Popeyes Manager Buys Kennedy Fried Chicken

The new owner of Binghamton's Kennedy Fried Chicken spent more than a year overseeing operations at the Popeyes restaurant across the street.

Omer Sheikh of Johnson City has been busy over the past few weeks cleaning and remodeling the Kennedy Fried Chicken place at 159 Main Street on the West Side.

The 35-year-old Sheikh said he spent about 14 months as general manager at the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant on the other side of Main Street.

Sheikh was excited when he learned of the opportunity to acquire Kennedy Fried Chicken from the local owner.

Since the old restaurant closed about a month ago, Sheikh and other workers have been updating the interior and exterior of the building.

Sheikh initially had expected to be in business by the end of April but the needed work hasn't been completed. He now believes the new Kennedy Fried Chicken will be open in about two weeks.

Sheikh said the restaurant is going to be "clean and neat." He wants customers to have "a very good experience."

Sheikh noted some people had heard Kennedy Fried Chicken had been bought by the people at Popeyes. He said that's not the case, although the current Popeyes general manager happens to be his cousin.

Sheikh said he expects customers will be impressed by his new restaurant.

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