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KFC set to return to Yellowknife

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is set to return to Yellowknife 3 years after the franchise left town.

Work crews carefully strap down the Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket after they had removed it from the pole in front of the Yellowknife restaurant in 2015. NNSL file photo

Friday afternoon the City of Yellowknife released the agenda for Monday's municipal services committee meeting in which the city's Department of Planning and Development recommends that City Council approve the proposal to construct a new KFC alongside a Taco Bell and a Starbucks on Old Airport Road.

The agenda provides an outline of  construction that would take place across the road from McDonald's and Booster Juice as well as a plan to improve Old Airport rd. to facilitate the anticipated traffic that the three new businesses would create in an area of town that is already "nearing capacity during afternoon peaks with existing conditions".

KFC had previously been one of the longest running businesses in town before it's downtown location after 48 years of service in 2015. Matthew Jason, KFC's previous Yellowknife franchise owner, at the time of closure cited difficulty dealing with headquarters as the reason the store closed.  Before it's closure the popular fast food chain sold a total of 5,220 pieces of chicken in under 36 hours. Some residents in the city even felt it was necessary to hold a candle lit vigil outside the store on it's final night in town.

The three franchise proposals are still waiting for approval from city council.