Chickadees Diner opening downtown location

The building once home to BJ's Cafe at 1729 Marshall St. will soon be a home to the area's second Chickadees Diner.

Chickadees owner Jeff Diehl announced Wednesday that the diner is expected to open early October in the standalone building adjacent to Palmetto Health Richland Hospital next to the on ramp of I-277.

“We’re very excited about having a free-standing building with it’s own parking lot,” Diehl said in a Facebook post Wednesday. “A free-standing building, surrounded by glass with high visibility from a highway is exactly what we’ve been looking for over the last few months."

The original Chickadees is opened in 2013 at the Bi-Lo Shopping Center at 7949 Broad River Rd. in Irmo and is known for its throw-back, retro 1950s-style decor and young waitresses in red-and-white-striped dresses and knee socks. The restaurant also made a name for itself in 2014 when management posted a "Lawfully concealed weapons welcome here" sign on its front door. Since opening, Chickadees has offered a discount for those serving in the military, uniformed officers and first responders and has publicly welcomed the biker community.

Hours of operation for the new location will be 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

This story was originally published September 8, 2016 at 8:39 AM with the headline "Chickadees Diner opening downtown location."