AQ Chicken House partners plan to open new store in 2025

Developers for the new AQ Chicken House in Springdale have submitted plans to the city for design and development review. The well-known restaurant closed March 18, 2023, but a Springdale family plans to relocate the business with a target opening date of 2025.

According to a Monday (July 22) press release, the 13,041-square-foot restaurant, of which 10,167 square feet is enclosed, will be family-friendly and community-centric and honor the brand’s rich history. A physical address has yet to be assigned, but the new restaurant is planned to be built northeast of the Walmart Supercenter along North 48th Street at the Elm Springs Road exit, west of Interstate 49.

“Key features of the new build include an outdoor area for kids, outdoor covered dining, dedicated carry-out for meals to go, unique ‘silo’ dining rooms, an ice cream room for made-on-site premium ice cream, and a bright, updated design that honors the past while inviting new generations,” the release shows.

Rogers-based Core Architects is the designer. A general contractor has yet to be selected. Groundbreaking for the new restaurant will take place after the project comes before the city and planning commission.

The plans submission marks the start of the city’s permitting process, which comprises collaboration between the development team and city staff over the coming weeks. The process includes addressing questions or comments regarding the restaurant’s design and proposed location.

“This is an exciting step forward in reviving a beloved landmark in Springdale,” said Jacob Lively, AQ Chicken House partner. “After months of planning, design and pre-development work, we are excited to advance toward the construction phase of the new AQ Chicken House.”

In September, Catalyst Capital, a single-family office organized last year by Springdale’s Lundstrum family, closed a deal to buy the rights to the restaurant’s name, recipes and branding. Catalyst Capital comprises four principals: Tom and Robin Lundstrum, their daughter Gracie Lively, and her husband, Jacob Lively.

The new restaurant is expected to feature the original recipes that made AQ Chicken House famous, according to the news release.

“We want the new AQ Chicken House to be a community gathering space, a place where families can come together and create lasting memories,” Tom Lundstrum said. “We are committed to preserving the legacy of AQ while bringing it into the future with thoughtful design and modern amenities.”

SIGNATURE FRIED CHICKEN
Roy Ritter opened AQ Chicken House – AQ stands for Arkansas Quality – on July 20, 1947, when chickens were raised and slaughtered behind the restaurant along a dirt road now known as U.S. Highway 71. Ritter, a poultry industry pioneer, longtime University of Arkansas Board of Trustees member and Springdale mayor, served southern-style chicken dinners to tourists and area visitors amid a need for sit-down restaurants north of Springdale.

According to the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame, when the restaurant first opened, the Chicago Tribune ran a story about its opening, and over the years, people from across the nation, came to try the signature fried chicken.

In 1952, Vice President Alben Barkley ate there. In 1998, President Bill Clinton had pan-fried chicken there with friends after the dedication of Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, now known as Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA). President George W. Bush was served AQ chicken aboard Air Force One during a campaign stop at XNA in 2000.

Other AQ owners included Frank Hickingbotham, who created TCBY Enterprises Inc., and Ron Palmer, who owned AQ for 17 years before selling it to Dick Bradley in 1998. The restaurant is a three-time finalist for the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, including 2019, 2020 and 2021.