sneakybird Planning More Locations Following Gilbert

After recently opening a new location in Gilbert, sneakybird franchise owners are preparing to expand throughout Phoenix.

The company, led by Dan Chaon , the former CEO of Valley-based Native Grill & Wings, and his son, Nathan Chaon , recently opened a second location late last month at the Verde at Cooley Station shopping center at 3945 E. Williams Field Road in Gilbert under franchise owners J2E Investments LLC . Now, the franchise group tells What Now Phoenix that they plan to open more locations next year , including in Arcadia , Dove Valley , and other locations in the Southeast Valley .

“Our family — the team behind J2E — discovered Sneakybird while on vacation in Scottsdale last summer,” Jordan Strasser , the managing member of J2E Investments LLC, said in a statement. “We were looking for a healthy alternative to fried food — chicken in particular — and could not believe the quality. It kept us coming back day after day. By our trip’s conclusion, we set up a meeting with founder Dan Chaon and his team and made plans to open operations of J2E in Arizona to start the expansion process with him.”

Previously, What Now Phoenix reported on the franchise group signing a franchise agreement to open six locations over the next 18 months, including sites in Hudson Station in Queen Creek and Prasada in Surprise. These two locations are expected to open in the third quarter of 2024 . Sneakybird’s location at Verde at Cooley Station is part of the shopping center’s “Verde 2.0.” Other tenants coming to the shopping center later this year include Shatera Mediterranean Restaurant, Alfreditos Seafood, Origen Mexican Cuisine, and more.

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