A legal notice published in this week’s News-Press confirms that Famous Dave’s of American Inc., a pit barbecue restaurant chain with headquarters in Minnesota, is closing in on inking a lease to locate a franchise restaurant at the former site of the Original Pancake House in the Broaddale Shopping Center at 344 W. Broad St. in Falls Church.

The City of Falls Church’s Economic Developent Office confirmed this to the News-Press yesterday.

While the contract has not yet been signed, it is pending a successful outcome in a petition to the F.C. Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) for a variance. The variance application requests permission for a wall sign to be 44.27 square feet in area, instead of 10 square feet, which is the current restriction for that site. The BZA will hear the petition for the variance at its Jan. 13 meeting.

Famous Dave’s has locations in 37 states and is best known for its award-winning pit barbecue ribs. It offers a catering service in addition to sit-down restaurants.