Lou Martin’s mama always dreamed he would one day own a restaurant that rose to a certain level. 

Now, as Martin prepares for his Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken to move to a new location at 1725 Winchester Road in Whitehaven, he’s getting closer. 

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The restaurant’s new home is a former Wendy’s, and it has a set of four vintage adjacent booths — each with a white tabletop.

“My mama dreamed that I would have a restaurant with white tablecloths, so I think we will be keeping these tables for her,” Martin said. And then he added with a smile, “Our Sweet Spicy Love fried chicken doesn’t really work with white tablecloths.”

Martin started selling his spicy fried chicken in 1992 at what is now Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, and he’s been a vendor ever since. In 2001, he opened a shop at his current location at 3633 Millbranch Road.

But, in early 2025, his restaurant will move to a new home with an updated menu, dedicated parking lot, extended hours, outdoor patio and a drive-thru.

The former Wendy’s is less than a half-mile away from the original Uncle Lou’s, literally just around the corner.

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Martin purchased the building in March and expects the restaurant to open in mid- to late-January.

“This is something I have been wanting to do for a while,” said Martin, explaining that he had made several offers on the building in the past. “I’ll be paying a mortgage, not rent.”

The new restaurant is slightly smaller than the original location, going from 3,200 square feet to 2,527 square feet.

Despite the smaller footprint, Martin said he’ll be able to streamline his operations to make the business more efficient and more profitable.