Claire Thompson
Church's Texas Chicken was once a popular fried chicken restaurant in Wichita. However, in 2015, the franchise abandoned the Wichita market, leaving behind abandoned buildings. In 2019, one of these buildings, located at 1305 N. Hillside, was remodelled and painted in a bright colour palette of red, blue and yellow, reopening as Wichita Chicken. The new restaurant, owned by Abdul Melhem and his partner Hadi Hadi, offers fried chicken, spicy and regular chicken tenders, fried catfish, fried shrimp and sides. Interestingly, Melhem used to work at the Church's Chicken that previously occupied the building. While Wichita Chicken does not belong to the Church's franchise, Church's Texas Chicken can still be ordered in Wichita through Uber Eats, with menu items including hand-battered tenders, Honey-Butter Biscuits™, and Jalapeño Cheese Bombers®.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Church's Chicken's absence in Wichita | More than a year |
| Number of Church's Chicken restaurants in Wichita | 6 |
| First restaurant opening year | 2017 |
| Area of the first restaurant | 1,850 square feet |
| Features of the first restaurant | Drive-thru, new interior seating options, new exterior design with contemporary lighting |
| Wichita Chicken | A new restaurant that opened in the former Church's Chicken building in 2019 |
| Wichita Chicken's location | 1305 N. Hillside |
| Wichita Chicken's menu | Fried chicken, chicken tenders, fried catfish, fried shrimp, fried okra, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, jambalaya |
| Wichita Chicken's hours | 9 a.m. to midnight (Sundays to Thursdays), 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. (Fridays and Saturdays) |
| Church's Chicken's return to Wichita | Announced in 2017, with a plan to revive the chain in Wichita |
| Number of Church's Chicken restaurants closed in Wichita in 2015 | 5 |
| Church's Chicken's third restaurant in Wichita | Completed construction in October 2021 but delayed opening due to supply chain issues |
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What You'll Learn
Church's Chicken is making a comeback in Wichita, Kansas
Church's Chicken is indeed making a comeback in Wichita, Kansas, after being absent from the market for years. The quick-service restaurant chain has entered a development agreement with franchisee Wichita Restaurants LLC to bring six Church's Chicken restaurants to Wichita.
Mike Jizzini, the majority partner with Wichita Restaurants LLC, is a longtime fan of Church's fried chicken and has the franchise rights for the Wichita area, Salina, and Hutchinson. He announced his plan to revive the chain in Wichita in 2017, two years after the five remaining Church's Chicken restaurants in the city closed suddenly. Jizzini has been working on opening multiple Church's Chicken locations, with the first one opening at 13th and Oliver in 2019.
The new Church's Chicken restaurants will feature contemporary lighting, both inside and out, and the first restaurant will feature 1,850 square feet of space and a drive-thru. The remaining restaurants could feature up to 2,200 square feet of space. Jizzini plans to construct all the restaurants in new buildings, as the old ones were not in great condition, and he wants the chain to "come back with a better image."
The comeback of Church's Chicken in Wichita has been highly anticipated, with south-siders eagerly awaiting the opening of the next two locations at Harry and Hillside and Pawnee and Broadway. Construction on the Harry and Hillside site is expected to start soon, with an estimated completion time of a few months, aiming for an early fall opening. Work on the Pawnee and Broadway site will commence afterward and is estimated to take another four to five months.
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The first restaurant opened in 2017
In 2015, Wichita lost all five of its Church's Chicken restaurants, which closed without warning. Two years later, in 2017, Mike Jizzini, an engineer and longtime fan of the chain, announced his intention to revive the brand in the city. Jizzini, who had moved to Wichita seven years earlier, had franchise rights for the Wichita area, Salina, and Hutchinson. He planned to open new Church's restaurants and continue a family tradition of being in the restaurant business.
The first restaurant was scheduled to open in 2017, featuring 1,850 square feet of space, a drive-thru, and the new STAR Image Design, including new interior seating and an updated exterior with contemporary lighting. The remaining restaurants could feature up to 2,200 square feet of space. Jizzini entered into a development agreement with Wichita Restaurants LLC to bring six Church's Chicken restaurants to the Wichita market.
Jizzini faced some challenges in opening his first Church's Chicken restaurant at 13th and Oliver. He encountered opposition from those who believed the restaurant should be located elsewhere, but he remained confident in his chosen location. In late 2019, he successfully opened the first Church's Chicken, marking the brand's return to Wichita.
