COURIER L 12 IFE, SEPT. 20-26, 2019
Locals line up
for Chick-fi l-A’s
Brooklyn debut
WELCOME: Franchise owner Brandon Hurst welcomes the fi rst patrons of the new Chickfi
l-A location, who lined up outside the storefront at 7 a.m. Chick-fi l-A
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
The chicken has landed!
Southern fried chicken chain
Chick-fil-A celebrated the grand
opening of its inaugural Kings
County location in Prospect Heights
on Thursday.
Brooklynites hankering for the
Georgia-based poultry purveyor’s
golden-fried fowl endured long lines
that stretched out the door and
down Flatbush Avenue from the eatery’s
newly renovated storefront between
Pacific Street and Fifth Avenue,
where one fan said the wait to
get inside was nothing compared to
the wait for Chick-fil-A’s Brooklyn
debut.
“It’s about time they had one
around here,” said Crown Heights
resident Jared Foyer. “I’m very excited.”
The chicken chain’s arrival
across the street from Barclay’s Center
sets the stage for a food-fight with
next door neighbor Shake Shack —
which sat mostly empty on Thursday
as Chick-fil-A staffers struggled
to fry up enough chicken to satisfy
the overwhelming demand.
But the owner of the new Chickfil
A location didn’t want to boast,
saying he only hoped to be a good
neighbor.
“I’m so excited to open our doors
to this community and to offer our
guests an environment where they
can enjoy great food and comfort
with friends and family,” said Brandon
Hurst.
Hurst’s neighborly talk belies the
cut-throat recruiting tactics the eatery
employed in the weeks prior to
Thursday’s opening, when a Chickfil
A operative allegedly tried to
poach staff from a nearby juice bar
— much to its owner’s chagrin.
Hurst denied any involvement in
that incident and blamed the incident
on a rogue corporate employee.
While the restaurant’s new workers
may or may not have juicing experience,
the eatery expects to employ
approximately 120 staffers to
run the chicken joint everyday except
Sunday — when all Chick-fil-A
locations are closed to conform with
the Southern Baptist values of its
now-deceased founder.
Those religious roots have landed
the chain at the center of multiple
controversies, including forking
over big bucks to fund Christian
organizations that discriminate
against the LGBTQ community, according
to a Think Progress report .
But Hurst said everyone is welcome
to enjoy his tasty fried chicken,
saying politics in Georgia won’t affect
his business here in Brooklyn.
“If you can love yourself, that’s
all we care about here,” he said.
17 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11238
718 638 7600
www.uniontemple.org
A Reform Jewish Congregation
We invite
your family
to join us
for Rosh
Hashanah &
Yom Kippur
Free for everyone!
Sept. 29–30 & Oct. 8–9
Tot’s Services • Children’s Services • Adult Services
Childcare is available
For details and schedule, visit
HHD.union-temple.org or call 718-638-7600
WELCOME TO THE JJAZZ AGE
At the Post Theater, Bldg T4, Ft. Tilden, NY
Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Adapted for the stage by Simon Levy
Directed by Frank Caiati
September 20th, 21st, 27th, 28th/October 4th + 5th at 8PM
Matinees: September 22nd + 29th/ October 6th at 2PM
Tickets: Adults $20.00. Seniors/Children- $15.00
Tickets may be purchased on our website:
www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org
Please Note: Online ticket purchases close 24 hours prior to show date, however,
tickets may still be purchased, at our box office, one hour prior to showtime.
Program is supported, in part, by public funds from the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs + the office of Councilman Erich Ulrich
/www.uniontemple.org
/www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org
/www.uniontemple.org
/HHD.union-temple.org
/www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org