BUSINESS BEAT: Huey Magoo's opens first Kentucky location

The new 2,570-square-foot free-standing restaurant features an outdoor patio and double drive-thru. It will offer dine-in and dine-out, take-out, catering and delivery through third-party delivery services DoorDash and Uber Eats. The new restaurant will hold an official grand opening and ribbon cutting at 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 24.

In a news release, Howard said the location is the first Huey Magoo’s restaurant to open under franchisees J.T. Stephens and Tracy Stephens, who have 20 years of operations experience within the quick-service industry.

“We are excited to bring ‘the filet mignon of chicken’ to the bluegrass state,” Tracy Stephens said in the release. “With us being local to the area, myself a graduate of Morehead State University, there was no better place for us to begin our development of Kentucky than Morehead.”

Tracy Stephens said the restaurant offers Huey Magoo’s signature grilled, hand-breaded or “sauced” premium chicken tenders, fresh-made salads, sandwiches and wraps.

“Each Huey Magoo’s tender is always made all natural with no preservatives,” she said.

“We are overjoyed to celebrate our first Huey Magoo’s in Kentucky and continue the incredible momentum of the brand nationwide,” Howard added.

Huey Magoo’s was founded in 2004 in central Florida by Matt Armstrong and Thad Hudgens. It has locations locations throughout Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Missouri, Nevada and one in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Coal River Coffee Company honored

Coal River Coffee Company of St. Albans, West Virginia, a community partner of the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network at Marshall University, is set to receive the Philanthropist of the Year Award at the 2024 ARHE National Collegiate Recovery Conference in San Diego, California.

According to a news release from Marshall, Coal River Coffee Company’s contributions to the Collegiate Recovery Network have contributed to the growth and success of collegiate recovery initiatives in West Virginia.

Michael and Rachel Ervin, owners of Coal River Coffee Company, said the company’s mission is to roast coffee and brew community.

“Our partnership with WVCRN allows us to accomplish this mission through roasting and selling coffee,” Michael Ervin said. “Customers can enjoy incredible coffee while also making a difference in the world. We are humbled to receive The Collegiate Recovery Philanthropist of the Year Award.”

The company has been actively promoting and raising contributions for the WVCRN scholarship fund, the university said in the release.

“These scholarships play a crucial role in providing financial support to students in recovery, enabling them to pursue their educational and career aspirations with greater ease and confidence,” the release said.

One of the initiatives born from the partnership between WVCRN and Coal River Coffee Company is the creation of a custom coffee blend called “Recovery Roast,” which is sold at Coal River in St. Albans and online. Proceeds support students in recovery.