Fast food lovers’ favorite chicken finger chain, Raising Cane’s, is officially coming to Manhattan. According to Commercial Observer, the restaurant’s first New York City location will be located at 10 Astor Place, a corner spot that was formerly a Walgreens.
The lease at the new NoHo location will be for 20 years, and is part of an expansion the chain is currently undertaking as it works to open 100 new locations throughout the country this year, adding to its current portfolio of 615 locations in 32 states.
“Raising Cane’s…wanted convenient, well-trafficked locations for their newest expansions,” said Donna Vogel, senior managing director of GFP Real Estate, the company that owns the building the space is in.
According to QSR Magazine, a Times Square location will also be coming soon. Though Raising Cane’s has not yet released the exact location, digital signs have been visible for some time now. The chain has not yet mentioned an opening date for either of the Manhattan locations.
Raising Cane’s founder, Todd Graves, dreamed of opening his chicken finger restaurant as a college student at Louisiana State University. He formulated a business plan for the restaurant, which he submitted as an assignment for one of his business classes, and ended up receiving the lowest grade out of his classmates.
He continued working toward his dream, presenting his business plan to numerous bankers and being turned down each time. However, despite repeated rejection and constantly being told that his idea would not work, Graves never gave up. He worked to raise enough money to finance his own dream, and today, Raising Cane’s is a billion-dollar restaurant chain that is continually growing.
For more information on Raising Cane’s and a map of their current locations, visit www.raisingcanes.com.
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