Test kitchen, meeting venue in works for English Village

The corner of Cahaba Road and Fairway Drive is a prominent spot in English Village, and while some think it should be reserved for retail, a new use is proposed for the space.

Chester’s International, LLC, which owns and operates hundreds of in-store, quick-serve fried chicken restaurants, throughout the United States, moved its headquarters to 2020 Cahaba Road in 2012.

In February, the company began leasing 2037 Cahaba Road, which is across the street from its headquarters and the former home to IZ Cafe.

IZ Cafe closed in April 2016 due to low levels of sales, and the space has transitioned a few times since the restaurant left.

In May, the Mountain Brook City Council considered a conditional use permit to allow the location to be used as an office space, when the zoning code favors retail.

“There was certainly some discussion among the council members about the desire to have more retail,” said Council President Virginia Smith, but she added that the space itself has limits.

Because of the facility already being outfitted with a full commercial kitchen, as well as its location on the corner — which Smith explained gives it issues with outdoor seating and parking — it isn’t ideal for just any tenant.

“We’ve seen several businesses there not succeed,” she said. “And so, my approach to this was that this would be a viable space.”

The location will be referred to as the Culinary Innovation Center, which while being outfitted with a working kitchen, will be used more as a showroom for potential franchisees and a gathering spot for the Chester’s team.

In a letter to the council, Chester’s CEO Ted Giles said the meeting space will be state of the art, utilizing video conferencing and other technology to connect the headquarters with employees around the country.

About twice a month, the location would be used for coming up with new menu ideas and testing recipes.

In his description of the Culinary Innovation Center, Giles said it would be outfitted in a similar manner to that of the corporate office, with “tasteful decor” featuring farm tables and other inviting furnishings.

With potential franchisees and developers coming to Mountain Brook instead of the company’s Montgomery office, Giles said the location would still provide sales tax revenue, as visitors would utilize local restaurants and shops, and many frequently stay at the Grand Bohemian hotel.

Additionally, he said that Chester’s use of the space would provide tenant stability without creating the need for more parking.

Smith said while she understood the concerns of her fellow council members, she wanted to see how the facility would impact the village before writing off the idea.

She said she can see how the facility would provide traffic to the rest of English Village’s businesses.

In its May vote, the council added a caveat that it could revoke the conditional use permit after four years or if the facility closes.

Representatives from Chester’s International could not be reached for additional comment at press time. 

For more information about the company, visit chestersinternational.com.