COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As Hot Chicken Takeover's founder reflects on the brand's legacy, new details are emerging that paint a stark financial picture, including confirmation that the Columbus chain was sold for 50 cents.
Joe DeLoss, who launched the Nashville-style hot chicken concept in 2014, said in a statement to NBC4 he's grateful for the community that rallied around the business and its mission of second-chance employment.
How incoming age verification law for adult content may affect Ohio residents"I'm feeling really grateful to have been part of something that meant so much to so many people," he said. "Years out now from leading HCT, I'm reminded what was most important about our work was always what that asterisk in the logo meant. It was something much bigger than chicken, something way more to the story.
"It meant investing in relationships, treating one another with dignity and kindness, and always acknowledging ways we could grow and serve better. I'm forever thankful for the community of people that made HCT so magical. To all the guests, partners, and most importantly, the team, thank you."
The final Hot Chicken Takeover location, at Columbus' North Market, shuttered on Sept. 20 after parent company Craveworthy fell into default on its lease. Since its closure, it's come to light that the brand was struggling financially for several years. Restaurant Business Magazine reports Craveworthy paid $1 for Hot Chicken Takeover in 2024 alongside a fast-casual Mediterranean chain, meaning each was sold for just 50 cents.
"There's a reason why it was a dollar transaction," Craveworthy CEO Gregg Majewski told the outlet in a Sept. 22 interview. "Sales were tanking."
Nonprofit aims to keep formerly incarcerated people out of jailCourt records show Craveworthy is facing multiple lawsuits from Columbus-area landlords, totaling more than $100,000 in unpaid rent. One property owner, Green Alpine, obtained an eviction order in August after the company failed to pay more than $16,000 in rent for its Gahanna site.
Majewski told the magazine that Craveworthy attempted to keep Hot Chicken Takeover alive through restructuring, but the company was unable to reach agreements with landlords. "Of course there is [unpaid rent]," he said. "That's part of the restructuring process."
He also confirmed that plans to merge the concept with Craveworthy's Chicago-based Budlong brand under the name HCT: Southern Chicken had been abandoned.
"We thought it was in the best interest for us not to put the effort in because there was no getting out of it," Majewski said.
Licking County orchard again targeted in apple theftsMajewiski didn't respond to NBC4's request for an interview.
The North Market closure followed a string of shutdowns in recent weeks, including restaurants in Grandview Heights, Gahanna and Westerville. Earlier this year, Craveworthy also closed locations in Clintonville, Easton Town Center, and Lewis Center.
In a Sept. 23 statement, Craveworthy said it had "invested countless resources and fought tirelessly to rebuild and grow Hot Chicken Takeover," but the concept had become "unsustainable." Craveworthy said it remains proud of the effort to preserve the brand for as long as possible, and that "Columbus will always be the home of Hot Chicken Takeover."
Whether HCT: Southern Chicken could be revived outside central Ohio remains unclear.
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