A popular fried chicken restaurant in Fayetteville is celebrating the grand opening of its second location today, Jan. 13.

Barbara Ann’s Southern Fried Chicken has been serving the Fayetteville area since 2015, growing from a food truck to opening its first brick-and-mortar location in Hope Mills in 2022. Now, the Fayetteville-founded brand is opening a second location at 2800 Gillespie St. in Fayetteville.

Owner and manager Barnisha Ragin Graham shared that community support has been a key factor in the decision to expand.

“We started off really strong, and then it became even stronger. Word has gotten out on social media and by word of mouth, and we’ve been doing really well. Our catering has taken off, but it has been getting so busy here that we’ve outgrown our space, which is why we had to secure that second location,” shared Graham.

Along with the fan favorite fried chicken, the menu features a variety of Southern comfort foods, including red velvet waffles and mac and cheese. Exclusive to the Gillespie Street location, the restaurant will also offer fried seafood options such as shrimp and catfish. The team is also introducing a new menu item that will be featured regularly at both locations.

“With our turkey BBQ, we now have another option. We have our signature barbecue, and we also partner with a local business, Dwayne’s Sweet Heat BBQ, which we put on our smoked turkey—and that has actually been a hit,” shared Graham.

The new location, similar to the Hope Mills restaurant, is a quick-service restaurant designed to keep foot traffic moving. Barbara Ann’s Southern Fried Chicken on Gillespie Street is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting are planned for Jan. 30 in honor of Graham’s mother, Barbara Ann, whom the restaurant is named after.

For more information, follow Barbara Ann’s Southern Fried Chicken on Facebook.