New pecking order

“It’s a better location. We wanted to be closer to downtown Wilkes-Barre,” said owner John

Stuchkus. The location would be convenient for local college students, who make up a

significant percentage of the Chicken Coop’s customer base, he said. The large number of

other businesses nearby was also a draw, he added.

Inside, the restaurant’s doucor has a sports theme, with an emphasis on Philadelphia sports.

Memorabilia honoring the Phillies and the Flyers decorate the walls, just as in the old

restaurant. The soups and sauces are still homemade. The restaurant is open for lunch and

dinner, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., or “whenever the bar dies down,” said Stuchkus.

There are some changes, too. The new restaurant can seat up to 100 people. Stuchkus has added

more sandwiches and appetizers to the menu.

Stuchkus is particularly proud of the Chicken Coop’s hamburgers.

“Our hamburgers are 10 ounces. That’s the biggest in the area,” he said.

The Chicken Coop has a three-year lease with local architectural and engineering firm Pasonick

Engineering. The restaurant has six full-time employees, and is seeking to hire at least four

more.

This is not the first time that the Chicken Coop has moved. Founded in 1988, the first

location was on Wyoming Avenue in Wyoming. The restaurant moved from there in 1991 to the

intersection of Fox Hill Road and Route 315 in Plains Township. After the roof at that

location collapsed during a snowstorm in 2007, the Chicken Coop moved to the former Arena Bar

& Grill on Scott Street.

Stuchkus is optimistic about the North Wilkes-Barre Boulevard location.

“We’ve had a good turnout so far. The response has been positive. Things are going good,”

he said.