Owensboro’s Slim Chickens will be a unique location for the company. Company officials were in town on Thursday to help make sure everything is ready for the March 4 opening.
The restaurant is located at 3724 Frederica Street, on the former Texas Gas campus. The location will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week. The business boasts its southern hospitality and fresh chicken on their menu.
“By focusing on providing only 100% fresh, all-natural chicken tenders that are buttermilk-marinated, hand-breaded and always cooked fresh-to-order, the brand has committed to providing a ‘better chicken’ experience that can’t be found anywhere else,” a release from the company says. “In addition, a choice of 17 housemade sauces adds exceptional flavor and has earned admiration from both guests and critics alike.”
The restaurant also offers fresh sandwiches, salads, wraps, and its signature chicken and waffles. Rotating desserts served in Mason jars are also available. All chicken items on the menu come fried or grilled.
Owensboro’s location is part of the Houchens Food Group (HFG) family of brands.
Marketing Manager Savannah Watkins and Houchens District Manager Andy Baker said Thursday that the location will have an acrylic mural on the entry wall that is unique to Owensboro.
Baker also noted that Owensboro’s building is different than the restaurant’s other 250+ locations. It has a smaller-than-traditional dining space, with more focus on the drive-thru and third-party purchasing.
For those looking for an outdoor dining experience, the location also has an enclosed space with heaters for the colder months.
A few months after opening, Watkins said, the restaurant will begin hosting “Spirit Nights,” when schools and organizations can sign up to receive 15% of the sales from a night of business. Watkins said the system is easy to navigate for all registrants. Organizations can register for a Spirit Night every 6 months.
“The system automatically populates flyers and social icons, and you put in where we would mail the check. The next day we pull the numbers and mail the check. It’s a really seamless process,” Watkins said.
Baker said they expect a full staff to be 140 workers.
Slim Chickens opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The brand has since celebrated more than 250 locations across 34 U.S. states, as well as international locations in the United Kingdom. The release says the company has an overall goal of opening 600 restaurants in the next decade.
Houchens Food Group is a subsidiary of Bowling Green-based Houchens Industries, a 107-year-old company that is one of the nation’s largest 100% employee-owned companies. Houchens’ portfolio spans more than 13 industries including grocery, convenience stores, construction, and multiple franchise brands.
