After 68 years in business under more than half a dozen owners and in two locations, Bunnell’s Chicken Pantry is no more.
The gargantuan red chicken outside the building at 602 E Moody Boulevard, taken off its sockets, has disappeared. The restaurant’s interiors are still furnished. Chairs are stacked. shelves are bare. The display fridge is off and its shelves empty. Different parts of the establishment look as if business stopped mid-sentenced, but it’s all dark, empty and shuttered.
“I saw them moving the chicken the other day–it’s gone, and nobody wants to talk,” Bunnell City Manager Alvin Jackson said today. “I say, hey, what’s happening? Nobody will say anything.”
Jackson’s office is among the temporary Bunnell city offices that share the same increasingly bedraggled Bunnell Business Center strip mall and the same landlord, along with such organizations as “Circumcision of the Heart Ministries” and “New Beginnings Gospel Church.” Bunnell Business Center LLC sold the 45,000 square foot strip to Hastings-based Trailco Group in 2021 for $1.5 million, according to the property appraiser’s website.
Jackson had been a frequent customer at the Chicken Pantry. “I know that they were struggling, and next I know that I a saw the landlord over there and I guess they weren’t able to come out from it. Nobody has said anything.” Jackson said he’d dropped in several times and was told “they were running low on inventory because things had been so tough financially.”
Flagler Restaurants, the Facebook page, posted an announcement today that the restaurant had closed and that its inventory, including its collection of roosters, would be auctioned off on March 29. AskFlagler’s Chris Gollon reported on the closure this afternoon, including an image of what was described as his last meal there–a characteristically artery-clogging mishmash of cheese-soaked something next to a vaguely yellow sack that may or may not have been a sleeve of eggs.
Proud of its southern fried food for decades, including such standards as okra, Southern fried chicken, black eye peas, its many owners had included Isabelle Portal, who sold it and continued working there, Steven Nieminen and Thom Huynh, who owned it for a few years starting in 2001 (when it was still at its original location at 1105 South State Street, at the southern edge of town (about a mile south of State Road 100), and when appetizers went for $2.25 for onion rings, sandwiches were as low as $2.95, dinners were $5.95 and a New York strip cost $8.95). It is likely that the restaurant contributed at least a little bit to marketing studies that encouraged AdventHealth Palm Coast to open a second hospital.
The restaurant had for decades kept its original look as a 44-seat diner with an eat-at-bar, catering to a very loyal customer base. It was established in 1956, when Eisenhower beat Adlai Stevenson for the second time, when Israel was at war with its neighbors (some things never change), when when Norma Jean Mortenson became Marylin Monroe and a gallon of gas cost 30 cents. Maureen Pavlak bought the restaurant in 2005 and eight years later moved it to its location on East Moody Boulevard, what had previously been a Pizza Hut. She sold it to yet another owners some years ago.
John Rogers, the Bunnell city commissioners, was among the clients who left the Chicken Pantry for Southern Table after Jeanine Volpe, who had managed the place, made the switch, he said. Rogers doesn’t see the demise in dire terms. “It’s an opportunity for someone else to come and open a restaurant and thrive,” said Rogers, himself a business owner. He’s owned John’s Towing for decades. “If somebody was smart they’d open up the Chicken Pantry too and redo it.”
Jackson had heard rumors, he said, that Redneck Rick’s Backyard Cooking, the restaurant across the strip from Flagler Broadcasting’s offices a short distance east on Moody Boulevard, might be interested in occupying the location. Redneck Rick’s was closed today, so the rumor could not be verified.
The Department of Business and Professional Regulations, the state agency that inspects restaurants, among other establishments, ordered the Chicken Pantry closed after a Jan. 29 inspection found three high-priority violations (“those which could contribute directly to a foodborne illness or injury and include items such as cooking, reheating, cooling and hand-washing”), three intermediate violations and 12 basic violations.
Among the high-priority violations were a finding that the dishwashing machine was not functioning properly, raw animal food was stored improperly next to ready-to=-eat food in a walk-in cooler, and several live roaches were observed. A follow-up inspection the next day still found numerous roaches, though all other issues had been addressed. A third inspection apparently later that day cleared the restaurant to re-open. The restaurant had been ordered temporarily closed last July and in August 2022 for violations as well.
Unsurprised says
Well, I for one am not surprised. You can’t continue to serve bad food and expect to stay in business; particularly when there are numerous options. The last time we ate there – or attempted to eat, it was so bad that we left our food. Bantam Chef is much better if you like greasy fried food. At least their food is fresh and hot, although still artery clogging. The Chicken Pantry had cold, greasy fried food, overcooked soggy vegetables and bad service was the standard ever since they moved to the “new” location.
