Little Lou's Hot Chicken

By Sara E. Teller

Bringing Hot Chicken to the Mitten

SHAWN WRIGHT & ERIC HITCHCOCK TEAMED UP TO START LITTLE LOU’S HOT CHICKEN AFTER SPENDING FOUR DECADES IN THE INDUSTRY AND HAVING A VISION TO BRING “HOT CHICKEN TO THE MITTEN.”

“I was a chef for a long time in Nashville,” Wright, the company’s General Manager, said. “He and I met and worked together for about five years. We decided we both really like Nashville’s hot chicken – maybe we should do this…”

Combining their professional cooking experience with a love for Southern-fried chicken dishes, the two entrepreneurs created their own special twist on the iconic dish. In early 2021, they purchased a food truck, which was officially rolled out that summer.

“We really got our wheels wet,” Wright joked. “The truck ended up being very popular.”

By the end of the season, he added, “We decided, let’s cruise around and we saw a spot available in Berkley.”

MOVING INTO THE OLD PAPA’S PIZZA SPACE, they quickly began whipping up chef-driven, from- scratch dishes.

“We blend our own flour, create our own sauces. Everything is homemade, Nashville-style,” Wright said.

Being in Berkley has been great for business, according to Wright. “We love the community. We have worked in Berkley. Lived in Berkley. It’s one of the best places to open up where small businesses can grow by word of mouth and the restaurants help each other out.” He added, “We’ve been here for two-and-a-half months. Stop by and check us out!”

www.littleloushotchicken.com | 248.677.3300 | 2626 Coolidge Hwy, Berkley MI 48072 infor@littleloushotchicken.com | Facebook.com/littleloushotchicken Instagram.com/littleloushotchicken