Franchising

Blaze Pizza franchisee opens Dave's Hot Chicken location

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December 15, 2021

Los Angeles-based Dave's Hot Chicken opened a store last week in Port Hueneme in Ventura County, California, marking the first of 20 locations operated by Central California-based DAMM Fine Chicken, which also owns over 20 Blaze Pizza locations.

The location, 587 W. Channel Islands Blvd., features indoor and outdoor seating and custom artwork throughout the restaurant, paying homage to Port Hueneme naval base, with a Dave's Hot Chicken twist, according to the release.

Arman Oganesyan and best friend Chef Dave Kopushyan, along with brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan, launched Dave's Hot Chicken in a parking lot pop-up in 2017. It opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant in East Hollywood and in 2019, struck a deal with Wetzel's Pretzels co-founder and former CEO Bill Phelps and movie producer John Davis to begin franchising. The company has sold the rights to nearly 500 franchise locations in the U.S. and Canada and will open an additional 25 locations this year.