[Ed note: This article was updated on October 14 to reflect new information given.]
A chain of chicken spots founded by an NBA hall of famer has closed a location in the Greater Boston area after a bit more than one year in business, though it will be reborn in a new location not too far away.
According to a source, Big Chicken at the Northshore Mall in Peabody is no longer in operation, with a Patch article confirming that it has indeed shut down. We have subsequently been informed that this is actually a move, with a new location of the restaurant coming to 19 Dodge Street in Beverly, possibly early in 2026.
Big Chicken, which is part of a chain founded by Shaquille O'Neal, first opened at the Northshore Mall in the summer of 2024, offering such items as chicken sandwiches, popcorn chicken, sliders, tenders, macaroni and cheese, and more. A food truck location of the chain called Big Chicken Dunk Truck remains open at the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets. The chain was first established in 2018 by O'Neal, who played for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers before finishing his career with the Boston Celtics in 2011.
The website for Big Chicken can be found at https://www.bigchicken.com/
(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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