A blow-up chicken the size of a man welcomed guests to the Zaxby’s on Shallowford Road when the store re-opened Monday morning after a two-week break for renovations.
Gary Avants, one of the first Zaxby’s franchisees in the country, bought the rights to operate the restaurant earlier this year from Mark Shepard. Avants’ company, Avants Management Group, is based in Athens, Ga., and operates 14 other Zaxby’s restaurants in four states and plans to soon build more in Texas.
The Shallowford Road Zaxby’s closed two weeks ago when Avants ordered renovations at the restaurant as it changed owners. The floors were redone and now are hardwood, and a few interior walls have changed. The restaurant also now has a touch-screen Coca-Cola Freestyle machine with 100 options.
There are about 37 employees at the restaurant now, some holdovers from previous ownership. Store managers said Monday that more hires are expected. The store will be fully staffed when it has 40 to 45 workers on staff.
The restaurant is the first in Chattanooga for Avants Management, which operates two Zaxby’s restaurants in Cleveland, Tenn., and one in Athens, Tenn.