California-based chicken chain Dave’s Hot Chicken will open a location at 1501 Quentin Road in North Cornwall Township in early 2025.
In the commonwealth, the chain has existing locations in York, Mechanicsburg, Philadelphia, and a fourth opening soon in Willow Grove, and more than 120 stores nationwide.
The Lebanon site is the latest franchise for Mount Vernon, New York-based KP Ventures. KPV was founded in 2007 by Alex Smigelski, Tom Hughes, and Tom Carpenter, partners who met at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point.
The firm currently operates 35 Dunkin’ franchises, including the one at nearby 1950 Quentin Road, and the two closest Dave’s Hot Chicken franchises in York and Mechanicsburg, which opened in July 2023 and January 2024, respectively.
“It’s arguably the fastest growing QSR (quick-service restaurant) concept in the country,” said Smigelski.
KPV partners were first turned onto Dave’s Hot Chicken by a Dunkin’ operator based in Chicago, Smigelski said. A research trip to the west coast ensued.
“So when we went out to California to try the chicken, we were just blown away by how good the chicken itself was,” said Smigelski.
Dave’s Hot Chicken started as a 2017 popup in East Hollywood, with eponymous French Laundry-trained chef Dave Kopushyan overseeing the single-item menu featuring his hot chicken recipe.
Smigelski touted the quality and taste of the product, and although the menu has expanded slightly to feature kale slaw, macaroni and cheese, chicken bites, french fries, slushies and shakes, it remains a very simple menu.
“There’s seven different grades of spices you can get,” said Smigelski. “You can get it without spice, you can get it mild, or you can get it all the way up to reaper.”
MOD Pizza, which formerly occupied the site, closed abruptly in June as the chain downsized nationwide.
Read More: MOD Pizza in North Cornwall Township abruptly closes in โbusiness decisionโ
Smigelski said construction should start later this fall and he expects the firm will clean out the whole space and start from scratch. A February or March opening is tentative, and hiring of the store’s management team (manager, assistant manager, and shift leaders) should begin in the new year. Overall he said the store could land around 40 employees.
“From an employment point of view we have a people-first culture where we look to train our people,” said Smigelski. “We treat our people with the utmost respect, we look to have them become part of the family, we look to have long-term employees. Our goal is to provide the absolute best guest experience we can.”
And yes โ Smigelski is aware that another chicken restaurant opened down the road earlier this year to much local fanfare. He’s not worried though.
Read More: Chick-fil-A celebrates its grand opening
“Once you taste the chicken yourself, you’ll understand it,” he said.
And, he joked, “we know we can beat ’em on Sundays.”
Smigelski said he thinks the business will be an asset to the area and that the company already runs a good operation with the Dunkin’ just down Route 72 from the new Dave’s Hot Chicken location.
“I’m really pleasantly surprised by the growth that’s going on in Lebanon,” said Smigelski. “We think it’s one of the up and coming areas in south-central PA.”
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