Fanfare, Enthusiastic Crowd Mark Raising Cane's Grand Opening in Village
Line-dancing employees, Big Blue, prizes - and best of all, chicken - greeted a large, enthusiastic crowd at the opening of Raising Cane's, the newest restaurant in Old Dominion's University Village, on Tuesday, Jan. 11.
The chicken fingers restaurant chain opened its doors with a midday party, featuring a disc jockey and dance music, prize giveaways and a ribbon cutting.
The location of Raising Cane's in ODU's University Village - it's the first franchise in the 95-chain chicken restaurant to open in Virginia - is a tangible sign of the growth of the on-campus community, said Vice President for Administration and Finance Bob Fenning.
"We really recognize the need for more dining options here. And by opening the first Raising Cane's in Virginia, this company sees the potential opportunity in this location," Fenning said.
Next door to Raising Cane's, a P.O.D. (Provisions On Demand) Market, an Aramark proprietary brand, will provide more food choices for ODU students, reinventing the campus store experience by blending the features of "corner store" quick convenience with modern market style and service.
ODU President John R. Broderick spoke briefly at Tuesday's opening, saying the crowd was there for the chicken, not him. He said Raising Cane's is good for the students because it provides another dining option and the restaurant has hired many ODU students.
"As you get to know about Raising Cane's and the types of things they do in the community, you realize they're a really good fit for Old Dominion University Village," Broderick said.
Founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La., Raising Cane's is a 14-state chain that offers high-quality chicken finger meals, featuring fresh chicken. The University Village location will be open from 10:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 10:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. More information about the Raising Cane's franchise is available at www.raisingcanes.com.
The University Village is a 75-acre mixed-use development initiative. With ODU and its 24,000 students and 2,400 staff and faculty, in addition to the Ted Constant Convocation Center as anchors, the Village is a destination all its own with restaurants, retail shops, recreational facilities, hotel, and residential, office and research facilities.