Church's Chicken franchise to replace Orchards A&W

This Orchards-area former A&W restaurant is set to become the first Vancouver location for Atlanta-based fried chicken chain Church’s Chicken. (Cami Joner/The Columbian)

Vancouver’s first Church’s Chicken franchise is set to open in a former A&W restaurant in Orchards next month.

Owner Abdul Quddus expects the site will be more successful with fried chicken and biscuits than with root beer and burgers. On the corner of Fourth Plain Boulevard and 112th Avenue, the A&W is being remodeled. It will reopen as Church’s in mid-July, said Quddus, owner of Vancouver-based KHQ Foods Inc.

"Competition is fierce when it comes to hamburgers. As far as chicken is concerned, the only competition is KFC," Quddus said.

He opened a Church’s Chicken in Woodland in December and plans to open three additional Church’s sites within two years.

In March, Quddus closed the 34-year-old A&W, saying that its franchise parent company Yum! Brands Inc. had terminated his franchise agreement.

Clark County is new territory for Church’s, which sells from 1,600 locations in 21 countries, said Jennie Hong, a spokeswoman for the chain’s parent company Cajun Operating Co. in Atlanta.

"We’re a $1.2 billion company and one of the largest chicken chains out there," Hong said.

Church’s expects to open 125 units this year.

"We have aggressive growth plans," Hong said.

She said Vancouver’s new Church’s Chicken will fit the chain’s stand-alone model. On average, the stores employ about 15 people and include a drive-up window and modest dining room space.