Sports bar to open second location in former Chop House spot on Richmond Road
A regional sports restaurant and bar chain is opening a second Lexington location in a newly empty restaurant on Richmond Road.
Roosters is coming to 2640 Richmond Rd., the longtime location of the Chop House, which closed in November after almost 26 years.
Franchisee Robert Gauthier, with partners Chad Givens and Tony Crish, is planning on a grand opening on May 10.
Gauthier said Wednesday that the 6,800-square-foot restaurant will undergo a $400,000 renovation and will have 55 TVs when it opens this spring.
“We’re busy for all the basketball games, football games, and NFL Sundays,” he said. “And we have a lot of alumni groups that meet at the restaurants.”
There are 42 locations in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia; this will be their 13th Roosters and second in Lexington.
He said the new spot is in a good part of town, close to campus but far enough away from the other location at Nicholasville Road and Man o’ War Boulevard. He said they hope to further expand and open one or two more Lexington locations.
Although Roosters is known for its wings, the menu also features salads, pizzas, subs, burgers and appetizers, and will have a full bar.
This location also will have a large patio with outdoor seating, which has become key for many restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant does not have a drive-thru but takeout is popular. It’s doubled, Gauthier said, and is now about 30 percent of sales.
He said they expect to hire about 100 people, beginning in late March.
Roosters
Where: 2640 Richmond Rd.
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Online: roosterswings.com
