In Yellowknife, it's 'Goodbye KFC, hello Mary Brown's'

The smell of Kentucky Fried Chickenhas barely lifted from downtown Yellowknife and now a rival fried chicken franchise wants to open a location at the other end of the city.

Mary Brown's applied to the City of Yellowknife for a development permit on June 30 just a week before CBC news learned the city's downtown KFC would close.

Yellowknife's KFC franchise closed this past weekend after 47 years.

A would-be Mary Brown's franchisee whose identity remains unknown is eyeing a location on Old Airport Road, across from Home Hardware.

The development permit was approved by city council on Monday, though further review by the city, plus a building permit, is needed before the project can move forward.

The chosen lot is owned by Ken Pich, who operates Westown Tire Service nearby. Pich said the franchisee wants to lease the space on the lot from him, though Pich declined to name the franchisee.

A previous Mary Brown's location closed in Yellowknife in 2002.