Thursday, October 4, 2007

Love Me Tenders



“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” While Joni Mitchell’s voice filled my car as I drove to Searcy this semester, I became painfully aware of what I was leaving behind. It always seems, as far as restaurant options in Searcy go, that you “don’t know what you didn’t have” until you return home for a summer of great food.

The last time I was in Searcy, a restaurant called Just Ribs had just opened and just closed. In case some of you blinked and missed it, it was where Trail Dust had been, and bit the dust, a few years ago. While I can’t know for sure, one reason for Just Ribs’ short run could have been its motto: “It’s so good it’ll make your tongue slap your brains out!” Any restaurant slogan that ends “…your brains out” is probably more disturbing than appetizing.

Why does Searcy have such a hard time attracting good places to eat?

I pondered this question as I began the 105 mile stretch from Memphis to Searcy—a driving experience comparable to simultaneously watching Charlton Hesston’s “The Ten Commandments” and “Ben-Hur” on mute. And it is in Marion, Ark. that I leave behind my favorite fast-food restaurant for three lonely months—Zaxby’s.

In case you haven’t tasted the Zaxby’s chicken experience, which the mission claims will “enrich lives one person at a time,” it is the only restaurant exception where the Just Ribs motto may be applied. With over 400 locations from Virginia to Texas, Zaxby’s is becoming the In-N-Out of the south. They’ve raised the letter Z’s self-esteem from last to first with their delicious zappetizers, chicken salad zalads, meal dealz, chicken fingerz, zax sauce and party platterz. So as I drove past the banner for the limited-time-only kickin’ chicken sandwich with tongue torch sauce, I knew it was time to do something drastic.

I began my crusade by calling the Searcy Chamber of Commerce. Explaining that I was Zach McLeroy (founder of Zaxby’s), I said Searcy had topped our recent poll of candidates for a Zaxby’s location. But since the entire Chamber of Commerce staff was out playing at a golf tournament, I was told to call back. My plan, however, didn’t change: set up a virtual “blind-date” between an economic developer from Searcy and a franchise contractor from Zaxby’s. Once on the phone with Zaxby’s, I became Israel Moore (founder of Searcy) and passionately pitched Searcy as a chicken-tender deprived college town made of Harding University, ASU: Searcy, and Searcy Beauty College. Their response far exceeded my expectations.

As a profile of White County was pulled up by the representative, she explained that negotiations, ironically, were already in place and that a citizen had begun the application process. Once the license agreement was signed, Zaxby’s would be built in 6 – 18 months. I was ecstatic. I learned all that is needed is $650,000 and one commercial acre. Who knows, if the pharmacy program doesn’t start next year, perhaps their new building could become the nation’s largest Zaxby’s.

To the mysterious citizen of Searcy who is applying to “enrich lives one person at a time”: if you’re reading this, I want to thank you from the bottom of my stomach. While we must all find ways to be satisfied with the options we do have in White County, it never fails to be creative. Some say call your congressman—I say, call your favorite chicken place. Who knows what could happen? Today Chili’s, tomorrow Zaxby’s, the next millennium—Panera Bread.

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