Jim's Chicken on SW 89th and Western - Closing ("Relocating")

[SoonerDave]

Just noticed that the Jim's Chicken (a Swadley's BBQ concept chicken restauarnt) located at SW 89th and Western now has a "Relocating Soon" sign, and I believe the noted address is for their other location in Nicoma Park.

Never heard much about this particular place either way, and it never seemed particularly busy. Was not open very long - maybe six months/year, not sure. Swadley's put quite a bit of $ into the building to convert it from the old BBQ place into the chicken store, so I'd have to assume it did really poorly to justify closing it so quickly. With Slim Chickens, Grandy's, KFC within a mile, plus other chicken restaurants down the road a bit in Moore, this one probably started life behind the proverbial 8-ball.

Don't know if Swadley's owns the building or leases it from Brookwood. Kinda sad as that building used to be an A&W restaurant years ago, and the top of the old structure was lopped off when they converted it into Jim's....not much of the A&W left.

[Roger S]

I tried it and it never lived up to it's namesake. Still kind of surprised it didn't make it though.

[SouthSide]

In my opinion, the food wasn't very good.

[Achilleslastand]

Ate out at the one in Nicoma Park several years ago and It was very good, I'm sure this has nothing to do with Swadley's of course......................

[Roger S]

Ate out at the one in Nicoma Park several years ago and It was very good, I'm sure this has nothing to do with Swadley's of course......................

Several years ago when it was still in Jim's hands or after Swadley's bought it?

[Roger S]

Drove by and snapped a couple of pics...



Appears they plan to relocate this location but it doesn't say to where.... Have to wonder if it will be somewhere closer to I-240.... Maybe over to the Penn Park area or possibly around the new Walmart going in at 104th.... Just guesses.



This sign was even more cryptic..... Maybe Swadley's is going to turn the building into a mega-church.

[Jersey Boss]

From "Jim's Chicken" to Rev. Jim Ignatowski's Church

[SoonerDave]

THere was a sign up earlier that said they were relocating to the Nicoma Park location. I don't think they're planning to reopen.

As for the message on the other side of the sign, the Swadley's have always offered some variety of inspirational Christian message on their marquee. Very much a part of how they run their business, including their decision earlier this year to close on Sundays...

[Roger S]

THere was a sign up earlier that said they were relocating to the Nicoma Park location. I don't think they're planning to reopen.

You can think that but the sign I posted a picture of states differently.

[stick47]

I used to eat at the original Jims in NP over 40 years ago when I worked at Otasco on that side of town. Tried the SW 89th Jims and it wasn't as good but a lot of water under the bridge so...

[Roger S]

I used to eat at the original Jims in NP over 40 years ago when I worked at Otasco on that side of town. Tried the SW 89th Jims and it wasn't as good but a lot of water under the bridge so...

I kind of got the feeling Swadley's just bought the name and didn't really intend to keep the product the same. And that's probably not a bad conceptual idea for turning it into a chain considering there are only a small group of people that remember Jim's..... If you didn't have a reason to be in the Nicoma Park area you didn't know about it and most people in OKC have never heard of it.

[Jersey Boss]

I can only comment on the NP location. What I liked about it in addition to the chicken and green beans was the fact that the gravy they served was "chicken gravy". I can't for the life of me figure out why so many establishments serve brown or white gravy instead.

[Martin]

huh, this is a surprise. i never ate at the original incarnation of jim's, but have eaten at both the nicoma park (after the refurb) and sw 89th locations... i really liked the place at first but haven't gone as frequently in the past several months due to uneven quality. i wonder if others have done the same.

[Jeepnokc]

THere was a sign up earlier that said they were relocating to the Nicoma Park location. I don't think they're planning to reopen.

As for the message on the other side of the sign, the Swadley's have always offered some variety of inspirational Christian message on their marquee. Very much a part of how they run their business, including their decision earlier this year to close on Sundays...

Even though the signs posted by OK BBQ are different, I saw the same sign you did on the marquee earlier that stated they were relocating to Nicoma Park. Looks like they have changed it up on the new sign to say something different now.

[Martin]

I can only comment on the NP location. What I liked about it in addition to the chicken and green beans was the fact that the gravy they served was "chicken gravy". I can't for the life of me figure out why so many establishments serve brown or white gravy instead.

oh yeah... i really liked that chicken gravy. protip: you can get a mix that tastes almost identical at us food's chefstore. for all i know, it's exactly the same mix jim's uses.

[Roger S]

I can only comment on the NP location. What I liked about it in addition to the chicken and green beans was the fact that the gravy they served was "chicken gravy". I can't for the life of me figure out why so many establishments serve brown or white gravy instead.

If you catch them on the right day... Chicken gravy is still served at A Family Affair... the schedule is totally random and most days are brown gravy days.... Their chicken is pretty good too.