New Wichita and San Antonio locations tickle Chicken N Pickle itch for expansion
October 3, 2018 | Austin Barnes and Tommy Felts
North Kansas City’s Chicken N Pickle is picking up speed faster than a pickleball soaring across one of the business’ popular courts, said Laurie Morrissey.
Hatched within eyesight of the downtown Kansas City skyline, the entertainment venue is making a game-changing serve with its fast-casual approach to community recreation and the evolution of America’s fastest growing sport -– pickleball, said Morrissey, communications manager for Chicken N Pickle.
“You can get your workout in and eat,” she said of the restaurant, bar and indoor/outdoor complex that boasts eight courts and plenty of room for cornhole and other games.
“I view this as kind of the Brooklyn of Kansas City,” Morrissey said, describing the up-and-coming North Kansas City business and entertainment scene.
Beyond its flagship location at 18th and Burlington, Chicken N Pickle will soon find a new customer base with the launch of its Wichita complex early next year.
A newly announced third venue will drive the company south, with work on a 4-acre San Antonio complex scheduled to begin soon. San Antonio residents should be pickling, poaching, and punching their way around Chicken N Pickle courts by late 2019, Morrissey said.
“[We’ve talked about] locations in Dallas and Nashville,” she said of other possible expansion opportunities the company could take a swing at within the next year.
Keep reading below the photo gallery.
Belly up to the bar at Chicken N Pickle to find KC Bier Co. products flowing through the taps. It’s part of a commitment to serving great, local beer and elevating other Kansas City entrepreneurs through neighborhood collaboration, Morrissey explained.
Chicken N Pickle currently shares a parking lot with Restless Spirits Distilling Company, opening a door for potential partnerships, she suggested.
Community elevation doesn’t stop with the entertainment venue’s drink and locally sourced food offerings, revealed Kelli Alldredge, charity coordinator and vice president of special events. Chicken N Pickle is dedicated to community involvement through charity work, she said.
Work with local organizations like Wayside Waifs and through events like Jazoo are the company’s way of supporting their home community and thanking Kansas City for its support-rich, startup climate, she said.
Featured Business
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
How an animal health leader’s $130M investment in KC will boost its fight against canine parovirus
ELWOOD, Kansas — A $130 million investment from global animal health leader Elanco is a testament to Kansas’ pro-business economy, said Laura Kelly, lauding this week’s expansion announcement and its plans to bring 70 new jobs to the region’s animal health corridor over the next two years. “Elanco’s expansion not only is creating new job…
Staying transaction-ready in uncertain market conditions
Editor’s note: The perspectives expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. The following is a paid thought leadership piece from The Ferguson Smith Cohen Group at Morgan Stanley. In the face of market uncertainty, one thing private companies can control is their “transaction-readiness” for an IPO or secondary offering. Discover three things a company…
Zee underscores artists’ need for positive venues; creative powerhouse opens pocket of support
Zahra Briggs developed her creative voice in Kansas City; now she’s setting the stage for fellow independent artists who struggle to find venues that match their vibe — and often have to pay to perform. She’s even creating a version of herself in the metaverse to open access further. A singer and songwriter herself, Briggs — who…
MyAnIML earns NSF funding, patent; now facing new phase of growth with industry validation
Thanks to a recent federal grant — along with a newly secured patent on its first-of-its-kind, proprietary facial recognition tech for cows — MyAnIML is proving its place as a leader within a herd of ag innovation, Shekhar Gupta said. The Overland Park startup received a 250,000 Phase I grant from the National Science Foundation…