Local restaurateur/philanthropist gets Forbes spotlight

We think we speak for most everyone when we say Columbus is pretty damn proud of Joe DeLoss of Hot Chicken Takeover. Not only has he brought mouth-watering fried chicken to central Ohio, he’s given a second chance to people in our communities who were previously homeless or incarcerated.

Slowly buy surely, his admirable business model is gaining the attention of the entire nation.

Three months ago, DeLoss went onto the TODAY show to talk with Megyn Kelly about the chicken joint’s rapid growth—from a pop-up shop in Olde Towne East to three brick and mortar locations—and their fair chance employment. This week, Forbes gave Hot Chicken Takeover a platform.

“Despite the fact that he spent months perfecting his recipes, despite the fact his wildly popular pop-up shop regularly sold out within hours, despite the fact that he’s opened three brick-and-mortar locations since he launched in early 2014, he created this for one simple reason: to do good,” writes Regan Walsh of Forbes.

The article goes on to tell the story of DeLoss’s long-time agenda to combine his love for social change with the business world. This, of course, came to fruition when he discovered Nashville’s hot chicken.

The article wraps up with a testament to DeLoss’s staffing approach. One man began working for HCT after being released from prison. He saved up enough money to get his Commercial Driver’s License but couldn’t find a job straight away.

“During a business meeting, one vendor lamented that he was struggling to find dependable drivers. HCT referred their team member, and he got the job. He later started his own trucking business,” wrote Walsh in closing.

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