Dave’s Hot Chicken is in city permitting to renovate the closed Pollo Tropical restaurant in North Jacksonville, a location that had been of interest for Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.
Dave’s Hot Chicken franchisee Jesse Allen said Oct. 8 the lease was signed in June for the property at 730 Skymarks Drive in River City Marketplace.
Allen said no contractor has been chosen for the project, which is estimated at $950,000 in the permit application. He expected work to be completed and the restaurant opened by early February 2026.
“We believe in this site so strongly we said, 'it’s gotta be there,' ” Allen said.
He said Xera Realty Inc. owner Matt Demir was the group’s broker.
The site is between McDonald’s and VyStar Credit Union, south of Max Leggett Parkway and east of Airport Center Drive. The site is east of Interstate 95.
The 3,307-square-foot building was developed in 2012 on 1.23 acres.
The property owner and landlord is Le-Chic Corp. of Delray Beach. Pollo Operations Inc. of Addison, Texas, sold the property in 2013 to Le-Chic Corp. for $2.54 million.
Allen said the restaurant will have indoor and outdoor seating and the drive-thru will remain. Plans indicate 68 inside seats and 24 on a patio, totaling 92. He anticipates hiring 40 to 45 employees.
Allen is part of Dave’s Hot Chicken franchisee JAX 03 LLC. He said the franchise group comprises five members.
He said it will be the third Dave’s Hot Chicken in the area, after the first two opened in Gainesville and St. Johns Town Center. Three are planned in Ocala, Orange Park and St. Augustine.
Pasadena, California-based Dave’s Hot Chicken has more than 200 locations.
The restaurant serves tenders, sliders, fries, kale slaw and macaroni and cheese. Its seven spice levels range from none to “Reaper.”
Raising Cane’s
As of May, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers was considering the River City Marketplace location.
City utility JEA issued a service availability letter May 28 for a 2,863-square-foot building there for Raising Cane’s. While not specified as a scrape-and-build, the sketch plan showed the new restaurant was smaller than the existing building.
A JEA review means a project is being explored and not that a decision has been made.
It was the third closed area Pollo Tropical identified for Raising Cane’s.
Pollo Tropical closed those locations, its last three in Jacksonville, in February.
Raising Cane’s has not responded to a request for comment.
Raising Cane’s opened its first Jacksonville location at 8308 Merchant’s Way in Oakleaf Station at southwest Argyle Forest Boulevard and Merchants Way in Southwest Jacksonville.
Three more are identified for Mandarin, Town Center and Regency.
In Mandarin, a JEA service available determination letter and application showed Raising Cane’s at a site of a closed Pollo Tropical at 10989 San Jose Blvd., south of I-295 on an outparcel of the Mandarin Corners shopping center anchored by Walmart Supercenter.
At The Markets at Town Center, JEA issued a service availability letter for a “scrape and build site plan” at 4863 Gate Parkway where Pollo Tropical closed.
In Regency, JEA issued a service availability letter for a “scrape and build site plan” on 1.34 vacant acres on an outparcel of the former Regency Square Mall property at 9501 Arlington Expressway that is slated for redevelopment at The Nexus at Regency.
The 29-year-old Raising Cane’s chain is based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Its menu comprises box combos of chicken fingers, fries, coleslaw, Cane’s Sauce, Texas toast and drinks. The sandwich combo comprises three fingers on a toasted bun.