First reported in The Gazette, Slim Chickens will soon be springing up its third Colorado Springs location (and sixth in Colorado). Aiming for a late summer or early fall opening, the Southern-fried fast casual chain will aim to expand its Centennial State impact at 4265 Austin Bluffs Pkwy., according to L.O.V.E Restaurant Group vice president of operations Jason Greenway. Greenway, an Athens, Georgia native, signed on in 2021, citing the welcoming combination of the team and Slim Chickens’ craveable tenders, wings, sandwiches, salads, wraps, waffles, and more.
“I’ve been around a few Southern plates,” Greenway laughed. “The freshness of the food, high-quality products, handmade in house — hand-battered mushrooms, Better Milk-dipped chicken… It’s all cooked like grandma cooked it.”
Owned by partners Will Smith, Rick Stucy, and Ted Blank, the L.O.V.E. Restaurant Group has already developed 10 Slim Chickens in Colorado and Utah and has plans to bring several more to suburban shopping centers. Its location at 1864 Democracy Pt., for example, is right across the street from the Air Force Academy, and the store coming to Austin Bluffs Parkway and North Academy Boulevard is in the midst of the vast commercial tract in northeast Colorado Springs.
“It’s a growing community and a diverse community because of the military representation there,” Greenway said. “It’s an opportunity to reach out to people from all over the country.”
The approximately 3,000 square-foot Slim Chickens establishments offer up a homey atmosphere indicative of its Arkansas roots rising from a culture steeped in culinary worship.
“Food in the South is like religion,” Greenway said. “We want to tap into that idea.”
Where each store can fit about 80 to 100 guests, the open front porch is part of the concept. In Colorado Springs this will mean, essentially, a sunroom with garage doors on each end to keep closed in cold weather and open to the sun on warm days.
