Golden Skillet
{{Short description|Fast-food chain}}
{{For|the Canadian restaurant chain originally known as Golden Skillet|Mary Brown's}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
Golden Skillet is a fast-food chain that mainly sells fried chicken originating in Richmond, Virginia.{{cite web |date=October 2, 1981 |title=Obituaries |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/10/02/Obituaries/2664370843200/ |accessdate=April 2, 2022 |publisher=UPI}} The first Golden Skillet chicken was sold in 1963 at the downtown Richmond department store Thalhimer's. The fried chicken recipe was created by Clifton W. Guthrie, the original owner and founder of Golden Skillet.
The slogan for the chain was "Tender as Quail! Tasty as Pheasant!"{{Cite web |title=GOLDEN SKILLET TENDER AS QUAIL..TASTY AS PHEASANT Trademark of Golden Skillet International, Inc. Serial Number: 72215070 :: Trademarkia Trademarks |url=https://trademark.trademarkia.com/golden-skillet-tender-as-quailtasty-as-pheasant-72215070.html |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=trademark.trademarkia.com |language=en}} While the recipe was not officially published, it is known that the fried chicken was cooked in special pressure-cookers and with specific breading.
History
In 1963, a vice president of a Thalhimers grocery store tasted Guthrie's chicken at a banquet and shortly after, it was sold at the Thalhimers' restaurant.
Eventually, in Richmond, the first freestanding location opened in 1968. By October 2, 1981, Guthrie's death, the chain had grown to 16 company-owned locations and 180 franchises worldwide. It had affiliate firms with Puerto Rico, Canada, and Japan.{{Cite web |last=Hunziker |first=Jacob |date=2022-06-16 |title=Golden Skillet closes as owner begins new chapter in life |url=https://wset.com/news/local/golden-skillet-brookneal-virginia-closes-owner-emmeline-harper-begins-new-life-chapter |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=WSET |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=After more than 35 years in Portsmouth, last Golden Skillet in Hampton Roads closes Sunday |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/business/vp-bz-golden-skillet-closing-0919-20210918-ovnm3777fjgijnri4b4zcwajme-story.html |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=The Virginian-Pilot|date=18 September 2021 }} As of April 2024, the company operates 10 locations in Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Golden Skillet would be sold to American chain Dairy Queen sometime in the 1980s after Guthrie's death.{{Cite book |last1=Derdak |first1=Thomas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sAm7AAAAIAAJ&q=Golden+Skillet |title=International Directory of Company Histories |last2=Grant |first2=Tina |date=2001 |publisher=St. James Press |isbn=978-1-55862-444-3 |language=en}}
Locations
Some locations of the franchise include Sandston, Virginia,{{Cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Golden+Skillet/@37.5206644,-77.3070165,17z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89b11b9466007231:0x112eb905b622b928!2s345+E+Williamsburg+Rd,+Sandston,+VA+23150!3b1!8m2!3d37.5206602!4d-77.3048225!3m4!1s0x89b11b9468907b83:0x88ef0e5f24d7b482!8m2!3d37.5207022!4d-77.3048046?hl=en-US |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Google Maps |language=en}} Plymouth, North Carolina,{{Cite web |title=GOLDEN SKILLET, Plymouth - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews |url=http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g49447-d7761453-Reviews-Golden_Skillet-Plymouth_North_Carolina.html |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Tripadvisor |language=en}} Henderson, North Carolina,{{Cite web |title=Golden Skillet{{!}}Fried Chicken{{!}}BarBQ {{!}}Seafood {{!}}Henderson NC |url=https://www.goldenskilletnc.com/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |language=en-US}} Ahoskie, North Carolina,{{Cite web |title=Home {{!}} Golden Skillet |url=https://goldenskilletahoskie.com/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=goldenskilletahoskie.com}} Danville, Virginia,{{cite web|url=https://m.facebook.com/100063862110610/|title=Danville Golden Skillet Facebook homepage|website=Facebook|access-date=August 26, 2024}} Petersburg, Virginia,{{Cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Golden+Skillet/@37.2221534,-77.4240631,20z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89b1a67fe4d71a1f:0x6bc6a1d1e672fae7!2s1228+W+Washington+St,+Petersburg,+VA+23803!3b1!8m2!3d37.2220282!4d-77.4237816!3m4!1s0x89b1a67fe8c007d9:0x3d3cfee4fc728e38!8m2!3d37.2220052!4d-77.4237548 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Google Maps |language=en}} and Richmond, Virginia.{{Cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Golden+Skillet/@37.4728926,-77.5279286,17z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1s7108+Hull+Street+Rd+North+Chesterfield,+VA+2323!3m5!1s0x89b10d7067cdde87:0x6bb53402a933da3a!8m2!3d37.4737685!4d-77.5260198!15sCi83MTA4IEh1bGwgU3RyZWV0IFJkIE5vcnRoIENoZXN0ZXJmaWVsZCwgVkEgMjMyM1owIi43MTA4IGh1bGwgc3RyZWV0IHJkIG5vcnRoIGNoZXN0ZXJmaWVsZCB2YSAyMzIzkgEKcmVzdGF1cmFudA |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Google Maps |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Google Maps |url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/Golden+Skillet/@37.5208652,-77.5098997,21z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x89b11253f3c71837:0x8a4881df34af37a9!2s6116+Jahnke+Rd,+Richmond,+VA+23225!3b1!8m2!3d37.5209134!4d-77.5098518!3m4!1s0x89b11253fa1d8dc3:0xf6435c2a27e1091f!8m2!3d37.5208772!4d-77.5098966 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=Google Maps |language=en}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
- {{cite news
| last = Hubbard
| first = Valerie
| title = Golden Skillet: Virginia's Answer to Colonel Sanders
| pages = 104–107
| publisher = Virginia Living magazine
| date = August 2003
| url = http://www.virginialiving.com }}
{{Fast-food chains of the United States}}
{{Chicken chains|state=autocollapse}}
Category:Restaurants in Virginia
Category:Restaurants established in 1968
Category:Fast-food poultry restaurants
Category:1968 establishments in Virginia
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{{Virginia-stub}}
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