According to this article in the Savage Pacer, Minneapolis isn’t going to have a Popeye’s monopoly on people taking cabs from Burnsville any longer (1:25 in the video above–still as hilarious as ever). That’s right, Popeye’s Fried Chicken is coming to Savage (as well as 13 other metro locations) and taking over the closed KFC location at the corner of CR-42 and MN-13!
From the article:
Earlier this year, a KFC franchisee who owned 14 stores in Minnesota went bankrupt and sold the buildings to Popeyes. KFC tried to block the sale, preferring to keep the stores as KFC franchises, and even came through with a last-minute bid that was higher than Popeyes. However, the bankrupt franchisee’s main creditor, GE Capital, preferred the smaller Popeyes offer because of trust issues with KFC.
[...]
According to a report by the Star Tribune, Popeyes chief financial officer Mel Hope said he hopes that the 14 new Popeyes in Minnesota, which will also include locations in Hopkins and Bloomington, will open within the next four months.
I have to admit that I have never been, and will never be, a fast-food fried chicken fan. I much prefer to cook it the way it was intended: in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop. That said, it’s clear from that video from a few years ago, people in Minnesota are willing to go so far as to take a $30 one-way cab ride from Burnsville to get a couple of pieces of fried chicken for the same price they could get it from Cub on any given day so it must be fantastic.
What do you think? If a local 14-store KFC franchise went under do you think Popeyes would make it instead? Are you going to be waiting in lines up and down CR-42 and MN-13 behind cabs from Faribault to get a taste of Popeye’s when it opens up sometime in the future? Whatever you have to say about this one, go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear your thoughts–and whether you took a cab from Burnsville to read this post.
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December 20th, 2012 at 7:58 am
I’m not a KFC fan either, but I’ve heard Popeye’s is really good (I admit I’m also intrigued by their crawfish) for fast food chicken.
December 20th, 2012 at 8:42 am
We moved to Minnesota from Maryland where we were able to get our occasional Popeye’s fix just a few miles from home. Now we get it when we drive to Colorado in the summer, I think around Lincoln NE. Really those two visits per year are enough. I can’t believe there will now be a Popeyes within walking distance.
I love their spicy chicken but would bet anything they’ll tone it down for Minnesota. I like getting rice and beans for a side dish rather than fries. But we won’t be going there much since we are now too old to be eating fast food fried chicken.
I think it might do OK at first because it’s new but probably won’t do any better than KFC. That’s not a great location, kind of inconvenient to get in and out of that strip mall and there’s a Taco Bell and Wendys on that corner along with Lee Ann Chin, Arby’s, Subway, Dominoes, Davanni’s, etc. right in the neighborhood.
But I am kind of excited to hear this news.
December 20th, 2012 at 8:46 am
I heard the closed KFC in Rosemount is another of the metro locations. Never had it, not too excited to try it.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:22 am
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December 20th, 2012 at 9:54 am
I’ve had Popeye’s up on Lake St. It’s okay, but growing up on Bojangles, it just leaves me wanting.
December 20th, 2012 at 10:33 am
This and the Chick-Fil-A locations will all follow the same path as Sonic, Krispy Kreme, etc. Inexplicable hype – complete with Prior Lake PD having to direct traffic – and then after a visit or two, people will realize there’s nothing at all special about it.
December 20th, 2012 at 10:53 am
I remember a story (years ago now) about that Popeyes in Minneapolis, it turns out that one of the owners was Dr. John Najarian who was a pioneering heart surgeon at the U of M medical school who did heart transplants.
He probably thought of it as a long term investment to get new patients down the road.
December 20th, 2012 at 10:55 am
Nurd, they mention him in the video but I believe they said he no longer owns the chain.
December 20th, 2012 at 11:10 am
I liked Popeye’s a lot when I lived in Texas. Not enough to drive to Savage, but I’d go to one in Rosemount if they take over the KFC location there. Like Carol, I hope they don’t blandify it for Minnesota palates.
December 20th, 2012 at 11:20 am
I am pretty certain Popeye’s is blandified enough as it is.
Someday I may reveal my “Lefty’s Theory On Restaurant Flavor” model to all of you. It is 100% accurate in my research.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Bill, Yeah I was wondering about the video, as our companies firewall has it blocked off, so I didn’t see it.
December 20th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
N52, weird, the code was in the post but wasn’t working. I edited it and it’s back up again.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Hmm, I guess I didn’t know the KFC in Rosemount had closed. I need to get around more often and/or stop being satisfied with Raising Cains? Regional chains…I can’t imagine it is much different that what we had with KFC and If I rarely go to Rosemount, I have to imagine that Savage will be even less likely.
February 8th, 2013 at 1:45 pm
I got an e-mail about this a few weeks ago but Savage won’t be getting Popeyes after all. The world is ending: http://www.savagepacer.com/news/savage-not-getting-a-popeyes-after-all/article_fbd6e7c9-e45c-516d-ac9f-45541a8f5124.html
February 8th, 2013 at 4:53 pm
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