The bright orange modular building that will house Smalls Sliders arrived at 822 Beal Pkwy Tuesday morning, transforming the long-vacant former Hardee’s location.

• Franchise owner William Cone oversaw the installation of what’s known as the “can” — a modular restaurant building topped with a shipping container in the brand’s signature “Smorange” color. The structure was delivered on a tractor-trailer and lifted into place by crane onto pre-laid footers.

“A lot of people don’t get to see this — you drive by one day and there’s nothing here, and then you drive by a couple hours later in the morning and there’s a whole restaurant here,” Cone said at the site Tuesday morning.

This marks the fourth Smalls Sliders location for Cone’s franchisee group, which operates two locations in Ocala and one in Tallahassee. Following Fort Walton Beach, the group plans to expand to Florida’s Atlantic Coast, targeting Daytona Beach, St. Johns and Jacksonville.

The Fort Walton Beach location is expected to open in December. Work remaining includes concrete installation, landscaping, signage, an outdoor patio canopy and interior finishing.

• “Right now it’s just dirt,” Cone said. “All the concrete and landscaping will be put in, and all the signage will go up.” The new burger location will also include a canopy, outdoor patio and music in what Cone says will become a “real funky, awesome place.”

Cone said the group identified the Beal Parkway location due to its high-traffic intersection and a desire to bring a new dining option to Fort Walton Beach.

“There was a Hardee’s here for such a long time, and then obviously being in this area, there’s a lot of seafood options,” Cone said. “We wanted to bring something new, funky, and fresh into this area.”

The menu features cheeseburger sliders made to order with no frozen ingredients. Customers can order combo meals ranging from one to four sliders, along with waffle fries, milkshakes and queso dip. The brand is known for its signature “Smauce” topping.

• Options include the “Biggie Smalls” with double patties, and customers can add bacon, extra cheese or more pickles.

Cone said online reception to the news of Smalls Sliders coming to Fort Walton Beach has been positive.

“The more and more I talk with people and they understand that Smalls is coming, the bigger the sentiment grows in a positive way,” he said.

Despite Tuesday’s installation marking the most visible step in the process, Cone noted that reaching this point required nine months of preparation.

• “Watching something come to fruition after working so hard just to get to this point is just always great,” Cone said. “Even though this is the fourth one that I’ve done, it’s the same feeling every time.”

As part of the opening celebration, Smalls Sliders has selected Arc of the Emerald Coast as its local cause partner. The Fort Walton Beach-based organization, founded in 1992, supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.