Senayt Fekadu, an Eritrean immigrant, opened The Crispy Chick (5618 Woodland Ave., 216-331-4700) in the Central neighborhood back in 2019. From the start, she focused on doing a few things and doing them as well or better than anyone. Diners come to The Crispy Chick for golden brown fried chicken tenders that arrive in the form of sandwiches or platters with crinkle-cut fries, toasted garlic bread and coleslaw.
Even better, she offers those hearty, wholesome meals at prices that undercut most of the competition.
“It’s not just about the money,” she told Scene before opening the first location. “To me, it’s about providing quality food at a good price, it’s about employing local kids in the area. I want the kids to see somebody that looks like them owning a business, working open to close. I’m trying to show them what it takes to succeed.”
Now, six years after launching, Fekadu is expanding.
“I’ve been looking for awhile but wasn’t really finding a space that was within our budget,” she explains. “I was finally able to find something in Parma Heights.”
The building, a former Burger King (6671 Pearl Rd.), will offer indoor seating for 40 to 50 guests, a drive-through and the opportunity to improve an already successful brand and concept.
“It’s a little bit more refined now that we know what we are and what we want to do,” she says. “The aesthetics, the flow of the restaurant… that was all trial and error for me for the first store.”
There will be no major changes to the menu, save for the introduction of a couple new options.
“We will be adding a couple of items,” says Fekadu. “People have been asking for a salad so we’re adding a Caesar salad and a Caesar sandwich, but we are still trying to keep a very simple menu.”
The goal is to open the new Parma Heights location this fall.
There will be no changes to the Woodland Avenue restaurant.
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