Berwynites Bill Kirkland and his wife, Sharon Purser, inside their new Bryn Mawr venture. Bill and his stepson and business partner, Troy Purser, have backgrounds in the food industry, while Sharon has worked for NASA and more recently, Valley Forge Flowers and Surrey Services.
A whole lotta love and a wee bit ‘o honey are the secret sauce fueling Bryn Mawr’s new Love & Honey Fried Chicken.
Locally owned and operated by a Berwyn family, this is Love & Honey’s first Main Line store and second franchise location with many more en route, including one in King of Prussia.
A flotilla of foodies, influencers and regular folk have long christened the original Love & Honey in Northern Liberties Philly’s finest fried chicken.
Questlove is famously a fan, as is Kylie Kelce, who extols the tenders dipped in hot ranch (below right). No doubt she’s clucking over the new store a short drive from her Havertown home.
From brand creation to food provenance and preparation, this chicken’s pedigree is impeccable.
Co-founders Todd and Laura Lyons are both graduates of the vaunted Culinary Institute of America (CIA), after which Todd spent years cracking the code for fabulous fried chicken: antibiotic-free, humanely-raised, vegetarian-fed Coleman Natural birds born in Delaware, brined, hand-dredged and golden-fried to order in small batches, then lightly drizzled with honey and paired with scratch-made sauces.
The couple made a splash in NoLibs in 2017, then took a stand at Lincoln Financial Field in 2021 and started the franchise wheels turning in 2023. The brand’s first franchise opened in Newtown, Bucks County last June.
Bryn Mawr’s kitchen manager is also a CIA grad. Logan O’Dell was attracted to the brand because its founders instilled an “incredible” corporate culture to match their topnotch food. “It’s the best fried chicken I’ve ever had,” O’Dell tells SAVVY. “I always tell people that I’m not just saying that because I work here but because it’s true.”
Kitchen Manager Logan O’Dell works the fryer in Bryn Mawr on opening day.
Bryn Mawr store franchisee Bill Kirkland was already personally acquainted with the founders when he was searching for a venture for his semi-retirement.
“We knew [Todd and Laura Lyons] put a lot of time and effort behind the food and the brand,” says Bill Kirkland. “They’ve increased their sales every year – they even did well through COVID.”
Kirkland also saw a void. “Chicken’s really hot right now but, as hot as it is, there’s not a tremendous amount of places around here with southern-style fried chicken.”
So Kirkland, his wife, Sharon Purser, and stepson, Troy Purser, inked a franchise deal that allows them to open up to three stores on the Main Line.
They started with Bryn Mawr because of the nearby colleges, schools, hospitals and businesses. They also appreciated the handsome brick bones of a century-old former car dealership with frontage along Lancaster Avenue.
Love & Honey anchors a newly renovated former Dodge-Plymouth showroom near Hope’s Cookies and Gullifty’s. MM Partners has redeveloped the building into ground-floor retail including Focus Fitness and X Training studios. Plymouth Loft apartments are above.
With seven counter stools and four tables, Love & Honey is built for takeout. Just don’t call it fast food. All chicken is fried to order. Count on 20 minutes from order time until pickup.
No chicken feed here. Portions are generous, particularly the chicken sandwiches – manwiches, for sure. Yon’ll pile on the protein with one of these chickadees, assuming you can get your beak around it.
“It’s like crack cocaine. You can’t stop eating it – it’s so good,” enthuses Sharon Purser who, like Kelce, is partial to the tenders and expects them to be her top sellers.
We tried the sandwiches and tenders ourselves. Well, cock-a-doodle-doo. Twas love at first bite.
On the menu: Fried chicken sandwiches $13; Tenders with one sauce from $11.50; Tenders and Tater Tots kids meals $9.50; Sides from $3.75; House-made sauces $.80; Rocky’s hot sauces $3; Sweets $5.25 – $6.25. Catering menu includes sliders. NOTE: Gluten-free chicken is not available. Orders take 20 minutes as chicken is fried to order.
Love & Honey Fried Chicken, 1111 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, is open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Order online or in store. Limited seating. Open til midnight select nights beginning in January.
[…] Philly fave Love & Honey Fried Chicken debuts in Bryn Mawr […]