Rockford’s Hangry Joe’s chicken restaurant announces grand opening

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – Hangry Joe’s, the Nashville hot chicken restaurant that will require a signed waiver to ordering its spiciest dish, has announced a tentative opening day.

According to the Hangry Joe’s Facebook page , the locally owned franchise will hopefully be “flapping its wings wide open” at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 5, at 6150 E State Street, between Sketchers and Crumbl Cookies.

Owner Brandon Wilhelm, whose family opened the first Subway in Rockford back in 1986, started building out the Hangry Joe’s in June. He told Eyewitness News Wednesday that he’s putting the finishing touches on things and is optimistic that he’ll be ready to open by Sept. 5.

“I’m optimistic we’ll get there,” Wilhem said. “So far, [we’re] on track.”

Wilhelm said in a previous report that he decided to bring the unique chicken operation to Rockford after Hangry Joe’s founders contacted him and gave him a taste of the their food.

“The flavor just blew me away,” he said. “I said, ‘I’ve got to bring this to Rockford. We don’t have anything quite like this.’”

More information about Hangry Joes is on the restaurant’s website .

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