11 Years Ago, Flav’s Fried Chicken Opened Its Doors In Clinton, Iowa [PHOTOS]
It's hard to believe that 11 years have passed since the grand opening of Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton, IA. It seems like yesterday that Clinton was a circus surrounding the restaurant that only lasted for 4 months. But it has been 10 years and I don't think anyone misses Flav's Fried Chicken.
There isn't too much that happens in Clinton, Iowa. Being born and raised in Clinton I definitely know that. When I went to college and people asked about my hometown, there is only a handful of things I can say about Clinton that makes it seem unique. The hometown of NFL running back David Johnson, the widest part of the Mississippi River, the hometown of Iowa Hawkeye and NFL star Duke Slater, and the birthplace of Flav's Fried Chicken.
On January 24, 2011, co-founder of the rap group Public Enemy, television star, and rapper William Jonathan Drayton Jr., better known as Flavor Flav, opened up the first of what was supposed to be many locations of Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton, Iowa.
Flavor Flav partnered with Nick Cimino, who at the time owned Mama Cimino's, a pizza shop in Clinton. Cimino and Flav met through Cimino's brother Peter who owned the other Mama Cimino's in Las Vegas. Peter sold fried chicken using Flavor Flav's recipe and wanted to make a national franchise. That started to become a reality when they opened up the first chain in my hometown and Cimino's hometown of Clinton.
I had a few friends that worked at Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton. Some weren't paid, weren't impressed with how to make the food, and really didn't like working there.
Even though I lived in Clinton at the time, I never once stepped foot in there. I had someone bring me chicken from there once while I was working at Fareway and I wasn't impressed.
I asked people on my personal Facebook to share pictures and a review if they could remember what it tasted like. Former B100 morning show hosts Redhot Brian Scott and Tony Tone said the food was good. Others agreed and said the food was good, others said: "the chicken was nasty."
Either way, Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton didn't last long. After bounced checks, owner disputes, and awful business decisions, Flav's Fried Chicken closed its door in Clinton on April 24, 2011.
These are some of the pictures my friends shared with me.
Happy 11 years Flav's Fried Chicken!