Why this Johnson County Zaxby’s has been closed for months and when it will reopen

Chicken finger chain Zaxby’s temporarily closed its Overland Park location in September.

Now it plans to reopen in early 2022.

Preston McCollum, manager of the location 9500 W.135th St., said he came down with COVID-19 in late September and the restaurant temporarily closed soon after that for staffing issues.

He is now at the Olathe location and rebuilding the Overland Park staff. It needs 45 to 60 people, and 10 new hires will start training next week. He hopes to reopen in late January or early February.

The restaurant industry has been struggling to find employees during the pandemic, but McCollum said Zaxby’s is offering more money and expanded benefits to attract workers.

“We still get a ton of cars coming through the drive-thru over there,” even though it’s closed, he said of the Overland Park location. The drive-thru is now blocked.

In Olathe, he said, “this store has almost tripled in sales. We get our Overland Park regulars. But we’re so excited to get back over there and rocking and rolling. We have a good product and love the people to come here.”

The restaurants are known for chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, coleslaw and Texas toast. They also have sandwiches, wings and salads, and appetizers.

The Overland Park restaurant opened in 2016.