Plans to bring a Rockin’ Chicken restaurant to the former Long John Silver’s building in Mt. Carmel have officially fallen through.
During Friday’s “Ask the Mayor” program on WSJD, Mayor Joe Judge confirmed that Rockin’ Chicken owner Steve Waddle has decided not to move forward with the project.
Judge said Waddle’s son had been expected to take over the restaurant operation, but ultimately decided not to enter the restaurant business. As a result, Waddle has chosen to scale back his expansion plans and focus on a single location.
The Rockin’ Chicken concept had been slated for the former Long John Silver’s building on West 9th Street. In November 2024, the Mt. Carmel City Council approved $40,000 in Tax Increment Financing funds to help support the estimated $225,000 renovation project, with plans at the time calling for a Fall 2025 opening.
Judge said the property is now listed for sale and has already attracted interest from multiple prospective buyers. According to the mayor, the building was shown several times last week, and several interested parties are expected to have architects evaluate the property in the coming days.
While some residents have suggested the building should be demolished, Judge disagrees.
He says the structure still has “good bones” and believes the block construction provides a solid foundation for future redevelopment.
Judge also noted that the city’s TIF agreement requires repayment of the incentive funds. He said the building is currently listed for $95,000, and the first $40,000 from any sale will be returned to the city under the terms of the legal agreement.
