Chickie Flynn's Owners Take Pride in Comfort Food Menu; Consider Foxborough Community 'Extended Family'

Christine Kelly and her husband, Jim have been in the restaurant industry all their lives, and are glad to now call Foxborough their home.

“I’ve been doing it since I was a candy striper [volunteer] at the Norwood Hospital,” Christine said.

The couple also met in the business, and Christine said they’ve worked in all aspects of the industry in some capacity or another, even now at Chickie Flynn's on Route 1 in Foxborough.

“I wanted to learn so I knew every aspect of the business,” she said. “I love it, it’s a little bit of everything now. I bartend, I waitress, I like making sure everything is done right.”

She added she thinks the restaurant is an outward expression of herself and her husband.

Christine said she and her husband used to own Leona’s Restaurant in North Attleboro, which was named after Jim’s grandmother. Chickie Flynn is named after Christine’s grandmother. Christine said it is a family business, which brings a sense of community to the regulars that come in.

“One family that works for me, a mom, daughter and son ... they originally brought a lot of business from Walpole who have become our regulars,” she said. “We still have people from Leona’s that come up and visit, and it’s like an extended family.”

Chickie Flynn’s is located near Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place, and Christine said home games are a stressful but gratifying time most days.

“I love it,” she said. “It’s a whole new aspect, where at Leona’s it was all locals, but here we get a little bit of everyone. We get tons of new people from far away, It’s really nice.”

She said they don’t do much business during actual game play, mostly just state troopers coming in for a bite, but before kick-off and after the game the house is usually packed.

“When the game ends, hopefully they won otherwise everyone’s really sad,” she said.

Christine said her husband started as a dishwasher at a Jewish community center and quickly worked his was up.

“He saved his money and he wanted to buy a McDonalds, but his father wouldn’t co-sign for him, he was under 18,” she said.

Christine said her husband Jim bought a small pizza place when he was ready in the Boston area, moved to Salem Street for another pizza place, and then opened up Piccola Venezia on Hanover Street in Boston proper, which he still owns.

Christine said the food at Chickie Flynn’s is mostly comfort food, like chicken potpie, meatloaf, roasted chicken dinners etc., and everything is homemade.

“With the exception of the French fries,” she said. “We have a great head chef, and he and Jimmy both come up with new stuff every week.”

Chickie Flynn’s is located on 94 Washington St. and is open Sun - Thu, 11am - 11pm; Fri - Sat, 11am – midnight.