Visitors to Wonderland Village in Livonia will soon have a new spot to grab a bite when they finish shopping at the outdoor plaza.
Guy Fieri, the self-appointed mayor of Flavortown, announced his plans Monday for 20 new Chicken Guy! locations in south Michigan as part of a partnership deal with The Tomey Group, a family consortium of franchisees.
Fieri is expanding his regime of mouth-watering creations into Motor City territory and beyond. A Livonia site will be the first of the new spots to open April 1 at 30130 Plymouth Road, becoming the eighth installment of Fieri’s fast-casual line of chicken-centric cafés.
“We don’t do anything small. We’re not like that,” said Anthony Tomey, CEO of the Farmington Hills-based group. “So we said if we’re going to do this, let’s do the whole thing.”
The Tomey Group already has a presence in metro Detroit’s food landscape. It owns and operates 45 area Jimmy Johns locations. The group also owns 8 Mile Vodka and an apparel brand dubbed Born in Detroit.
Group reps revealed in December that it had joined the Chicken Guy! team, when they signed on to open spots in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Livingston, Washtenaw, and Monroe counties over the next several years.
A second location could open along Hall Road in Shelby Township later this year, according to those plans.
Chicken Guy! is known for its shakes, 22 tasty dipping sauces, a gourmet chicken sandwich and tenders cooked in a brine of fresh lemons and pickle juice.
On Tuesday, Tomey told What Now Detroit he’s stoked to be in business with Fieri, the Emmy Award-winning TV personality known for dropping in on popular eateries across the country as host of the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
“We’re pumped for this,” he said. “It’s going to be a new experience for us and the area’s really excited.”
A Major League pitching prospect, Tomey was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2003 and played several seasons for the organization before trading in his 90-mph fastball for a flourishing businesses portfolio.
Chicken Guy! currently has seven locations in six different states. Tomey and his team will stamp the restaurant on the map in Michigan and are poised to become the brand’s largest franchisee.
The Livonia site is set up to have a drive-thru and 35 indoor seats. It will feature bright colors inside and an Instagram wall with several photos of Fieri, where guests can snap pictures.
“It’s a cool vibe,” Tomey said. “It has a rock atmosphere and we’re bringing the Jimmy Johns mentality to it with quick service. We’re going to get people in and get them out, move the line. We’re just going to kick ass and kind of go strong with it all day.”
