BARRIE, Ont. — Chick-fil-A has opened a new location in Barrie, Ont., marking the chain’s eighth restaurant in Canada.
Locally owned and operated by Lincoln Nikkel, the new restaurant will employ approximately 85 to 100 full- and part-time team members and will be open for dine in, drive-thru and pick-up.
Born in Langley, B.C., Nikkel joined Chick-fil-A after being connected with its international recruitment team, which led him to pursue the Chick-fil-A Leadership Development Program. Over the course of 24 months, Nikkel supported more than 10 restaurant openings across the GTA and in the U.S., and learned the valuable skills needed to operate a restaurant. Nikkel is the first Canadian graduate from the program to have been selected as an operator.
In honour of the new opening, Chick-fil-A donated US$25,000 to Hockey Helps the Homeless (HHTH), a non-profit hockey charity that partners and supports more than 45 local homeless agencies across Canada and focuses on two categories, housing projects and support programs. Through the HHTH chapter in Barrie, Ont., 100 per cent of the net proceeds will stay local and support Redwood Park Communities and Busby Centre.
“Barrie is a community that truly supports one another,” says Nikkel. “I am so grateful for the warm welcome, and through our restaurant, I look forward to showing that same intentionality that is at the heart of everything we do. I look forward to contributing to a growing city, serving our neighbours well and creating a culture of care through mentorship and genuine hospitality.”
“At Hockey Helps the Homeless, we believe everyone should have a safe place to call home and we’re always thrilled when there are opportunities to work with partners who share the same passion,” says Dave McCullough, Committee Chair of Hockey Helps the Homeless, Barrie Chapter. “Having heard Lincoln’s history with the sport and enthusiasm for giving back to the community, we are excited by the partnership. We look forward to working with a fellow hockey-lover to help ensure our community’s most vulnerable have a fighting chance.”
Additionally, Nikkel’s restaurant will be participating in Chick-fil-A Shared Table, an initiative that re-directs surplus food from the restaurant to local soup kitchens, shelters, food banks and non-profits in need.
