Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken Downtown Franchise Is A Success Story

commercialappeal.com:

In little more than a half-dozen years, Wendy McCrory has transformed her Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken franchise at 310 S. Front from quirky concept to solid business venture.

After what she described as a slow start, McCrory’s eatery has taken flight as a Downtown fixture and become the focus of national acclaim. Recently, the restaurant was named one of the 100 fastest-growing inner- city companies in the nation by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Inc. Magazine.

“We are delighted to celebrate businesses like Downtown Gus’s Fried Chicken that are playing a critical role in urban communities throughout the country,” said David G. Latimore, president of the ICIC. “These high-growth businesses help create jobs, income and wealth for local residents, and they prove our belief that the most effective way to create economic equality in America’s inner cities is to focus on sustainable business growth and investment.”

No one was more surprised by the news than McCrory, who thought someone was playing a joke when she first got a call informing her of the honor. Gus’s claimed the No. 93 spot on the list, and is the only business in Tennessee to make the cut.

“It took a long time to get going and a long time to get it right, but things are great now,” she said. “This is an amazing honor, and I think it reflects how wonderful our employees are and the attention they give to our customers. And, of course, the chicken.”