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Pioneer Chicken

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Pioneer Take Out
IndustryRestaurant
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961)
DefunctOpen in Los Angeles at 904 S. Soto Street, Los Angeles CA 90023 and in Bell Gardens at 6323 E. Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens, CA 90201
HeadquartersLos Angeles County, California, U.S.
ProductsFried chicken

Pioneer Chicken (or Pioneer Take Out, as it is officially named) is an American fried chicken restaurant chain which was founded in Echo Park, Los Angeles[1] in 1961 by H. R. Kaufman. When Kaufman sold the chain in 1987, there were 270 restaurants operated by 220 franchisees.[2][3]

During the 1970s, several locations operated in Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. As of 2021, there are only two locations remaining, one in the Boyle Heights district of Los Angeles and the other in Bell Gardens, California, both unrelated former franchises.[citation needed]

Origins

It was named after Pioneer Market, a now-defunct small chain of supermarkets in Los Angeles. The original location in Echo Park was located next to the 1980s-era Pioneer Market (the original 1932 market was razed in the 1980s due to the Sylmar earthquake) at Echo Park Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, which was replaced by a Walgreens Pharmacy in 2004.[4] Due to considerable redevelopment activity in the neighborhood, the original Pioneer Chicken location was shut down in March 2009[1] and replaced by a Little Caesar's Pizza the following year.[5] During the 1980s, Los Angeles Lakers announcer Chick Hearn and former football player O. J. Simpson advertised for the restaurant.

Pioneer Chicken was remembered for its bright orange deep fried chicken, menu option of gizzards and livers as appetizers, and Pioneer Pete,[6] the company mascot and main character in comic books that were provided with their kid's meals.

Bankruptcy

In 1988 founder H. R. Kaufman and business associate Terrence P. Goggin filed for Chapter 11 in Federal Bankruptcy Court. At that point, Pioneer Chicken had 220 franchise owners and 270 stores. The company faltered under competition pressure from Kentucky Fried Chicken.[7]

AFC Enterprises acquisition

In 1993, Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits owner AFC Enterprises purchased the franchise and converted most locations to Popeyes.[8]

Locations

One of the last two operating locations of the chain.

There are two remaining locations in the Los Angeles area: 1) 904 S. Soto Street, Los Angeles; 2) 6323 E. Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens.

In Indonesia

In 1983, three Indonesian alumni from the University of Southern California decided to open a Pioneer Chicken franchise in Jakarta under the name California Fried Chicken.[9][10]

As of 2013, the parent company of the stores in Indonesia, Pioneerindo Gourmet International, have over 200 CFC restaurants throughout that nation.[11] CFC had a few franchises in Shanghai during the 1990s, but they may not currently exist.[12]

See also

Further reading

  • "Pioneer Chicken in Bankruptcy; Most Stores to Remain Open". Los Angeles Times. January 27, 1991. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  • Vintage Pioneer Chicken Sign Heading to Museum Los Angeles Magazine March 2, 2016

References

  1. ^ a b Gelt, Jessica (2009-03-24). "Pioneer Chicken kicks the bucket". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ Sanchez, Jesus & Yoshihara, Nancy (1988-01-19). "A Takeover That Ended a Friendship: Pioneer Take-Out Founder, Purchaser at Odds Over Terms". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Medearis, John (1991-04-09). "Pioneer Chicken Tries to Emerge From Its Second Bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times.
  4. ^ Lelyveld, Nita (August 1, 2004). "Lox, Stock and Pickle Barrel Go as Old Market Closes". Los Angeles Times.
  5. ^ "Crazy bread! Pioneer Chicken in Echo Park to become a Little Caesars pizza". Los Angeles Times. 2010-03-16.
  6. ^ "Pioneer Pete Rides Off Into The Sunset - Los Angeles Magazine". Los Angeles Magazine. 2011-06-23. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  7. ^ SANCHEZ, JESUS; YOSHIHARA, NANCY (1988-01-19). "A Takeover That Ended a Friendship : Pioneer Take-Out Founder, Purchaser at Odds Over Terms". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-04-12.
  8. ^ "Pioneer Chicken Switches to Popeyes". Los Angeles Times. 1993-06-10.
  9. ^ "Countries To Go". Adweek. 1985-05-20. Link via LexisNexis.
  10. ^ "Profil Perusahaan" [Company Profile]. PT Pioneerindo Gourmet International Tbk (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2015-05-15. Retrieved 2013-04-14. (English translation of webpage) via Google Translate.
  11. ^ "California Fried Chicken Grows 21%". Indonesia Today. 2013-03-23. Archived from the original on 2014-08-06.
  12. ^ Chen, Kathy (1997-12-02). "KFC Rules Shanghai's Fast-Food Roost With Ads, Training and Giveaways". Wall Street Journal.

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