A new chicken restaurant is moving into the former KFC on West Jefferson Street in Springfield.
Aaron Francis launched Pop-Up Chicken Shop in Bloomington in 2018 and opened a second location in Peoria last year. A third location is now in the works for Springfield, but he said he has even bigger plans.
“I’m licensing out my brand to a couple of awesome food and beverage operators from Bloomington,” Francis said. “We plan on opening up 20 stores, focusing on central Illinois first and then we want to move toward Chicago and Louisville, Kentucky.”
Francis said Pop-Up Chicken Shop originally operated on a limited basis but took off once he was able to move into his own building.
“We started out in a VFW hall (in Bloomington). I rented out a kitchen but I was only allowed to be open from 11-4, and we kept a line out the door every day. From day one, we’ve had a huge following,” Francis said. “Then in 2022, I took over an old Hooters and opened my first brick-and-mortar.”
Francis said both his Bloomington and Peoria locations are in large buildings, but he’s decided that going forward he wants to move to a fast-casual concept.
“It’s not super sustainable to open up full-service restaurants in today’s economy,” he said. “I really take care of my people and offer livable wages and careers. Between my two locations, I have 92 employees.”
Francis described the Springfield location as the “first drive-through concept,” although it also will have a small dining area for some inside seating.
The KFC at 1850 W. Jefferson St., along with two others in Springfield, all closed suddenly last year when EYM Chicken Operations and its parent company, Yum, shuttered multiple locations throughout central Illinois. The former KFC at 1111 N. Ninth St. was backfilled last month by California Kitchen after its previous location across the street was destroyed by fire. The 3150 S. Sixth St. restaurant remains vacant.
Pop-Up Chicken Shop focuses on a limited menu, primarily chicken sandwiches, wings and fried chicken. Its signature “Illinois hot chicken” is also offered as a horseshoe or with waffles.
Francis said the Springfield operators plan to apply for a liquor license and will sell frozen alcohol-based drinks. There will also be video gaming onsite. Francis said the building will need extensive repairs, since the property was vandalized while it sat vacant, but he hopes to have it ready to open by late May or early June.
