If you grew up in B.C. in the 70s or 80s it's likely that Brownies Chicken was a memorable part of your childhood, and you might be surprised to learn that there are currently two locations open in the Lower Mainland.
The Acutt family operated a Brownies franchise back in the brand's heyday, when it dominated the fried chicken market here. In the late 1970s the parent company had more restaurants here than KFC did - 66 in total, in cities across the province - but rising interest rates and other factors contributed to the demise of the chain and all of its locations.
The family's patriarch, Gary, saw an opportunity roughly seven years ago, secured the rights to the brand, and opened up one location. Its success meant they were soon opening up another.
Skip ahead a few years to the present day and they're still operating successfully out of their Mission and Maple Ridge locations, with most of the family pitching in.
Gary heads things up, his wife does their bookkeeping, and two of their children work full time on the front line of the operation, keeping it running smoothly.
Gary tells me that they source their poultry "just over the hill," from their Mission location, from a farm in Abbotsford.
He says many customers are surprised to learn that the chicken they serve is halal, and that they've added a number of seafood items to the traditional menu.
Stepping into the kitchen of their Mission operation, the smoky smell of oil that you might normally be hit with at a place that's running multiple fryers is noticeably absent. They clean their oil twice daily, run a smooth operation using local ingredients, and the end result is fresh, wonderful, fried dishes.
We're currently selling a Brownies t-shirt with their classic (cheeky!) slogan "Thumb Lickin' Good!" on it, which you can find exclusively in our online store.
Their locations are at 22899 Dewdney Trunk Rd in Maple Ridge and at 32650 Logan Ave in Mission, and you can view their menu and learn more about them on the Brownies website.
