After closing its location in 2019, Slim Chickens announced a new location in Gilbert later this year, located at the northwest corner of Power and Elliot Roads in Morrison Ranch.
The chain was announced as the newest tenant coming to Morrison Ranch Commercial Center, along with Jersey Mike’s Subs, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Black Rock Coffee Bar, and Fry’s Food Store, according to Gilbert Now. The new location will be owned and operated by Barnett Management Company, which announced in 2021 that it signed a franchise agreement with Slim Chickens to open 32 locations in Arizona over the next ten years, becoming the exclusive operator in the state.
“We believe strongly in investing in our employees and treating people well,” Barnett Management partner Barnett Jacobs said at the time of the announcement. “In our 42 years of operating Burger Kings in Arizona, all of our managers started at lower positions and worked their way up. Everyone pitches in and cares for one another. That philosophy has brought us great success, and we expect Slim Chickens in Arizona to do very well with that approach.”
The brand is known and loved for its hand-breaded, cooked-to-order tenders and passionate followers within its markets. Over the last five years, Slim Chickens has experienced substantial development growth, with over 1,200 signed agreements in the pipeline. Slim Chickens targets several national markets, including Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Boston, and overseas in the United Kingdom, the European Union, Turkey, and the GCC. The upcoming shopping center is under construction, so an exact opening date for the new Slim Chickens has yet to be determined.
“Slim Chickens is one of the nation’s fastest-growing restaurant brands,” Jackie Lobdell, vice president of franchise development at Slim Chickens, said in a press release in 2021. “I brought this opportunity to Tom Barnett because he came highly recommended as an exceptional multi-unit operator. I could not be more excited about our partnership and expanding our brand in Arizona with the Barnett team!”
