Dave’s Hot Chicken to Open First St. Cloud Location in Late 2026

(KNSI) – Dave’s Hot Chicken has found a home to roost in St. Cloud.

Franchise co-owner Alex Humphries tells KNSI News the Nashville-style chicken chain has signed a lease for a roughly 2,600-square-foot end-cap space at Rivertown Village Shopping Center, 3959 2nd Street South, Suite 214. The spot has been vacant for years. It will be the brand’s first location in the St. Cloud area and is expected to open in late fall 2026.

Humphries says the city fits into his broader expansion strategy, calling the community a strong regional center with a growing population, vibrant retail corridor, and the ability to draw guests from around the region.

Humphries first told KNSI in May of 2024 that he planned to open 16 Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants across Minnesota over the next several years, including a coop in St. Cloud. As of May 2026, he and his partners have opened seven Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants in the state, located in Apple Valley, Coon Rapids, Edina, Rochester, St. Paul, Minnetonka and Minneapolis.

Humphries says the company will add an eighth location in Oak Park Heights near Stillwater on Friday. Other openings are planned for Rogers in late July and Eden Prairie in late August, followed by openings in Mankato and St. Cloud.

According to the company’s website, there are 390 stores nationwide across 44 states.

Humphries held a stake in the St. Cloud Five Guys but sold his interest in April of 2024 to focus on the new venture.

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