Uncle Lou’s new location will be smaller but, he says, better
Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken owner Lou Martin (right) helps customers use the new ordering kiosk. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
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.
Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken owner Lou Martin leads a tour of construction at his new location at 1725 Winchester Road. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)
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.
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Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken Lou Martin Whitehaven Subscriber OnlyAre you enjoying your subscription?
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Jennifer Chandler
A cookbook author and former restaurateur, Jennifer Chandler has been writing about food and dining for more than 25 years. In her role as the food and restaurant writer for The Daily Memphian, she covers food news, provides readers an inside look into their favorite restaurants and offers suggestions for what to order at eateries across the Memphis area.
Chandler’s stories and recipes have been featured in national publications such as Real Simple, HGTV Magazine and Woman’s World. She’s also appeared on a number of national broadcast cooking segments including Food Network’s “Dinner: Impossible” and Ducks Unlimited TV. She also hosts a radio show “The Weekly Dish” on Memphis’s NPR station WKNO-FM.
She is the author of four cookbooks: “The Southern Pantry Cookbook,” “Simply Salads,” “Simply Suppers,” and “Simply Grilling.” While she boasts a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, this Memphis native is about making real food accessible for real families.
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