The front entrance of the newly-refurbished Chicken 'n' Chips at 12 West Hollis St. in Nashua. Courtesy photo/Chicken 'n' Chips

NASHUA – When Jelany Salas assumed ownership of Chicken ‘n’ Chips in September 2022, he initially did not know where to begin.

Six months earlier, the restaurant, a staple of West Hollis Street since 1966, was gutted by a two-alarm fire.

Salas said he routinely stopped at Chicken ‘n’ Chips as a child on his way home from school. However, the fire had reduced the once bustling restaurant to a dark shell of its former self.

“It was not good on the eyes,” Salas said of the building’s charred remains. “I bought it with the idea of renovating it and renting it out.”

In 2023, Salas welcomed Raul Martinez as the new manager. However, neither of them had any prior experience with owning and operating a restaurant. Salas was and still is a car salesman in Amherst while Martinez had been a barber in Nashua.

“That was the one thing that was against us, the inexperience,” said Martinez. “It’s been challenging.”

Yet, they remained steadfast in their mission to bring Chicken ‘n’ Chips back to life.

“For years, I’ve been trying to have a restaurant,” said Martinez.

Throughout 2023, Salas and Martinez worked tirelessly with electricians, plumbers and an architect to restore the business. Martinez said that in addition to purchasing all new equipment, new DoorDash and Facebook accounts were needed as well.

In January, nearly two years after the fire, Chicken ‘n’ Chips reopened at 12 West Hollis St. Despite the significant fire damage, Martinez said Salas never felt the need to move the restaurant elsewhere.

“We did a great job of rehabbing it,” said Salas, adding that he and Martinez worked well with city officials during the renovation process. “They were excited to get this building back up and running.”

Martinez said he made a few minor changes to the menu and that the restaurant now has a bar and a dinner option.

“Most of the people like what we’ve done,” he said.