WINTER PARK, Fla. – After months of work, JAM Hot Chicken plans to begin the soft opening of its first brick-and-mortar location in Winter Park’s Hannibal Square on Tuesday.
The hot chicken pop-up turned restaurant made the announcement on social media Monday, saying that it would be open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, adding that those hours may vary as the staff gets its footing.
[ADD YOUR BUSINESS TO THE FLORIDA FOODIE DIRECTORY]
“We are starting off slow with a limited menu during this soft opening phase to our pars down and flow of service perfected,” the post reads. “(Bear) with us as we have a lot to learn but are going to strive each and every day to be better.”
JAM Hot Chicken originally announced it would be opening its first brick-and-mortar location in June.
The restaurant sits at 400 W. New England Ave. in Winter Park. Its menu focuses on Nashville and Los Angeles-inspired hot chicken.
Andrew Scala, the owner, said he was inspired to create JAM after his brother brought him to Howlin’ Rays in LA, where he tried hot chicken for the first time.
“It changed my life — the first time I had it,” Scala said on the Florida Foodie podcast.
Check out Andrew Scala’s episode of the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below:
Before attempting a brick-and-mortar location, Scala began doing pop-up service.
“(I) started doing curbside pickup straight from Instagram from my home — taking orders via direct message, kind of created like time slots. Did that for about like four or five times — like, for like four weeks consecutively — And then we did our second official pop-up at Whippoorwill.”
[TRENDING: Cruise ship with COVID-19 infections arrives in New Orleans | Video shows Range Rover burst into flames on I-4 in Orlando | Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
About a year later, Scala signed a lease for a location in Winter Park’s Hannibal Square.
“When we saw it, I fell in love with it,” Scala said. “It just kind of it just made sense. The timing was right. Got a great deal on the space and I just thought, ‘Why not now?’”
Use the form below to sign up for the ClickOrlando.com Florida Foodie newsletter, sent every other Wednesday.