Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken franchisees Noman Aiyash and Leo Gonzalez will open the first of 12 planned units for Michigan on March 27 in the town of Livonia. The franchisees will operate as NLM Enterprises, according to a press release.
The pair inked a deal for 12 Lee’s in seven years in the greater Detroit area.
“We are proud to work with such experienced operators as Noman and Leo who’ve already built a legacy here with their Leo’s Coney Island locations,” says Ryan Weaver, CEO of Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken. “We’re always looking for new franchisees that we believe are true believers in the brand and will be great operators and community partners, whether that’s through running great restaurants, supporting our philanthropic work with local food banks through GiftAMeal, or getting involved in the community through event catering. We’re delighted to extend our Michigan presence with Noman and Leo and look forward to making new famous friends and fans.”
“Our experience tells us now is the time for such an established, high-quality brand as Lee’s to be available to a greater portion of the Detroit market,” Aiyash said in the press release. “The menu items we’ll offer are perfect for on-the-go meals that have a freshness and home-prepared taste beyond other QSR offerings, and upcoming innovations in the flavor profiles are exciting for fans of the brand’s current favorites.”
“We’ve both been fans of the product and brand for more than a decade, and that’s what interested us as restaurant operators,” Gonzalez added in the press release. “Lee’s has a reinvigorated presence around the country with new ownership, investment in the brand and another year of record sales in 2022. It’s a big win for us to be a partner in growing the Lee’s presence in the Detroit area and for current and future Lee’s fans.”
Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken operates more than 130 restaurants in 12 U.S. states and Canada.
