Dave’s Hot Chicken, the Los Angeles-based street food sensation turned breakthrough fast-casual brand, announced today it has inked a franchise agreement with William, Debra, Kris and Alex Humphries to open 10 locations throughout the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, specifically Carver, Washington, Hennepin, and Ramsey Counties, as well as Minnetonka and North Loop.
“I’m thrilled to introduce our craveable product to Minnesota with a group of passionate and experienced operators like the Humphries family. Their ties to the area and expertise in owning and operating multiple restaurant brands and units will be key to the success of the brand in the Minneapolis area,” says Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “People will soon be craving our delicious chicken in the Twin Cities, just like our other legions of fans around the country.”
The Dave’s Hot Chicken model works well in a variety of floor plans. The team is seeking 2,000 to 2,700 square feet endcaps and freestanding locations, with or without drive-thru capacity. Real estate developers should contact Roger Lenahan, Cambridge Commercial Realty, at 612-720-9185 to review available space.
“My family and I were really excited at the prospect of bringing an exciting brand like Dave’s Hot Chicken to our home in the Twin Cities area. After doing our due diligence, trying the product and meeting the brand’s leadership, we knew this was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” says Kris Humphries. “Dave’s Hot Chicken checks all the boxes for the kind of restaurant brand we want to be involved with, and has all the potential for massive growth. We’re excited to see what the future holds for the brand in the Twin Cities.”
The Humphries family is well-versed in multi-unit franchising, owning and operating several Five Guys locations throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin since 2009. They are also involved as franchisees with Crisp & Green. Additionally, Kris Humphries had a 14-year career as a professional basketball player in the NBA, playing for nine teams during his career.
“The Twin Cities area has been a market we’ve been wanting to break into for some time now. Now, we’re getting to do it with a group of operators who are both excited about introducing Dave’s Hot Chicken to Minnesota and have the experience to do it successfully,” says Shannon Swenson, VP of Franchise Development at Dave’s Hot Chicken. “I’m looking forward to seeing what success is in store for them.”
Founded by Arman Oganesyan and classically-trained chef Dave Kopushyan and two friends in early 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken initially opened as a parking lot pop-up, with lines quickly wrapping around the block. Since then, the brand has exploded in popularity and now has over locations in the United States and Canada. Today, the fast-casual brand has its sights set on growing throughout the United States and currently has more than 565 units committed since announcing the franchise initiative in 2019.
Specializing in hot chicken tenders and sliders, with spice levels ranging from “No Spice” to “Reaper,” each restaurant also serves sides of house-made Kale Slaw, creamy Mac & Cheese and crispy Fries or Cheese Fries.
Dave’s Hot Chicken offers a robust business model, including national and local marketing support, proven systems, manuals and operating procedures, as well as assistance with site selection. As the brand expands, it is seeking qualified, experienced, and passionate restaurant operators and franchise groups to develop the concept in key markets.
