Popeyes expected to open next week in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS — The owner of the new Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in northeast Cedar Rapids expects to begin serving customer next week.

Jeff Braverman of SASAJ in Coralville said the 60-seat, 2,700-square-foot restaurant at 370 Blairs Ferry Road NE will open either Feb. 10 or Feb. 11. Braverman said a final city inspection must be completed before the eatery can open for business.

Braverman, formerly president of Hawkeye Foodservice in Coralville, in July bought an existing Popeyes location in Waterloo to become proficient at running the business.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen will offer dine-in and drive-up service. Braverman said Popeyes corporate monitors service through the drive-up window, which can account for 50 percent of the restaurant's business.

Braverman said SASAJ, which expected to hire about 60 people, worked with Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen to select the Cedar Rapids location. He said the company prefers locations on routes where people are driving home from work.

Braverman said SASAJ became a Popeyes franchise because the publicly owned company has been consistently profitable. He said SASAJ already is looking at additional locations in Eastern Iowa and western Illinois.

Atlanta, Ga.-based Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen operates and franchises over 2,000 Popeyes restaurants worldwide. The company's 'New Orleans' style menu features spicy chicken, chicken tenders, fried shrimp and other seafood, as well as jambalaya, red beans and rice, and other regional items.

To reach Popeye's Cedar Rapids by phone, call (319) 899-6846. You can also find hours at the Popeyes Cedar Rapids Facebook page.