Fried chicken that cracks loudly under your teeth and stays hot and juicy all the way through is worth driving across town for. Georgia has a family kitchen that started in 1986, when a grandmother opened a small country cooking spot.
Her granddaughter grew up in that kitchen and became known around town simply as The Chicken Lady. Now she is building a giant food destination worth an estimated six million dollars or more.
That growth began with recipes passed down through one family, and the story behind it is as satisfying as the crust. Walking into the original coop, the smell of hot oil and seasoning fills the air before a seat is even found.
Regulars know the order by heart. Newcomers become regulars after one bite.
Hours slip away without notice. This is a tale of hard work, good cooking, and a legacy that keeps expanding.
The whole delicious story is worth telling.
A Grandmother Named Minnie Started It All
Some of my favorite food stories begin with a grandmother, and this one is no different. Back in 1986, Minnie Hanneman opened Minnie’s Uptown Restaurant in Columbus, Georgia, serving the kind of country cooking that fills you up and sends you home happy.
Locals came for plates piled high with Southern comfort food. Over the years, the little restaurant became a true neighborhood favorite where families gathered after church, workers grabbed quick lunches, and regulars knew exactly what they wanted before they sat down.
I love that the roots of this whole project are so simple. There was no big business plan at first, just good cooking, fair prices, and a woman who knew how to feed people well.
Fun fact for you: Minnie’s famous cornbread dressing later became so popular that the family started selling it in grocery stores. That means a recipe from a small restaurant kitchen ended up on store shelves for people to enjoy at home.
If you ever want to understand why food matters so much in the South, start with stories like this one. Recipes get passed down like treasures, and the people who protect them keep a little piece of family history alive with every plate they serve.
How Melinda Became The Chicken Lady
Nicknames usually have to be earned, and Melinda Newton earned hers one crispy drumstick at a time. She joined the family business at Minnie’s in 1999, and that is where she created the fried chicken recipe that changed everything.
The results speak loudly. Her chicken won Best Fried Chicken in Columbus from the Ledger-Enquirer Readers Choice Awards for 23 years, which is a winning streak most sports teams would envy.
It was also named Best of Georgia by the Georgia Business Journal. That is a big deal in a state where almost everybody believes their family makes the best fried chicken.
My honest reaction after tasting it was pure happiness. The crust is crunchy and well seasoned, and the meat underneath stays tender and juicy, the way great fried chicken should.
Here is a helpful tip if you plan to visit. Go with a few friends and order a mix of pieces so everyone can try the white and dark meat, then trade bites like you are at a family reunion.
Melinda is also a third-generation female business owner. She took what her grandmother built and added her own talent, which is exactly how family recipes keep growing stronger over time.
Comfort on a Plate at The Chicken Lady’s Coop
My plate at The Chicken Lady’s Coop looked like a Sunday dinner at a favorite aunt’s house. Melinda opened the Coop in 2018, and it quickly became a go-to spot for anyone craving real Southern cooking made from scratch.
The menu goes way beyond fried chicken. You can pick baked chicken, chicken sandwiches, hamburger steak, or thick fried pork chops, then add sides like creamy mac and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, and cornbread dressing with gravy.
Save room for something sweet. The sweet potato souffle is the kind of side that tastes like dessert, and the blueberry lemon cake and red velvet cake are both worth the extra stop on your way out.
Portions here are generous, so leftovers are almost guaranteed. That is honestly one of my favorite parts, because cold fried chicken the next day is a small gift to yourself.
For a fun twist, try one of the creative chicken sandwiches, like the Hot GA Dipped option with its spicy sauce. If heat is not your thing, the classic versions are just as satisfying and full of flavor.
Bring a big appetite and a little patience while you decide. Choosing only three sides might be the hardest part of the visit.
From Food Truck to Grocery Shelves
Picture a food truck rolling up to your event with fried chicken on board. That is The Rolling Coop, and it is one of the clever ways Melinda brought her cooking to people all over Columbus.
Her brand kept growing in smart directions. Along with the truck, she built a catering service that handles everything from office lunches to big family parties, often delivering hot food with plates, utensils, and sauces ready to go.
Then came the grocery store line. Shoppers can now pick up Minnie’s famous cornbread dressing and macaroni and cheese and serve them at their own dinner tables.
I think this part of the story is a great lesson for anyone who dreams of starting a business. Melinda did not try to do everything at once, she added one piece at a time and made sure each one worked before moving forward.
Here is a practical idea for your next holiday meal. Grab the cornbread dressing from the store, make your own turkey, and let Minnie’s recipe handle the hardest side on the table.
Each new venture helped prepare her for something much bigger. All of these steps slowly built the foundation for the dream project now taking shape on Fortson Road.
CARGO Brings a Bold New Look to Fortson Road
Shipping containers are not what most people picture when they think of fried chicken, and that is what makes CARGO so exciting to me. The project sits on an 11.6-acre site at 8151 Fortson Road, with room to grow to 13.6 acres.
CARGO is valued at an estimated $6 million or more. Its design uses shipping containers and big garage doors that open up the space, giving the whole place a sleek, industrial style with a breezy open-air feel.
Six brick-and-mortar restaurants will connect through a large courtyard. That layout means you can grab food from one spot, meet friends from another, and still sit together in the middle.
There will also be a food truck park with ten dedicated slips. On top of that, ten commissary kitchens tucked inside containers will give other food businesses a place to cook and grow.
I love how this design invites people to slow down and hang out. Instead of eating fast and leaving, families can stroll, try different dishes, and enjoy the outdoors on a nice Georgia evening.
Six Restaurants, One Big Courtyard
Deciding where to eat with a group can start arguments, but CARGO might solve that problem for good. With six different restaurants in one place, everybody can order exactly what they want.
The star, of course, will be a larger Chicken Lady’s Coop. It will even have a drive-thru, which is great news for anyone who wants that famous fried chicken on a busy weeknight.
Other spots add plenty of variety. Plans include a high-end steakhouse for special dinners, a pizza place from the owner of Cerrone’s Pizza, and Plates Vegan for plant-based eaters.
My favorite part is how this mix brings different people together. A grandparent who loves Southern cooking, a teenager craving pizza, and a friend who eats vegan can all share one table in the courtyard.
Here is a tip for future visits. Try a sampling night where everyone orders from a different restaurant, then share bites so you can taste a little of everything without overspending.
Live music and family-friendly entertainment are also part of the plan. That makes CARGO feel less like a food court and more like a community hangout where good meals and good memories happen side by side, all built around a grandmother’s recipes.
Jobs, Community, and a Family Legacy
Big dreams need good help, and Melinda found some at the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center. The UGA SBDC helped her structure the new business, find funding, and work through the many rules that come with a project this size.
The numbers are impressive. CARGO is expected to create up to 450 jobs and bring in around $15 million in yearly sales, which means real paychecks for local families.
For young people looking for their first job, that could open a lot of doors. Kitchens, counters, and events all need friendly workers, and learning in a busy food space teaches skills that last a lifetime.
I find it touching that all of this traces back to Minnie’s kitchen in 1986. A grandmother’s recipes now help support hundreds of neighbors, and that feels like the best kind of legacy.
If you have a family recipe of your own, take a lesson from this story. Write it down, share it, and never underestimate where a good dish might lead.
When you visit, you will taste more than chicken. You will taste three generations of hard work and love for Columbus.
Address: 8151 Fortson Road, Columbus, GA
