Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken is coming to East Vine Street in downtown Lexington this winter.
The restaurant, which started in Mason, Tennessee, more than 30 years ago, will occupy the back half of the former Coachcraft location on Main Street, where Carson’s is also located.
Wendy McCrory, the owner of Gus’s, said the company had been scouting for ideal locations for its expansion, and Lexington felt like a “natural fit” for the restaurant.
“Lexington feels like a very inviting and open community, and everyone has seemed very excited about having us,” McCrory said. “I think having the University [of Kentucky] there is a plus, too.”
Gus Oyler, who is partnering with the company to operate the new Lexington franchise location, said that restaurant will bring a family-friendly option to the growing downtown area, in addition to serving as a community melting pot in terms of its regular clientele.
"It attracts people and families from all walks of life," said Oyler, a University of Kentucky graduate who was introduced to the Gus's concept while working after graduation as a financial adviser in Memphis, Tennessee. "And everyone's always happy. ... With everything that's going on in the world, everyone just puts that all aside and comes in and equally enjoys the chicken."
Oyler said finding the right location for his Gus's franchise has been a two-and-a-half-year process, including seven months working nights as a manager in the Memphis restaurant to learn what it takes to do the job well. While the concept is well-known in Tennessee, Oyler said, it has been difficult to find beyond the state, and he's pleased to be bringing it to Kentucky, which in some ways has taken its own fried chicken heritage for granted.
Gus’s was originally founded in 1984, with a proprietary chicken recipe dating back to the 1950s that was inherited from the restaurant founder’s parents. The new Lexington restaurant will stay true to the restaurant's original 1950s bluesy jukebox feel, Oyler said, but he expects it to develop its own local personality as well. Gus's will offer sit-down and takeout service, as well as delivery and catering options, and beer will be available as well.
Phil Holoubek, the developer on the project, said the restaurant will be a great addition to the east side of downtown, and the location’s proximity to Town Branch Commons, the urban linear park slated for construction in 2018, will serve the new dining venue well.
“I think this is going to be a great location for Gus’s,” said the developer on the project, Phil Holoubek. “The restaurant’s front door will open right onto Town Branch Commons.”
Oyler said the restaurant will feature an outdoor patio, and he plans to make the restaurant bike-friendly for Commons users looking to hit the brakes for a quick bite on the way.
Gus's currently operates 22 locations across 11 states. McCrory said that the company is on track to open between 10 and 12 new stores in 2017, although the concept's preference for older buildings can make fit-up a challenge.
“We like to go into places that have some character, and that maybe weren’t a restaurant before,” McCrory said. McCrory said that older structures contribute to Gus's dining experience in a way that extends beyond a tasty plate of chicken, to evoke a comforting atmosphere, a fond memory or a warm emotion.
Renovations will start soon on the East Vine location, and McCrory said the restaurant is aiming to open possibly as soon as December. But don’t expect a whole lot of grand opening fanfare, McCrory said, because Gus's typically opts for a simpler introduction.
“We are kind of quiet when we open,” McCrory said. “We typically just flip a sign and wait for the word to get around.”