corps, a 23-year-old was ready to start a life with his 20-year-old high-school sweetheart. The couple was saving up money for a white-picket-fence home, which, for many, symbolized the American dream.

They had $1,100.

A replica of the original 6-by-12-foot Dog House out front. Credit: Ainhoa Palacios

"Honey, how important is this house you want? Because I really want to take our savings and build a hot dog stand," Portillo recalled saying to his wife. "There are no hot dog stands here in the suburbs, and we are from the city where there are hot dog stands on every corner."

From there, Portillo's vision became a reality in the form of a 6-by-12-foot trailer, dubbed The Dog House, in Illinois. With no running water, he said he remembers putting dirty dishes into a shopping cart, then wheeling them to his bathtub every day to wash. By 1967, the Dog House took off.

With a company that's expanded to locales like southern California, Indiana and Arizona over the years, Portillo attributes the brand's success to four things: quality, service, attitude and cleanliness. He emphasized service the most, which includes having five to six employees stand at the drive-thru line and take orders, making for a quicker on-the-go experience.

One of the restaurant’s assembly lines, where fresh salads churn out made-to-order. Credit: Ainhoa Palacios

And though it all started with those famed Chicago-style hot dogs, the Portillo's menu serves everything from charbroiled burgers to Italian beef sandwiches to salads; one of its most raved-about items is the chocolate cake.

The new Brandon location, featuring 1930s Prohibition-influenced decor and a double drive-thru line, employs more than 200 workers. Leading up to its April 12 opening, the restaurant has hosted a handful of private, invite-only events to test its operations. Many of the guests include summoned Portillo's fans from Chicago, and close to 5,000 people have been fed over the last five days, according to Portillo.

Cami Gibertini, chairman on the board at the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce, shared her enthusiasm for the 42nd Portillo's concept: "This is the most exciting thing we've (Brandon's) had in awhile."

This article appears in Apr 7-13, 2016.