Southern Lady says
Gee I never had a bad meal there & I ate there 3/5 times a week for 6/7 years.
richiesanto says
I hope your coronary arteries can forgive you
TR says
I agree 100%. Had the same experience you described three times after they moved to the RT 100 location and that was it for me. Three strikes and your out. I believe a restaurant is only as good as the chef in the kitchen and management. But when the chef retired from the old location, they were never able to find a qualified replacement, plus the new owners weren’t business oriented IMO.
Disgusted in Flagler County says
They were good when they were at the old location but once they moved it all went downhill. I ate there once and only once at the new location. Biscuits and gravy, my favorite. It was absolutely horrible! Cold, thick and lumpy. And it was expensive and I’m talking maybe 10 years ago. I didn’t eat it. I paid, did not leave a tip and never went back. I still haven’t been to the Southern Table, in all these years but I plan on getting in there eventually. I hear it’s a good place and it’s always pretty packed.
TR says
Go there a lot, especially during Bike Week. Never really had a bad meal, service may be a little slow at times but that’s because of the extra amount of people in town for bike week. But when there is no even I have always been satisfied.
Chicken Saltimboca says
You’re either a chicken pantry lover, or you’ve never been. I’ve never been. I’ve talked to those who have been. I’m good to go on that front. I wish them luck in the new venture, as well as the big red chicken.
Greg says
Pretty sad. We used to eat there almost weekly. Food preparation went down, in my opinion, and some chicken was way over done. We quit going there once they were closed two times in a short amount of time. I hope Cindy well in getting another job. She was our favorite.
Michael J Cocchiola says
Is this the start of the bloodbath Trump bragged about given that he is going to lose the election?
TR says
Well you keep dreaming. But you know what tasted worst then the food from the Chicken Pantry? The words in your comment. I hope you have plenty of salt come November when Trump wins and you have to eat your words. LOL
Danny left says
You just proved what everyone knows. Republicans don’t actually want to win for the right reasons, have no plan to help anyone, and just generally suck. They just are sick psychopaths who like to see a select people(liberal democrats) who are trying to improve society for everyone feel anguish.
The zeitgeist of conservatism is laughing at others misfortune. The young generations get it. Y’all are done.
richiesanto says
And I hope the orange criminal will end up on TBN (Trump broadcast network) hawking his orange Bibles and commemorative coins.
It is absolutely AMAZING to me that a snake oil salesman like orangeboy who is indicted on 91 charges, who tries to bribe the Georgia sec. of state to find me “11780 votes”, who incited the riot on the Capitol (no they weren’t tourists), who gets impeached TWICE and who is consistently rated as the WORST (move over Andrew Johnson) prez in American history still has so many people who subscribe to his BULLSHIT.
Keep drinking the koolaid- you can still make it into the Jim Jones club!
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
You forgot convicted rapist and spray painted shoes.
JimboXYZ says
Big difference between bragging & forewarning of an economic collapse that is a bloodbath. How many businesses have failed since Biden was the Head Liar in Charge (HLIC) ? How long can the masses continue to endure with 4 more years of Bidenomics ? Gasoline creeping up to $ 3.60/gallon in an election year. The Biden-Harris era is showing no signs of backing off for inflation. And if you want to connect the dots, Bevin (Palm Coast City Manager) fired for no cause, Unemployment rate creeps up in 2024 for Flagler County, this restaurant closure only adds to that carnage, call it a mass firing if you want to ? And had Biden gotten his way on vaccine requirements for Covid, a lot more folks would’ve never been able to go back to work as soon as they did under the Faucian economic closure recommendations that were nothing more than a coup of Trump in 2020. Thank DeSantis for fighting the good battle on that Biden strategy to wealth transfer & poverty creation. Otherwise, the Chicken Pantry may have never reopened, folding sooner than it did. But Biden boasts of the prosperity that continues to be funded by the masses from a 2 headed monster of inflation or deeper debt brought to you by Biden-Harris, driver & passenger of misery.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Hilarious statement overall along with ” Bevin (Palm Coast City Manager) fired for no cause,”. You left out the part where she was fired by an all RepubliCon Palm Coast City Council. Yet you don’t care or can supply facts to your ranting for your Grifter Messiah.
Wow says
You may want to check your data. USA had the best economic recovery since the pandemic of all developed nations. Read up on things a little.
Ray W. says
Once again, Jimbo XYZ just cannot quite seem to grasp the truth about gasoline prices.
Back to the basics.
For the past several decades, every spring season brings a rise in gasoline prices as American refineries switch production away from winter grade gasolines to more expensive “summer blends.” In order to switch over, refineries all across the country have to temporarily shut down in order to make the switch. Energy producers phase the shutdowns throughout the spring so as not to have too many refineries shut down at any one time.
