Julia Williams

Editor-in-Chief

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) at 3014 Independence Ave., is a franchise within the KFC corporation. 

In the 1930s, Harland “Colonel” Sanders — founder of KFC — began his business originally by feeding hungry travelers out of a service station in Corbin, Ken., before he opened the first KFC location in 1952 in Salt Lake City, Utah, according to its website.

Over the past 73 years, the company has gone on to open over 24,000 locations across 145 countries worldwide, including this location on Independence Avenue.

And while this location has remained dedicated to serving its customers over the years, one of its staff members additionally has a rooted history in the company. 

General Manager Lynn Quiroz has worked at this Avenue KFC on and off since she was 16 years old. 

While she shared the first time she worked there was for about a year when she was 16, she has now served as the restaurant’s general manager for the past five years. 

After moving Florida where she lived for many years, she shared in an interview that it was her family who brought her back to the Historic Northeast area. 

“It’s definitely not boring; there’s something new and different every day,” Quiroz said when asked about her favorite aspect of working in the Historic Northeast. 

Along with serving up favorites to the community, she shared that this restaurant participates in a multitude of charity opportunities throughout the year with its upper KFC management. This includes anywhere from completing community service hours each month to selling its coupon books to help give back to adults with disabilities. 

Quiroz said that the restaurant traditionally sells its coupon books toward the beginning of the summer and it will donate 100% of its proceeds to programs that benefit people with disabilities. This is one of KFC’s in-house programs and it is a service that the corporation operates at stores nationwide. 

Another cause this KFC location contributes to is KBP Cares. This is a nonprofit organization within the KFC Foundation that works toward supporting KFC employees with their education — including awarding scholarships and aiding in funding for those who need financial assistance. This funding, Quiroz shared, is something the location collects at its restaurant every day. 

Along with contributing to community resources, this location is also working to make improvements to its building. Quiroz shared that within the last six months, the restaurant’s exterior has received a fresh coat of paint.

Currently, at this KFC, the restaurant is offering its throwback special, which includes its hot and spicy wings and potato wedges combo. The store is also promoting its $10 eight-piece buckets, which are available every Tuesday. 

“We’re here, we love to serve fresh hot food every day, all day,” she said in an interview. 

For additional information on this KFC location, including hours of operation and its programs, visit: https://locations.kfc.com/mo/kansas-city/3014-independence-ave.