Chester’s Chicken franchise coming to Hay River

A former diamond mine worker is to open a fried chicken franchise in Hay River.

Dwayne Buhler told Cabin Radio he first heard of Chester’s Chicken while working at Diavik Diamond Mine as a mechanic.

“Once I gave it a try, I had to agree it’s really, really good food,” he said.

Buhler, who lives in Hay River, decided he wanted to change careers and realized he could be the one to bring a franchise to the town.

To him, in the two-week periods he spent back home when not on-shift at the mine, there were few options for quick and simple meals in Hay River.

In a few weeks’ time, he’s hopeful his new restaurant will fill that gap.

Chester’s will be located in the Caribou Centre, sharing the building with a laundromat, barbershop, and music studio.

Word about the franchise has spread quickly, helped in part by a large “coming soon” sign out front.

“[The response] has been overwhelmingly positive,” Buhler said.

“I’ve had a lot of community support – local people coming to me, assisting me with setting up, helping out, and continuously asking me when it’s going to open.”

For those wondering, Buhler is aiming to be up and running by the end of February or early March.

Buhler says he chose Chester’s because it’s a smaller franchise, and with smaller franchises come smaller costs.

But a small franchise doesn’t mean a small selection, he added. Sandwiches, wraps, salads, and fries will be among items on the menu.