Entrepreneurs behind new dining option In Uptown undaunted by challenges for the restaurant industry
CHX founders believe their premium-quality fast casual menu will be a big hit in its new Hennepin Avenue location despite pandemic aftereffects, civil unrest.
MINNEAPOLIS, June 28, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Three friends from childhood are teaming up in an especially challenging time for restaurants in Minneapolis and announced today a soft launch of July 2nd, as the date they will swing open the doors to an unconventional dining option in a hard-to-miss Minneapolis location.
CHX (pronounced "Chicks"), the brainchild of Frederick Huballa, Shawn Edwards and Marques Johnson, will start serving diners a simple yet flavorful made-from-scratch menu with chicken tenders and biscuits as centerpieces.
The three young men are planting their entrepreneurial hopes in Uptown at 2210 Hennepin Ave. S., where they will share dining space with Pizza Shark.
"We saw there were people doing chicken concepts, but we saw an opportunity to do it better," said Huballa, co-founder and the culinary visionary. "We are premium fast casual. I think that's how we'd like to define ourselves. And if that's a new genre, then we hope to be a leader."
The trio of entrepreneurs defines premium as the highest possible quality of offerings that customers demand.
"What we've learned is that people will pay for quality," said partner Shawn Edwards, who brings operating experience to the mission. "By using the best ingredients, a lot of which have been locally sourced, we feel our product is differentiated from others. We have partnered with local brands like Skinny Jake's Fat Honey and will continue to partner with local companies that improve the quality of our products and experience."
CHX attracted lines around the block for weeks early last year as it dished chicken tenders and homemade biscuits from a takeout window in Pourhouse, a popular Uptown nightspot. Taking advantage of underutilized kitchen space in the midst of the pandemic was the perfect opportunity, but the trio was ultimately looking for a more permanent home.
"The best time to play offense is when everyone else is playing defense," said partner Marques Johnson, who is the marketer among the three friends. "There is a lot of opportunity. Fast-food casual and takeout have performed tremendously during the pandemic as people look for a quick alternative. We are another option, but with a fine dining twist."
Huballa and Edwards grew up in Minneapolis, and Johnson in St. Paul. They are devoted to their community and have committed to giving back as their business takes hold and flourishes. A plan is in place to give away 50 meals a week for the first 52 weeks to organizations in youth athletics, education and extracurricular programs.
"We are community focused, and we want to give back to the community," Johnson said. "At the end of the day, change starts from within and doing your part. We want to be a great story in a community, which is very much healing, by giving back. Ultimately, we want to inspire others while we do our part."
Huballa expressed pride in he and his friends making a statement of pride through their business. "I believe the fried chicken's origin and authenticity comes from the Black experience in America, and there isn't a large chain that has been successful or been presented from the Black perspective in the comfort fast-casual food space," he said. "We're home-grown. We're from there. "I think we offer inspiration and a beacon as African-Americans. Sometimes you go places, and you don't feel welcome. We want to offer more of a light than anything else."
And the trio has dreams beyond being a centerpiece of the healing in Minneapolis. "Our goal is to open 100 restaurants and share our concept with fried chicken fans all around the United States," said Frederick Huballa.
Attention producers, editors, and reporters -- To make coordinating interviews and taste sampling easy and hassle-free – contact publicist Robb Leer 612.701.0608
About CHX: Three longtime friends founded CHX in 2020 as a one-window takeout outlet and have moved into a much larger location in Uptown, where they will serve a tasty fast-casual menu featuring breaded chicken tenders and homemade biscuits from 100 percent fresh and premium ingredients. CHX is located at 2210 Hennepin Ave. S., the former D'Amico & Sons.
For more information, visit https://chxmsp.com, email [email protected], or call 612-759-1787.
CHX is on social media at http://bit.ly/CHXInstagram, http://bit.ly/CHXFacebook and http://bit.ly/CHXLinkedIn. Deliveries available with Door Dash & Uber Eats.
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Media Contact
Robb Leer, 6127010608, [email protected]
SOURCE CHX
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