The Red Chickz opened a 2,800-square-foot restaurant at The Shoppes at Carlsbad, marking the Los Angeles-based hot chicken brand’s first franchise outside the Los Angeles area. Its franchisees, the Shlemon family, brought decades of local restaurant experience to the deal through their longtime ownership of Abbey’s Real Texas BBQ.
The Shlemons have owned Abbey’s Real Texas Barbecue for 40 years, according to WhatNow, and a few years ago also acquired their neighbor, Philadelphia Sandwich Co. Angelique Shlemon, who oversees marketing for the family’s concepts and founded RoseUp Media Group, told WhatNow that the family wanted to learn how a franchise operates before expanding into franchising. The Red Chickz is at 2525 El Camino Real, Unit 217. The family brought the brand to North County in 2023, replacing the former Pluck United site, according to a permit filing noted by WhatNow San Diego.
Angelique Shlemon told WhatNow that the family assessed The Red Chickz’s food, staff, owners, service and branding before choosing to partner with the chain. Eater San Diego reported that brothers Mathew and Mark Shlemon were set to operate the Carlsbad restaurant while running Abbey’s Real Texas BBQ and Philadelphia Sandwich Co. Eater also reported that Carlsbad was the first of three Red Chickz locations planned for the San Diego area, and described the Los Angeles-based brand as having built a large TikTok following.
What's on the Menu at the Carlsbad Outpost
WhatNow reported that the menu features halal chicken, hand-breaded and made to order after a multi-day marinade, with spice options from no heat to extra-extra hot. Offerings include signature sandwiches, tenders, shrimp, cauliflower, chicken-and-waffle combinations, bowls, salads and tacos. Bowls come over potato wedges or mac and cheese.
The Carlsbad restaurant has counter and app ordering, an open-format dining room and an expansive outdoor patio, according to WhatNow. It employs about 20 people, offers catering, serves roughly 10 beers on tap, and also sells milkshakes and desserts. The location is approaching its third anniversary on December 2.
A Family Business With Decades of Local Roots
The Shlemons’ restaurant experience includes barbecue: Matt and Athena Shlemon own Abbey’s Real Texas BBQ in San Diego, according to the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. LISC said it provided the business a $105,000 SBA Community Advantage loan in 2016 to refinance existing debt. The Shlemons have also said they plan to eventually franchise their barbecue business, according to WhatNow.
Angelique Shlemon told WhatNow that learning from The Red Chickz’s operating systems helped the family run the Carlsbad location. She said the family hopes to grow while maintaining food and service quality. WhatNow reported that Shlemon Hospitality Group is focused on expanding its portfolio while preserving the qualities that define its restaurants.
The Red Chickz's Broader Franchise Push
The Carlsbad deal fits into a wider expansion pattern for The Red Chickz, which was founded in 2018 by Nima Christensen and Shawn Lalehzarian, according to Eater San Diego. The brand has also signed franchise development agreements to expand in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and enter Las Vegas, as reported by Fast Casual.
Accounts differ on exactly when that franchise push began: Franchise Times reported the program launched in 2021 and that the brand had signed agreements for 18 locations, including three in San Diego with franchisee Mattie Shlemon, while WhatNow San Diego reported the brand began offering franchise deals in early 2022 to expand across Western states including California, Nevada, Arizona and Texas. Franchise Times also reported 2021 gross sales of $1.22 million at the brand's corporate Los Angeles restaurant, up from $1.05 million in 2020, and put the total investment to open a Red Chickz franchise at between $398,500 and $856,400, including a $40,000 franchise fee. The brand's co-founder told Franchise Times that the Los Angeles area already has 30 to 40 Nashville hot chicken joints, framing the continued growth as evidence the category still has staying power.
Other Hot-Chicken Openings in San Diego County
Other chains were also announcing San Diego County hot-chicken openings around this period. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Dave’s Hot Chicken was set to open its fourth county location in Oceanside on March 10, 2023. Later, Patch reported that Houston TX Hot Chicken, also known as HHC, was set to open its first San Diego-area location in the Gaslamp Quarter on Sept. 21, 2024.
