A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from September 08, 2006
Texas Chicken (Church’s Chicken in Mideast)

“Texas Chicken” is the name of “Church’s Chicken” in the Middle East, “church” being possibly objectionable. Church’s Chicken was founded by George W. Church, Sr. in San Antonio in 1952.
   
   
New York Times
Church’s Plans 60 Restaurants in Mideast
Published: August 8, 2003
 
Church’s Chicken announced an agreement today with a poultry company in Kuwait to develop 60 restaurants in six Middle East countries.

Church’s, which is based in Atlanta and is a division of AFC Enterprises, will develop restaurants in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar in the next five years. The first four restaurants are scheduled to open in Kuwait this year.

Under the name Texas Chicken, the restaurants will serve Church’s menu, which includes sandwiches, salads, wraps and boneless chicken products, said Tom Johnson, chief operating officer for Church’s International Division. 
 
Church’s Chicken
George W. Church, Sr., a retired incubator salesman with more than 20 years in the poultry industry, conceived the idea of offering freshly cooked, quality fried chicken at a time when only hot dogs and ice cream were marketed fast-food style.

Church reasoned that the food service industry would have to change its approach in order to capitalize on the opportunities created by population growth and increased mobility. By cutting the frills common to the restaurant industry philosophy of the day, Church felt he could deliver his product profitably at low cost with a more efficient use of capital and employees.

The first “Church’s Fried Chicken to Go” was located in downtown San Antonio, across the street from the Alamo. The restaurant sold only fried chicken. Church added French fries and jalapeños to the menu in 1955. George Church’s idea paid off, and at the time of his death in 1956, four Church’s were open. Other members of the family became active in the business, and by 1962 the chain had grown to eight locations in San Antonio.

George W. “Bill” Church, Jr. assumed chief operating responsibility for the family business in 1962. His father had already proved the economic viability of a low-overhead food outlet serving take-out food at a modest price. Bill Church dreamed of building the business into a nationwide organization.

Church and his management team stuck to the basics, and from 1962 to 1965 concentrated on rapid but tightly controlled expansion limited to the San Antonio area. By 1965, Bill Church and his older brother Richard had perfected a marinating formula for Church’s Fried Chicken that could be re-created almost anywhere in the world. The formula remains a closely guarded secret.

By 1967, the company was set to expand, and less than a year later it established the first Church’s restaurants outside Texas.

The Church family was bought out in October 1968, and in May 1969 Church’s Fried Chicken, Inc. became a publicly held company. At the end of 1969, over 100 Church’s restaurants were in operation in seven states. Between 1969 and 1974, Church’s grew by an additional 387 restaurants. At year-end 1974, there were 487 Church’s in 22 states with total revenues of more than $100 million. The highlight of this period was the opening of the national headquarters complex and manufacturing plant on a six-acre site in northwest San Antonio.

International expansion began in 1979, with the announcement of the first Church’s abroad. The company subsequently established locations in Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico and Indonesia.

The Church’s concept has always been based on the philosophy of simplicity of operation, starting with a limited menu, equipment designed to do one thing well, people trained to do one thing well and control of operational costs.

By 1989, Church’s was the second-largest chicken franchise organization in the United States. That was the year it merged with the number three chicken chain, Popeyes® Famous Chicken & Biscuits, headquartered in New Orleans. The Church’s concept remained distinct and separate from Popeyes®.

On November 5, 1992, America’s Favorite Chicken Company (AFC)—now called AFC Enterprises Inc.—officially became the parent company to Church’s Chicken, and moved its operations to headquarters in Atlanta.

After 12 years under the AFC umbrella, Church’s Chicken declared December 26, 2004 their Independence Day – the day Atlanta-based private equity firm Arcapita Inc. bought the fast food chain from AFC Enterprises, Inc.  Under the new leadership, Church’s is prepared to expand their menu with the addition of Spicy Chicken and to expand their presence by growing the chain from 1,500 restaurants to 2,500 restaurants by 2010.

Known for its Southern-style chicken, Church’s also serves Southern specialties including fried okra, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob and its unique honey butter biscuits.
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark CHURCH’S CHICKEN SINCE 1952
Goods and Services IC 029. US 046. G & S: prepared meals consisting primarily of chicken for consumption on or off the premises. FIRST USE: 20000421. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20000421
IC 030. US 046. G & S: prepared meals consisting primarily of pastas and rice with side dishes and beverages, for consumption on or off the premises. FIRST USE: 20000421. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20000421
IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: restaurant services. FIRST USE: 20000421. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20000421
Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS
Design Search Code 01.01.03 - Comets; Stars with five points
26.01.12 - Circles with bars, bands and lines
26.01.17 - Circles, two concentric; Concentric circles, two; Two concentric circles
26.01.21 - Circles that are totally or partially shaded.
Serial Number 76023277
Filing Date April 11, 2000
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition September 4, 2001
Registration Number 2721849
Registration Date June 3, 2003
Owner (REGISTRANT) AFC Enterprises, Inc. CORPORATION MINNESOTA Six Concourse Parkway, Suite 1700 Atlanta GEORGIA 30328
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Sarah Anne Keefe, Esq.
Prior Registrations 0815076;2252753;2257771;AND OTHERS
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “CHICKEN” and “SINCE 1952” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Description of Mark The lining shown in the drawing is a feature of the mark.
Type of Mark TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark TEXAS CHICKEN
Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 029. US 046. G & S: prepared chicken for consumption on or off the premises. FIRST USE: 19940115. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19940115
(CANCELLED) IC 042. US 100. G & S: restaurant services. FIRST USE: 19940115. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19940115
Mark Drawing Code (3) DESIGN PLUS WORDS, LETTERS, AND/OR NUMBERS
Design Search Code 01.01.03 - Comets; Stars with five points
26.01.17 - Circles, two concentric; Concentric circles, two; Two concentric circles
26.11.21 - Rectangles that are completely or partially shaded
26.11.27 - Oblongs
Serial Number 74567619
Filing Date August 30, 1994
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Published for Opposition January 16, 1996
Registration Number 1966275
Registration Date April 9, 1996
Owner (REGISTRANT) AMERICA’S FAVORITE CHICKEN COMPANY CORPORATION MINNESOTA 6 Concourse Parkway 17th Floor Atlanta GEORGIA 30338
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record HENRY W. LEEDS
Prior Registrations 1655131
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “CHICKEN” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL-2(F)-IN PART
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Cancellation Date May 25, 2004
Distinctiveness Limitation Statement as to “TEXAS”

(Trademark)
Word Mark TEXAS FRIED CHICKEN
Goods and Services (CANCELLED) IC 042. US 100. G & S: restaurant services. FIRST USE: 19810601. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19810601
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Design Search Code
Serial Number 74034896
Filing Date March 2, 1990
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition September 25, 1990
Registration Number 1655131
Registration Date August 27, 1991
Owner (REGISTRANT) AL COPELAND ENTERPRISES, INC. DBA Church’s Chicken CORPORATION TEXAS 1333 S. Clearview Parkway Jefferson LOUISIANA 70121
(LAST LISTED OWNER) AFC ENTERPRISES, INC. CORPORATION BY CHANGE OF NAME FROM MINNESOTA SIX CONCOURSE PARKWAY, SUITE 1700 ATLANTA GEORGIA 303285352
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record LAWRENCE K NODINE
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “FRIED CHICKEN” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Affidavit Text SECT 15. SECT 8 (6-YR).
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Cancellation Date July 20, 2002

Posted by Barry Popik
Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary) • Friday, September 08, 2006 • Permalink


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