atlanta real estate news tagged interest

A development group is bringing several locations of a chicken franchise to the Peach State.

Jim Bennett and Rusty Skalla have signed on to open 15 units of Slim Chickens in Georgia and South Carolina.

Bennett and Skalla are partners from Peachtree Development andamp; Investments, a commercial real estate development company specializing in developing single-tenant commercial properties, specifically in the quick-service restaurant space.

Skalla said they discovered Slim Chickens when meeting a client at the restaurant, and it sparked their interest in opening some locations themselves. He told What Now Atlanta they were drawn not only to the food, but the Southern hospitality of the brand: It’s not the kind of place where you’re rushed along.

“We bring the food to the table and check on you during your meal,” he said.

Peachtree Development andamp; Investments opened their first Slim Chickens location in Evans, followed by Statesboro earlier this year. Their third Georgia location opened in Albany this week. The Augusta area is eyed for the next Georgia restaurant, following the next one in South Carolina, Skalla said.

Slim Chickens first opened in 2003 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and now has more than 250 locations in 34 U.S. states, as well as in the United Kingdom. The company has a goal of opening more than 600 restaurants over the next decade.

The menu includes chicken tenders and wings, sandwiches, mac and cheese, milkshakes and a variety of housemade sauces.

Skalla’s top recommendation? The chicken and waffles.

“We sold over 230 orders just yesterday,” he said. “It’s a hot item.”