Dave’s Hot Chicken announced it has inked a franchise agreement with Scott Bocek to open 12 locations throughout the Greater Baltimore Area.
“We are excited to partner with Scott Bocek and Capitol Q Restaurants to grow Dave’s presence in Maryland,” says Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “Their long-established presence in the DMV area will be an asset to bringing our cult-following concept to those communities.”
The Dave’s Hot Chicken model works well in a variety of floor plans. The team is seeking 2,000 to 2,500 square feet endcaps and freestanding locations, with drive-thru infrastructure a plus. Real estate developers should contact Brody Tennant at (443) 574-1600 to review available space.
“Once we saw the tremendous growth in the hot chicken category, it was a priority area for our portfolio expansion plans. After watching the success of its openings in new markets, Dave’s Hot Chicken was the clear front-runner,” adds Scott Boeck. “The simplicity of the brand’s operations, along with the passionate and experienced leadership team, booming fan base and delicious food made them extremely attractive and the choice to invest is a no-brainer. We’re eager to grow Dave’s Hot Chicken in the Baltimore area.”
Before starting Capitol Q Restaurants in 2005, Bocek was the Director of Operations for Chipotle for seven years, where he cultivated the management skills that will be crucial to operating his Dave’s Hot Chicken locations. Capitol Q Restaurants has owned and operated seven Qdoba restaurants in the DMV area for more than 16 years.
“Scott’s experience as a multi-unit restaurant operator makes him the perfect fit to bring Dave’s to the state of Maryland,” says Shannon Swenson, VP of Franchise Development at Dave’s Hot Chicken. “We’re continuing to make our entry into new markets, and partnering with Capitol Q Restaurants brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of signing 300 new units across the U.S. in 2022.”
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 599 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.