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From NYC To Paramus: Delaney Chicken Spreads Its Wings

PARAMUS, N.J. — Things are coming full circle for a New Milford native who is expanding his New York City-based business to Paramus this spring.

Daniel Delaney of New Milford is growing Delaney Chicken from NYC to Paramus.

Daniel Delaney of New Milford is growing Delaney Chicken from NYC to Paramus.

Photo Credit: Melissa Holtz

Daniel Delaney, who grew up shopping at the Garden State Plaza, is opening his second Delaney Chicken location at the mall, right next to Shake Shack.

"When the opportunity to open at the mall presented itself, it was the intersection of a lot of things," said Delaney of Brooklyn.

Delaney, who comes from a background in journalism, had been making videos of food vending when he found himself in Texas.

"I was really interested in barbecue," he said. "I started doing it at a hobby level at home in Brooklyn."

He bought smokers, each one progressing in size, until 2011, when a popular restaurant owner in Texas gifted him one and asked for a cut of the money from the meat he sold with it.

That was in 2012, when Delaney launched Brisket Lab, an experimental BBQ company that has since grown into several acclaimed establishments, including BrisketTown in Williamsburg.

He opened Delaney Chicken  at UrbanSpace Vanderbilt shop, and wanted to do it differently.

He wanted crunch. He wanted spice.

Delaney wanted to give his customers a taste of chicken unlike any they've ever had before.

He quickly pivoted into doing chicken sandwiches, which he said turned out to be much more successful.

But Delaney says the real test will come when he opens at the Garden State Plaza this winter.

"This chicken sandwich concept might be something that could do well outside of the unicorn that is Midtown Manhattan," he said. "Getting into a space that's more representative of the country at large, we may find ourselves learning a lot more about the educational process of how we articulate how we are doing."

The best part? He'll be able to spend more time with his mom.

Delaney Chicken will open at Garden State Plaza this spring.

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