The battle for chicken supremacy is about to start in Port Coquitlam.
Renovations are taking place now for the opening of a Mary Brown's Chicken at 130–2325 Ottawa St., off Lougheed Highway, bringing yet another quick service restaurant entry to the city.
Workers on site said they expect the store to open in about six weeks; a poster said hiring has already begun.
Mary Brown's Chicken, which opened last year in Port Moody, is on a major expansion in B.C.
According to Business Wire, Mary Brown's has more than 200 stores in Canada.
It is, however, a Canadian entry into the chicken sandwich business, having started in 1969 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
When Greg Roberts, a Newfoundland entrepreneur, bought the chain in 2007, there were just 67 stores. Since then, the brand has tripled in size with plans to reach 250 locations by this year.
According to the City of Port Coquitlam, the company took out a building permit for construction work valued at $180,000 in the mall that also includes Save-On-Foods, as well as Chipotle.
But it's the public's insatiable desire for tasty chicken sandwiches, and their many varieties, that may be behind the expansion.
Recently, Popeye's Louisiana Chicken opened at 2170 Hawkins St. in PoCo.
A U.S.-based company, Popeye's is also on an aggressive Canadian expansion with stores in multiple locations — primarily in B.C. and Ontario.
It plans to expand into Mary Brown's territory this year, according Retail Insider, with stores slated for Atlantic Canada.
