MISSOULA — M-80 Chicken is opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant after nearly five years of serving hot chicken from their food trucks.
Owners Nick Jackson and McKenna Cramer have announced that M-80 Chicken will open this summer in the old Shack Cafe location in downtown Missoula.
Since M-80 Chicken opened their window in 2020, they’ve gained a loyal following for their hand-breaded, Nashville-style fried chicken. Nick and McKenna are excited to keep their local-favorite fried chicken recipes as the center of the menu while expanding the menu and adding beer and wine. The restaurant will reflect the M-80 brand and capture the funkiness of Downtown Missoula.
“We started our first food truck out of a love for quality, interesting food and a desire to create connection in the peak of the COVID pandemic. Over the past five years, we’ve been lucky to have incredible support from our community and we can’t wait to build on that in our new restaurant,” said Jackson, a former Griz athlete and fourth-generation Montanan.
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“The location is what really pushed us to take the next step. The Shack was a Downtown Missoula staple and we’re doing our best to honor the legacy of the space. We’re restoring the 1800s bar, vintage chandeliers, and old wooden booths in an effort to bring a new life to the space while keeping the charm that Missoulians remember. We want it to be a comfortable place to enjoy some good food, grab some beers, and hang out for a while.” Cramer stated in a news release.
The grand opening will be in early summer 2025 at 222 West Main Street. M-80 Chicken will keep one food truck to continue to serve at community events throughout Missoula.
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