Proposition Chicken, the fast-casual eatery with a menu focused on fried and rotisserie chicken, has announced plans to open in Oakland this fall, its first expansion since its debut in Hayes Valley four years ago.
For their second space set for 3260 Lakeshore Avenue, restaurateurs worked with San Francisco-based Bartlett Brands, which also designed the eatery's logo. A company representative said the new location will have a similar feel to that of Market Street, with some new features.
The former Oakland grocery store is currently still under construction, with an anticipated opening date of September 13th.
The restaurant company is jointly owned and operated by Ari Feingold (Outside Lands Music Festival, Straw), Elizabeth Wells (Southpaw BBQ and Brewery), and Maxwell Cohen (Straw).
"We are thrilled to open this new location in Oakland,” Feingold said in a statement. "We’d been looking at spots for over two years, and with no exaggeration I can say that when we first stepped onto Lakeshore Avenue, we knew that it was perfect."
Among the features headed to the new space are a huge chicken by artist Ernest Goh, two other neon signs of chickens, a tile patchwork piece and locally-sourced woods for bar tops from Heritage Salvage in Petaluma.
Proposition Chicken offers diners a choice between fried chicken, slow-roasted rotisserie or crispy BBQ tofu and that can be ordered as a sandwich, salad or entrée.
Chickens are sourced from Mary’s Free Range; most menu items are priced between $3 and $13.
Wings, chicken strips and sides like brown sugar Brussels sprouts, bone broth, and matzoh ball soup are available as well.
According to a press release, in the last couple of years Proposition Chicken has donated ten percent of its dine-in sales on Mondays to a local nonprofit.
About $17,000 has been distributed to local nonprofits such as Dress for Success, San Francisco LGBT Center, Homeless Youth Alliance, American Cancer Society and the San Francisco Film Society.
The restaurant owners expect the program to double in size with the new Lakeshore location. Local nonprofit Hip Hop for Change was announced to be the first to be supported once the Lakeshore location opens.
The nonprofit wants to educate people about socio-economic injustices and tries to advocate solutions through hip hop culture. Proposition Chicken plans to focus solely on nonprofits in the East Bay with its Oakland spot.
"With this new location, we can reach an entirely new community with whom we are excited to share our delicious fried and rotisserie chicken," Feingold said.
Nonprofits can apply to receive donations. And interested future patrons in Oakland can sign up to receive updates about opening events.