Also, individual refineries have to undergo periodic extensive maintenance processes, usually on a three-, four- or five-year cycle. The cyclic shutdown process means that some refineries are going to be scheduled to go off-line each year for extended periods of time. Since the peak fuel demand months occur in the winter and summer, refineries shut down for the extended maintenance periods during lower demand months, usually in the spring or fall. For example, over this past year, the peaks and valleys for the percentage of refinery capacity were:
8.11.23: 94.7% of capacity in operation.
11.3.23: 85.2%.
12.19.23: 93.5%.
2.9.24: 80.4%.
3.22.24: 88.7%.
As an aside, I first learned of this annual process from my elder daughter and her husband; they both work in the natural gas-fired turbine industry. She provides support for the engineers in the field. He was an engineer who worked on the gas turbines. Now, he supervises the teams, but seldom goes out in the field. No one with their company can take vacations during the spring or fall, because that is when electricity demand falls to seasonal lows. The maintenance engineering teams go out in the field working at remote power plants. My SIL has worked at plants ranging from Argentina to Alaska. The teams commonly work 90 or more hours per week because the powerplants need to come back online as soon as possible. Power plants do not shut down for normal maintenance during the summer or winter, because demand for electricity is much higher.
OPEC recently voted to extend its voluntary 2.2 million barrels per day production cut, so prices have been trending up.
Several of Russia’s many refineries have been closed for repairs due to recent drone strikes.
Houthi attacks on maritime commerce have affected the insurance rates for tankers. Tanker owners are rerouting tankers away from the Suez Canal, which increases shipping costs for the international transport of crude oil.
Not one of the above-listed factors can be linked to any presidential policy, Republican or Democrat. Each of them, alone, can impact our national gasoline prices.
Since crude oil and refined gasoline are international commodities, any impact on production levels can raise the international prices for crude oil and gasoline.
Please, JimboXYZ, stop commenting about why gasoline prices rise and fall. I have read multiple comments by you in the past three years or so and you have never once been accurate in your statements. It seems that either you don’t know what you are talking about, or you understand that you know very little about gasoline prices and you continually refuse to educate yourself, or you do know what you are talking about, and you intentionally use disinformation in an attempt to confuse readers.
Ed P says
Micheal,
You know you are spinning bloodbath out of context.
Just to be clear Trump was referencing the auto industry’s gray market coming through Mexico from China.
You’re being intentionally deceptive.
David S. says
A Trump supported restaurant no wonder why they closed.
Kathy says
Seriously? Blame the politicians. Sounds like poor management to me.
TR says
Of coarse someone has to try and make it a political issue. Fact is they closed because the food was bad and the management was unacceptable. Had nothing to do with any political affiliation. What you think that every Biden supported business is booming? Your head is in a dark hole if you believe that.
FLF says
Been eating there for almost 40 years, it did seem like it was struggling after the move, but the Pandemic really caused tough times for them. My buddy from Wilmington NC, would demand we go and have breakfast of fried catfish, scrambled eggs with american cheese, potatoes, toast and coffee when he comes to visit. He proudly displayed his “We Love Chicken Pantry” bumper sticker on his Tahoe. After one hurricane up there, a bunch of tree trimmers were up there from down here to clean up the mess and one guy spotted that bumper sticker and said that’s the best food in Flagler County, 500 miles away. My buddy still talks about that today. We have devastated to hear they had closed. sign’s of the times I guess. Anybody remember eating at Cobbs Corner and Snook was on the menu!
Atwp says
Sad they are closed.
TR says
You’re correct. Not a fan but after 68 years of being in business it’s sad to see it close. Sad to see any business close after that many years in business, especially in this small town of Bunnell.
Retired says
They are up for auction on Estate sales.pics of all their stuff on line.
Sonny says
Not the original Chicken Pantry! New owners never measured up!
dave says
I have eaten there a few times ‘back in the day’, but the last 5 years the place has deteriorated, in both food prep and cleanliness. Hopefully someone will purchase the location, do a total renovation I mean total, kitchen equipment, staff training and once again offer some decent affordable food.
Dennis C Rathsam says
Me & yardbird goes back to my childhood, in the 60,s. My grandfather raise chickens on his farm, my grandmother made the best fried chicken Ive ever ate. Through out my childhood, & teen years, every time the family went out to eat I had chicken. My moms chicken wasnt as good as her mothers, but thats a grandma thing. Any way….Ive eatten more chicken in my life time than other folks, & the chicken at the Pantry was so salty I couldnt eat it. I only went there once, maybe someone will reopen the resturant. All I wish for is they know how to cook!
FAMILY says
When Mary Lou Cooper, Sister Hall, and Jeanine Volpe left the PANTRY the place, and food TASTED like to GARBAGE!
UpUrzToo says
An article about a restaurant that served the area for 68 years is closing, yet the comments are mostly political in nature. You people are very pathetic and should really find a hobby.