Dave's Hot Chicken is circling the former Saladworks unit at 3812 Easton-Nazareth Highway in Lower Nazareth Township, with township records showing a demolition permit filed for the space. If the buildout moves ahead, the chain's Nashville-style tenders and sliders could land at Nazareth Crossing later this year and mark the first Dave's outpost in the immediate Lehigh Valley area.
Permit and timeline
According to Lehighvalleylive, Dave's has submitted a building-permit application in Lower Nazareth Township to demolish the former Saladworks space. Landlord Tom Carpenter told local TV he is hoping construction timing will allow the restaurant to open by mid-September, while township officials note that a separate tenant fit-out application still has to be filed and approved before any interior work can get going.
Where it would sit
The planned unit is in Nazareth Crossing on Route 248, an end-cap space that a Colliers leasing brochure lists at about 2,642 square feet and currently available for sublease. That marketing material underscores the spot's visibility along a busy retail corridor and points to strong traffic counts and nearby anchor tenants that have already drawn national quick-service operators to the strip.
Menu and what to expect
Dave's core lineup focuses on hand-breaded chicken tenders and potato-bun sliders, typically stacked with kale slaw and Dave's sauce. The menu is rounded out with sides such as mac and cheese and crinkle-cut fries, plus shareable items like mozzarella sticks and top-loaded milkshakes. The brand is also known for its seven heat levels, ranging from No Spice all the way up to the "Reaper" option, as laid out on the chain's local store and menu pages.
A fast-growing brand
The Nazareth plan comes as Dave's pushes rapid growth under new ownership. National reporting has noted private-equity firm Roark Capital's deal for the company, along with the sale of rights to hundreds of franchise territories and plans for dozens more openings this year. That aggressive expansion helps explain why franchisees and landlords are now hammering out sites in secondary markets such as the Lehigh Valley.
Next steps for the project
Township permitting and the tenant fit-out filing will ultimately dictate the build schedule, officials told Lehighvalleylive. For now, the closest Dave's Hot Chicken in the region is the Quakertown shop at 270 N. West End Blvd., according to the chain's store listing, so a Nazareth location would give more Lehigh Valley diners a shorter drive for those spicy tenders and sliders.
