North Market restaurant closes after allegedly owing ‘significant amounts in back rent’
After 614Now announced three locations from this brand quietly closed last week, many people saw this coming.
Hot Chicken Takeover’s hot streak is over, abruptly closing their last remaining location on the second floor of Downtown’s North Market over the weekend. No announcement was made by the restaurant—instead, The North Market posted on the doors that the location had closed. And, according to The North Market, the restaurant owes a lot of money.
“Craveworthy Brands, the owner of Hot Chicken Takeover, is currently in default of their lease, owing the Market significant amounts in back rent as well as other outstanding expenses,” North Market Executive Director Rick Harrison Wolfe said in a public statement. “Despite our attempts to communicate and resolve these issues, their corporate office has remained uncooperative. This lack of accountability and communication is deeply concerning.”
First opening in 2014, the Nashville-inspired hot chicken concept blew up around town, with lines out the door every day at The North Market. Columbus was eager for spicy fried chicken, creamy mac & cheese, and juicy sweet tea. The founder, Joe DeLoss, sold Hot Chicken Takeover to Untamed Brands in 2021, a New York-based restaurant. Columbus immediately saw a shift in the quality of food, with many longtime fans complaining that portions were smaller and the taste was “off.” Then, Craveworthy acquired Hot Chicken Takeover last year. Greg Majewski, CEO, told 614Now that he promised to “Bring back Joe’s original vision.”
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If Joe’s vision was for the company to close all storefronts and allegedly default on their lease, then apparently that came to fruition.
“It is particularly disappointing given the history we share. North Market was proud to be the very first brick-and-mortar home for Hot Chicken Takeover, and we celebrated their growth as a brand that started here,” the North Market’s statement continued. “To see the relationship deteriorate to this point saddens me—not just because of the financial strain it creates for the Market, but because of the broken trust and missed opportunities to work together toward a solution.”
614Now reached out to Craveworthy Brands, and they told us, “Hot Chicken Takeover is a brand with deep roots and a meaningful story here in Columbus. When we first brought the brand into the Craveworthy family from its previous owner, it was at its lowest point and only days away from closing its doors for good then. We believed in its spirit and the passion this community had for it, so we stepped in to ensure the brand had a fighting chance at survival. Since, we have invested countless resources and fought tirelessly to rebuild and grow Hot Chicken Takeover, but ultimately, even with those efforts, it became unsustainable. Closing locations is never easy, and this decision was made with care and purpose. In some cases, it’s about preserving a brand’s spirit rather than stretching it beyond what is possible. Columbus will always be the home of Hot Chicken Takeover. Hospitality is one of the toughest industries in the world – complex, challenging and deeply personal. While this chapter of Hot Chicken Takeover’s story is coming to a close, the heart of the brand lives on through the guests, team members and partners who made it so special.”
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