JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Kimball’s newest addition to the fast food market, Zaxby’s, was recently the host of its own ribbon cutting ceremony at Kimball Crossing plaza.
Zaxby’s is a popular fast food restaurant that first opened in 1990 in Statesboro, Ga. The restaurant grew into a fast food franchise over the decades, encompassing all of the Southeastern United States, providing customers with the businesses’ signature chicken tenders and dishes, as well as chicken-based salads.
Louis Garza, one of the new location’s owners, explained how one of the brand’s corporate franchisees Roost and Rice first acquired the brand’s concept back in 2016. The acquisition was made due to Zaxby’s’ concepts aligning with the franchisee’s standards for food, especially with the chain’s signature dishes.
“It fits who we are and it fits our people,” said Garza. “The food is delicious,”
Garza noted how it is a blessing to have a brand new location be open for business within the local community, a location hotly anticipated by residents of the area. He also stated a vital goal for Roost and Rice is to ensure a connective relationship with the community and hired employees, establishing strong ties and fellowships within Marion County.
“We really pride ourselves on fellowship while serving chicken,” said Garza.
Kimball Mayor Rex Pesnell stated how he and others on the town’s city board are excited to have a new and well-renowned restaurant opened within Kimball, one he felt was needed for a long time that help brings new employment opportunities to the town. County Mayor David Jackson also expressed the location’s grander benefits, stating how the restaurant will help attract not only new visitors to area coming in from I-24, but also will help draw in more business and revenue into both the community and county.
“It’s always a big benefit that we have another chain restaurant, or any type of restaurant come into the county,” said Jackson.
The ribbon cutting was hosted on Thursday, Nov. 20 by the county’s Chamber of Commerce, a few weeks after the restaurant officially opened. While already operational, the cutting nonetheless marked an official welcome with open arms to the Zaxby’s corporation within the county, a welcome long awaited by many residents throughout.