Gunwharf Quays: Slim Chickens CEO Tom Gordon hails Portsmouth opening as the company continues its expansion

Tom Gordon, 48, founded Slim Chickens in Arkansas in 2003, starting a journey which has led them to opening their fiftieth restaurant in the UK on Friday, January 26 in Gunwharf. The stores opening day drew plenty of attention with shoppers queueing out the door to get a taste of the newest menu in the city.

The company have been growing in the UK and Portsmouth stood out to them as they looked to diversify their portfolio to different corners of the country. Tom said: "We like to spread the brand around the country. We have several in the middle of the country and then up to Manchester and Newcastle. We also have one in Brighton and the stores down here do well so we had the opportunity to be right here in the heart of Portsmouth and we are very pleased with it."

The interior of the restaurant has nods to the city it inhabits, and Tom believes it is important for everyone of their restaurants to be integrated into the community: "The team looks for the locations where the footfall and traffic is good and where there is people that gravitate towards the brand. The notes to Portsmouth and the fit-out is very particular to the brand. Its important to have a community connection inside the restaurant, with the team and the cues on the walls. We want to be a local place for people in Portsmouth to come and enjoy the food and the brand." He added: "I absolutely believe it (Portsmouth restaurant) will be successful for the brand. With every store you open, it opens new doors and opportunities for us in the UK, and we intent to do a lot more restaurant here in the UK. We are just very happy to see people here love the brand and we want to serve communities all over the country." Richard Piggott, 41, is the Operation Manager for Slim Chickens and brought the restaurant over to the UK six years ago. Portsmouth has been a destination they have been looking to open in for some time and when a landlord they have worked with previously offered them the chance to open in Gunwharf, they jumped at the chance. Richard said: "This is our fiftieth opening in the UK so we wanted it to be a big opening in a big location. Portsmouth has always been on the cards for us with the university, the navy and the tourism. Those three things can work well for us and Gunwharf Quays was the right fit. It's a great location with great views in a busy centre. We have wanted to get into Portsmouth for a while now, especially in Gunwharf Quays.

If the opening day is anything to go by, Slim Chickens is sure to be popular destination in the city. Tom commented on the queues with a smile: "I love seeing a queue out the door, we try to do it at every opening."