With a freshly-painted rooster perched atop of what once was the Chick ‘n’ Deli, locals can stop wondering what happened to their long-standing chicken institution. The newly-named People’s Chicken is now open for business. After 30 years under its previous moniker, restaurant and rooster alike received a well-earned refresher prior to re-opening to the public last Thursday.
Operator of the popular nightspot, Steve Amuno, says that the response so far has been positive for the restaurant, now complete with a new interior, patio and extended dance floor.
“Last Thursday (the opening) was really busy. Friday was good, Saturday steady and Sunday extremely busy,” he says. “We think it can only get better from here on.”
The initial plan was for the renovations to take two months, but it ended up taking nearly four, casting doubt as to whether it would open its doors again.
“[People] got angry when the renovations started taking longer,” Amuno says. “There was a delay in what we wanted to do, so for the first two months, the place sat with papers on the windows.”
But why the name change?
“I can’t even tell you how many [phone calls] I’ve gotten with people asking why we changed our name,” Amuno says. “It encourages curiosity.”
“We wanted to open the door to everybody, so changing the name around, we feel will attract a lot of people.”
Located half a block south of Eglinton along Mount Pleasant Road, the restaurant hasn’t altered it’s focus from its two main staples that kept it in business for three decades: chicken and music.
“Most people know us for the chicken wings and the live music. We’re one of the only restaurants in the city that has live music seven days a week,” Amuno says. “This place can be packed.”
The wait seems to have been worthwhile, as interest continues to grow with passers-by regularly stopping to see the main board out the front of the property, which displays the weekly bands, including veterans of the live music circuit, Robbie Lane and The Disciples.
With summer quickly dwindling away and patios soon to be dismantled across the city, anyone who wants to check the new place out may want to do it while the sun still shines on the patio (and the rooster).
People’s Chicken, 744 Mount Pleasant Rd, 416-489-7931