Waldo’s Chicken and Beer wasted no time rolling out a second Arkansas location of the joint venture between Fresh Hospitality and JTJ Restaurant (Petit & Keet, Cypress Social, Taziki’s) groups. This will be the first Little Rock proper location, and will be in the Outlets area at 6 Bass Pro Drive (former David’s Burger spot). The opening date is planned for February 21st.
Waldo’s first opened their doors in May of 2019 in the Germantown neighborhood in Nashville, TN and has worked on expansion across the region since. They focus on a variety of chicken dishes including sandwiches, half/whole/quarter fried and roasted chicken, and a variety of traditional chicken dishes and sides paid with a solid line up of craft beer.
The Keet family behind JTJ Restaurant Group owns and manages the North Little Rock location that opened last year along with this one and several more planned spaces across the area including one in the renewed Breckenridge village. They are actively hiring for the location, for those interested.
Full release with more information below
LITTLE ROCK, AR: Waldo’s Chicken & Beer is scheduled to open its second Arkansas location on February 21, 2023, at 6 Bass Pro Drive in Little Rock (in the former David’s Burgers location). The restaurant is currently hiring and training 30-40 new employees for all positions in time for the grand opening.
JTJ Restaurants, LLC, the local restaurant group behind Waldo’s Chicken & Beer in North Little Rock, 8 Tazikis in Arkansas, Petit & Keet, and Cypress Social, announced the plans to open the location. The restaurant seats up to 74 for indoor dining, including a full-service bar. Additional seating is available on a private outdoor patio. Waldo’s is currently hiring to fill management, all front and back-of-house positions, and seeking to employ 30-40 additional staff members. Employment applications can be filled out in person at Waldo’s location, submitted online through the main Waldo’s website, or by calling General Manager Joe Faucett at 501-940-4552.
“We’re excited to open our second Waldo’s in Central Arkansas. We have been overjoyed by the excellent reception that Waldo’s has received in North Little Rock. We have a world-class management team with decades of experience within our company. We are committed to providing an exceptional dining experience in the store or through the drive-thru.We look forward to serving guests our unique offerings in a convenient location to watch a game or pick up dinner for your family,” said Tommy Keet, President of JTJ Restaurants, LLC.
This location will be the third Waldo’s Chicken & Beer location owned by the Keet Family. In 2020, JTJ Restaurants, along with partners Mike Pierce Jr., Mark Waldo, Dino Nithianandan, and Fresh Hospitality, launched a location in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the time, making it the first Waldo’s outside of Nashville, TN.
Waldo’s first opened their doors in May of 2019 in the Germantown neighborhood in Nashville, TN, and has since opened numerous other locations throughout Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Oklahoma (with Colorado and Florida stores coming soon.) The popular fast-casual restaurant is known for making its entire menu from scratch. Its specialty is southern-fried and slow-roasted chicken, along with an established, local beer program for each location.
