Downtown Villa Rica is getting a new gathering spot this fall, as Collins Family Foods & BBQ prepares to open a second restaurant called Fish & Chicken at 219 W. Wilson St. The concept will serve fried and grilled chicken and fish, hot wings in a range of sauces, burgers, and specialty items like hushpuppy waffles and cheddar biscuit waffles, with Chef Deluka McCain Sr. heading up the kitchen.
According to WhatNow, owner Joe Collins said he wants Villa Rica to become a destination people know about and look forward to passing through. The new space is designed to seat 35 people inside, with additional outdoor seating, a bar, a record player, and an outdoor cornhole area rounding out what the report describes as a modern aesthetic blended with nostalgic touches. Fish & Chicken is expected to open in early November, per Collins.
The Wilson Street address has seen its share of turnover recently. The space previously housed Fong's Asian Market before briefly becoming Villa Steak 'N Seafood, according to The City Menus. As part of the project, Collins Family Foods & BBQ is also discussing a possible mural on the side of the building, the same outlet reports.
From Food Truck to Two Storefronts
Collins Family Foods & BBQ didn't start with brick and mortar. The business operated as a mobile food truck before opening its original restaurant at 218 W. Montgomery St. in downtown Villa Rica in October 2024, according to Business Debut. That first location built its identity around Memphis-style barbecue and St. Louis-style ribs, with sides like cornbread waffles. Fish & Chicken marks a departure into fried and grilled poultry and seafood while keeping the family name attached to a second Villa Rica storefront.
Alongside the expansion, the business has built a reputation for community outreach, including providing free meals to people experiencing homelessness in the Villa Rica area, the same report notes. Joe Collins said the restaurant team wants downtown to be a place where families want to gather, and that the business is trying to create jobs in the community and a family dynamic people can be proud of. Collins Family Foods & BBQ plans to continue strengthening its restaurants in Villa Rica going forward.
A Downtown on the Upswing
Fish & Chicken's arrival fits into a broader dining resurgence taking hold in downtown Villa Rica. That wave included the December 2024 reopening of Cajun restaurant Gabe's Downtown at 129 Main St. following historic building restorations, a project also tracked by Business Debut.
With Fish & Chicken slated to open in early November, Villa Rica residents will soon have two Collins family storefronts, one built on smoked barbecue and the other on fried fish, hot wings, and waffles.