Despite the challenges, Jizzini continued working on additional Church's Chicken locations in the city. In 2021, his third Church's Chicken restaurant in Wichita was structurally complete, but supply chain interruptions delayed the opening. Essential equipment was back-ordered, pushing back the opening date. Jizzini remained committed to keeping the community updated and promised to announce an opening date once the equipment arrived.
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Mike Jizzini is the franchisee
Jizzini entered into a development agreement with Church's Chicken as the majority partner with Wichita Restaurants LLC. The agreement included plans to bring six Church's Chicken restaurants to Wichita, with each location in a new building. The first restaurant, located at 13th and Oliver, opened in late 2019 and featured a drive-thru and the chain's new STAR Image Design. The remaining restaurants were expected to feature up to 2,200 square feet of space.
Jizzini has franchise rights for the Wichita area, as well as Salina and Hutchinson. He faced some opposition when opening his first location at 13th and Oliver, but he always knew it would be a successful site. Jizzini's second and third Church's Chicken locations faced delays due to permit issues and supply chain interruptions. However, he remained committed to bringing the chain back to Wichita and providing customers with the Church's Chicken experience they know and love.
In addition to his work in the restaurant industry, Jizzini has a background in computer sciences, with double master's degrees in the field. His persistence and dedication to reviving Church's Chicken in Wichita demonstrate his passion for the brand and his commitment to providing a quality quick-service offering to the community.
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The third Church's Chicken is finished but not open
Church's Chicken is indeed making a comeback in Wichita, Kansas, after being absent for over a year. The quick-service restaurant chain entered a development agreement with franchisee Wichita Restaurants LLC to bring six Church's Chicken restaurants to the Wichita market. Mike Jizzini, the majority partner with Wichita Restaurants LLC, expressed his optimism about the chain's re-entry into the Wichita market, citing the growing demand for Church's Chicken and their plan to establish dominance among quick-service chains in the area.
Jizzini, an engineer and longtime fan of Church's Chicken, first announced his plan to revive the chain in Wichita in 2017, two years after the five remaining Church's Chicken restaurants in the city closed suddenly. Jizzini, who has franchise rights for the Wichita area, Salina, and Hutchinson, is committed to constructing new buildings for the restaurants, as he believes the previous locations were older and not in the best condition.
Despite the excitement surrounding the return of Church's Chicken to Wichita, there have been some delays in opening the third location. In October 2021, the third Church's Chicken location was reported to be finished but still awaiting its opening day. The franchisee, Jizzini, attributed the delay to supply chain interruptions affecting the availability of essential equipment. He assured that the restaurant was complete on the inside and outside, and the opening would be announced once the equipment arrived.
The first two Church's Chicken restaurants opened in Wichita, with the second one located at 13th and Oliver. The third location, which is facing delays, is also making progress with permits and construction. Jizzini expects construction to start in a month and a half, with an estimated completion time of a few months, suggesting an early fall opening. The fourth location at Pawnee and Broadway will follow, with construction expected to take another four to five months.
While Church's Chicken fans eagerly await the opening of the third location, it is important to acknowledge the challenges posed by supply chain issues. Jizzini has been transparent about the reasons for the delay and remains committed to bringing Church's Chicken back to Wichita, ensuring that the new restaurants meet the expectations of the community.
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Wichita Chicken opened in a former Church's Chicken building
The building was remodelled and painted in a bright colour palette of red, blue, and yellow. The new restaurant also features a drive-through. Melhem's most popular menu items include fried catfish and fried okra. Wichita Chicken is not the first restaurant to take over a former Church's Chicken building. Earlier in 2019, Krispy Krunchy Chicken opened in a former Church's Chicken location on North Broadway.
Church's Chicken abandoned the Wichita market in 2015, but engineer Mike Jizzini brought it back in 2019, opening a location at 13th and Oliver. Jizzini had franchise rights for the Wichita area, Salina, and Hutchinson, and planned to open multiple locations in the city. However, the opening of Jizzini's third Church's Chicken location in Wichita was delayed due to supply chain interruptions.
Wichita Chicken's hours are 9 am to midnight from Sundays through Thursdays, and 9 am to 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant is located right across the street from a Popeyes Chicken.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Church's Chicken is making a comeback to Wichita, Kansas, after being absent for years.
The first restaurant was scheduled to open in 2017, but it is unclear if it did. As of October 2021, Mike Jizzini's third Church's Chicken restaurant in Wichita was still awaiting essential equipment before it could open.
Locations include 13th and Oliver, Harry and Hillside, and Pawnee and Broadway.
The menu will feature fried chicken, chicken tenders, fried catfish, fried shrimp, and sides like fried okra, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, and jambalaya.
