Convenience Big Store: How Cy-Fair's latest hot chicken spot hopes to set itself apart

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What's up with the hot chicken craze?

It seems like every day I come across a hot chicken restaurant or food truck as I drive around Houston. I'm not a big fan of hot or spicy food but noticed that hot chicken spots are continuing to trend.

Popular Houston hot chicken restaurants such as Dave's Hot Chicken or Clutch City Cluckers, are getting more competition from new restaurants, including one that recently opened its 10th location in Cy-Fair.

Houston-based Urban Bird Hot Chicken hopes to set the restaurant chain apart from dozens of others.

Owner Brandon Gawthorp said he worked for weeks conducting experiments to get his chicken breading and seasoning just right.

What's your favorite hot chicken spot? Write and let us know.

Ralph Green, Suburban reporter producer

ralph.green.@houstonchronicle.com

Education

New Spring ISD Athletic Director Derrell Oliver at meet & greet.

Photo by: Submitted By Spring ISD

Spring ISD's Derrell Oliver named first black athletic director in district history.

A new Spring ISD director of athletics is making history after a career in engineering. Spring ISD athletic director Derrell Oliver took over operations after first serving in an interim role.

Need to Know

Hundreds of new apartments are expected to be open and filled with new residents in the Village of Creekside Park, causing concerns over pedestrian safety in the village center area which has two splits of Kuykendahl Road with increasing traffic.

Photo by: Jason Fochtman, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer

What are the pros and cons of living in Cy-Fair?

As Cy-Fair continues to grow, from new road updates to growing neighborhoods, we want to know what you love and don't love about living in this area.

Openings and closings

Brake Check has opened a location in Cypress at FM 529 and North Fry Road. Brake Check was founded in 1968 and offers oil, brake, alignment, and tire services. This new location in Cy-Fair means there are now 53 Brake Check locations in total.

Shout out

Congratulations to Cypress Falls High School senior Reid Meekins as he was named the third-place finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston's 2023 High School Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.

Football coaches nominate one senior on each team and then finalisst are selected by representatives of the organization.

One last thing ...

Spring is arriving earlier than usual in Houston this year, according to the Chronicle's data tracker. If you may have seen signs that the season may be changing, you're not the only one. On March 20 is the spring equinox, which is known as the start of spring but others nationwide are also already experiencing the season change.