Where in Lafayette, Louisiana Will Southern Classic Chicken Be Opening? New Details Emerge

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - A little over two years ago, it was announced that the Shreveport-based Southern Classic Chicken would be opening locations in Lafayette. However, in the wake of that announcement, there has been absolute silence on when and where the restaurants would open.

However, it sounds like we may just have an update.

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The Acadiana Advocate is reporting that there is movement on the chain opening its first Lafayette locations. The first step is getting one of the proposed locations rezoned so that it can be purchased.

Jessie Fontenot with JA Fontenot Enterprises is seeking to rezone property at 4603 Johnston St. from commercial heavy to commercial mixed to allow for the restaurant and other businesses to be built at the 2.85-acre location at the corner of Johnston Street and Lana Drive, records show.

The item will go before Lafayette Consolidated Government’s city zoning commission meeting at 5 p.m. Dec. 18.

Fontenot, who said the purchase of the property is contingent on getting the property rezoned, is planning the restaurant at the site along with what would likely be the third Scooter’s Coffee in the Lafayette area and a 7,500-square-foot building for retail.

The property referenced seems to refer to an empty lot across Johnston from Courtesy and across Lana Drive from Legends on Johnston. If that is the case, and if it is working to expand that area to include both the chicken chain and another Scooter's Coffee location, that would increase drive-thru traffic in the area.

If the rezoning of the property goes through, according to The Advocate, then it could close by March, and construction would begin not long after.

The property used to belong to Sharon Moss, the paper explained, though it was sold to RaceTrac in 2017 for $.1.85 million. The gas station/convenience store chain never began construction.

The old Moss building is still standing on the property, along with an empty lot next to it.

Southern Classic has branches throughout Louisiana, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas, and in particular along I-49 - Shreveport, Natchitoches, and Alexandria - where it is exceedingly popular among its regular customers.

It is also planning a Covington location opening in March.