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The Chicken Coop in Wilkes-Barre will close Sunday after over 30 years in business.
Times Leader file photo
It’s a big weekend.
Yes, it’s the “big game” weekend – the second biggest food day of the year (after Thanksgiving). Folks will gather around TVs at home, in restaurants and at bars to partake in some football fun and enjoyable eats.
For one local place, it’ll be the last time its doors will be open, at least for the foreseeable future.
My friend Scott, son of owner John Stuchkus, recently told me his family will be closing the Chicken Coop at its current Wilkes-Barre Boulevard location. Hopefully, not for good.
Scott recently told me business has been tough due to the pandemic, market changes, supply chain issues and unfortunately his father’s legal woes, but still there is a loud and loyal Chicken Coop fandom in Northeastern Pennsylvania that will miss the beloved wings.
Many remember the days in 1987 when the first Chicken Coop opened in Wyoming. Other locations followed in Plains Township and Harveys Lake, as well as on Scott Street in Wilkes Barre, before it found its most recent home on Wilkes-Barre Boulevard.
The elder Stuchkus got his start in the restaurant industry cooking at a variety of places before opening his first location, which quickly became popular.
Wing nights and Sunday Fundays were among the many highlights throughout the years, with patrons coming from all over the Wyoming Valley and beyond.
As a young boy, Scott remembers his Dad making time for him, but also running off to work 7 days a week, making sure the restaurant patrons were happy and that things were running smoothly.
Most recently, Scott has been running the restaurant while working a full-time job and raising a family. I admire his tenacity and work ethic. Trying to keep a dream alive is admirable, but he’s also realistic enough to know when it’s time to take a break.
Since they’ll be open today for the game, it’s a perfect opportunity to stop in and offer well wishes to Scott, his brother Brandon and the staff.
Don’t forget it’s BYOB.
If you’d rather watch the game at home, though, you can call for take-out.
Scott said in the last two weeks, since his social media announcement about the business potentially closing, the restaurant has been busier than in many months.
It just goes to show that sometimes people don’t miss a good thing until it’s almost gone.
I’m sure many old regulars will be there today for the (possibly) final hurrah.
Who knows. Maybe we will see another Chicken Coop open up in the Wyoming Valley down the road. The family certainly hasn’t ruled it out.
But one thing is for sure: now is the right time to take a break, relax and recalibrate.
I like to give credit where credit is due and knowing when to take a break is a big thing to admit.
While we never know what the future holds, we can always remember the good times at the Chicken Coop and be hopeful that we’ll see another iteration of it down the road.
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Mike McGinley is a Times Leader columnist who is often called a man about town. E-mail him thoughts at mikejmcginley@gmail.com.