By Rob Roy

An old convenience store that has long since been shutdown became the target for many vandalisms here in Fitchburg; graffiti covered every square inch of it, windows were broken, siding of the building itself torn off. But those days are over and the space has been bought out by a new fried chicken establishment by the name of Crown Fried Chicken. With pizza shops and Chinese restaurants dominating the area, it’s nice to see that a new variety of food has popped up in our area.
Crown Fried Chicken appears to have decently-priced options on their menu, which may be the restaurant’s attempt at appealing to the average college student. They also have a fantastic variety including regular chicken, hot wings, shrimp basket, chicken sandwiches, and many other chicken-related selections. Needless to say, $5.99 for a three-piece chicken, fries or rice, and a soda is a deal that even the most poor college student could probably afford. 
It is not known if Crown Fried Chicken is a country-wide franchise, native to just new England, or only common in Massachusetts. There are numerous locations in Worcester, two in Lynn, one in Haverhill, one in Leominster, and now one right down the street from our very own campus here in Fitchburg. No restaurant owner or employee were available for question, but the new establishment seems very promising in the eyes of Craig Jesse, a junior at Fitchburg State University. “I’ve never had Crown Fried Chicken, apparently it’s really good,” he says. His initial reaction on the discovery of the new restaurant opening any time soon was very positive. “Oh I’m extremely happy! I love fried chicken,” he said.
There are others who are excited for the opening of a new restaurant for a different reason. Brian Vinik, a sophomore at Fitchburg State, isn’t too fond of chicken. But he is looking forward to the opening of Crown Fried Chicken. “I’m afraid I don’t have much to say other than I’m glad that business owners see the potential Fitchburg State has for customers,” Vinik stated.
Fitchburg Mayor Lisa Wong sent out a survey to the school via student e-mail, asking suggestions for restaurants and stores that students would like to see potentially make a home in Fitchburg.
It’s good to see that Fitchburg is beginning to have a little more variety in what is provided for food and shopping. What might be next for Fitchburg in the near future? Only time will tell.