Jake Harper
R&B superstar Usher opened the first Georgia location of Dave's Hot Chicken in Conyers in partnership with two of the brand's original franchisees, Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali. The Grammy-winner owns the franchise's first restaurant in Georgia, which is located at 1447 Highway 138 SE. The store hosted a soft launch on Thursday, featuring a drone show that told the company's story.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Conyers, Georgia |
| Owner | Usher |
| Franchise partners | Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali |
| Founders | Arman Oganesyan, Dave Kopushyan, Tommy Rubenyan, Garry Rubenyan |
| Number of locations | Over 140 in the US and Canada |
| Menu | Chicken tenders, chicken sliders, shakes, fries, milkshakes, vegan options |
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What You'll Learn
R&B singer Usher is a major investor
Usher invested in the chain earlier in 2024, partnering with two of the brand's original franchisees, Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali, to bring the chicken chain to metro Atlanta. The restaurant, located at 1447 Highway 138 SE, is the first of nine planned Dave's Hot Chicken locations in Georgia by Feghali, Kourie, and Usher. Kourie said of the partnership:
> "Usher's love for Atlanta and the people of Atlanta is remarkable. He loves Dave's, and it was just a natural fit."
Usher himself said in a statement:
> "I’m excited to be involved with the brand, and bring Dave’s delicious tenders and sliders to people across Atlanta. Dave’s Hot Chicken is some of the best hot chicken I’ve ever had."
Dave's Hot Chicken was started as a pop-up in an East Hollywood parking lot in 2017 by co-founder Arman Oganesyan, chef Dave Kopushyan, and brothers Tommy and Garry Rubenyan. It has since grown to more than 140 locations across the U.S. and Canada.
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Usher partnered with franchisees
R&B superstar Usher has partnered with franchisees to open the first Georgia location of Dave's Hot Chicken in Conyers. The restaurant opened on 30 August 2024.
Usher invested in the chain earlier in 2024 and partnered with two of the brand's original franchisees, Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali, to bring the chicken chain to metro Atlanta. Kourie said:
> Usher’s love for Atlanta and the people of Atlanta is remarkable. He loves Dave’s, and it was just a natural fit.
Usher has lived in Georgia for over a decade and has performed in the area several times. He said in a statement:
> I’m excited to be involved with the brand, and bring Dave’s delicious tenders and sliders to people across Atlanta. Dave’s Hot Chicken is some of the best hot chicken I’ve ever had.
Usher owns the Conyers location along with his franchise partners Kourie and Feghali. It is the first of nine planned Dave's Hot Chicken locations in Georgia. The Grammy-winner previously opened an Inman Park location of the wine bar and bistro franchise Grape in 2006, but it closed in 2009.
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The first Dave's opened in LA in 2017
The first Dave's Hot Chicken opened in East Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 2017. It was founded by a trio of friends from L.A.'s Armenian community: Arman Oganesyan, and two others who were not named. All three were high school dropouts, and they pooled together $900 to start what they believed would be a successful Nashville-style fried chicken stand.
The original Dave's Hot Chicken was a parking lot pop-up, and it quickly became one of L.A.'s most astounding small-business success stories. The chain expanded to over 100 locations in four countries by mid-2022, with a presence in the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom. As of 2025, Dave's Hot Chicken has around 320 storefronts, with 800 more planned. The company was acquired by private equity firm Roark Capital in June 2025 in a deal valued at $1 billion.
The founders of Dave's Hot Chicken have described their inspiration as "In-N-Out meets Howlin' Rays [Hot Chicken]". They see themselves as a kind of In-N-Out for Nashville hot chicken, but with a global reach. The company's franchise and expansion plans involve 99% of restaurants being franchise-owned-and-operated, with a few company-helmed restaurants to staff training teams that can help open new franchise locations worldwide.
The first Dave's Hot Chicken in Georgia, located in Conyers, opened in August 2024. The restaurant is owned by R&B singer Usher, along with his franchise partners Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali, two of the longest-tenured Dave's Hot Chicken franchisees.
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Dave's Hot Chicken offers vegan options
R&B singer and Grammy-winner Usher is a major investor in Dave's Hot Chicken and owns the first Georgia location in Conyers, along with his franchise partners Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali. The Conyers location is the chain's first Peach State location and its opening was celebrated with a drone show. Dave's Hot Chicken now has over 150 locations across the U.S., with additional locations in the Middle East and Canada.
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The Conyers store owner is Lawrence Kourie
R&B superstar Usher opened the first Georgia location of Dave's Hot Chicken in Conyers on 30 August 2024. The Grammy-winner owns the company’s first Georgia location, in partnership with two of the brand’s original franchisees, Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali. The Conyers store owner, Lawrence Kourie, is one of the longest-tenured Dave’s Hot Chicken franchisees.
Dave's Hot Chicken was started in 2017 as a pop-up in an East Hollywood parking lot by Arman Oganesyan, chef Dave Kopushyan, and brothers Tommy and Garry Rubenyan. The restaurant became popular for its hot chicken tenders and sliders with a variety of spice levels ranging from no spice to Reaper. It now has over 140 locations in the United States and Canada.
Usher said in a statement that Dave's Hot Chicken is some of the best he's ever had. He also added that he was excited to be involved with the brand and bring Dave’s delicious tenders and sliders to people across Atlanta. Kourie also shared that Usher's love for Atlanta and its people is remarkable, and that he loves Dave’s, so it was a natural fit.
The interior of the Conyers location is Atlanta-themed, with a painting of the city’s skyline. The menu includes hot chicken tenders, chicken sliders, shakes, fries, and vegan options like "Dave's Not Chicken" cauliflower. The store hosted a soft launch on 29 August 2024, featuring a drone show by Sky Elements that told the company's story.
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Frequently asked questions
R&B singer Usher is a major investor in the Conyers location of Dave's Hot Chicken.
Usher partnered with two of the brand’s original franchisees, Lawrence Kourie and Andrew Feghali, to bring the chicken chain to metro Atlanta.
Dave's Hot Chicken has over 140 locations in the United States and Canada, with plans for nine locations in Georgia.
The menu includes hot chicken tenders, chicken sliders, shakes, fries, and vegan options like "Dave's Not Chicken" cauliflower. Chicken is available at seven different heat levels, from "No Spice" to "Reaper".
The restaurant opened on 30 August 2024.
