Jodi Schwan

jschwan@sfbusinessjournal.com

Fiero Pizza is opening a second Sioux Falls location and adding a new concept around fire-grilled chicken.

The family-owned restaurant opened one year ago on Phillips Avenue offering customized fast-casual pizza.

“We’ve really enjoyed it,” co-owner Jennifer Kelly said. “It’s hectic, of course, in the restaurant business, but it’s fun to work with family.”

The second location will be on West 41st Street west of Kiwanis Avenue in a strip mall space where Lick the Spoon used to be located.

“Things are growing, and a lot of people have requested,” Kelly said of a second location. Customers coming downtown from outside of Sioux Falls have told her they would dine there more if the restaurant were closer to the interstate.

There was a lot of demand for the space, said Ryan Tysdal of Lloyd Cos., who leased it.

“The landlord decided to make some renovations to the space, including a full kitchen, making it attractive to potential tenants,” he said. “The space has received dozens of calls and showings.”

The space is designed with a wall dividing into two areas, which allows Fiero to easily divide it between the pizza restaurant and the new concept, Fiero Fire Chicken.

“It’s basically chicken butterfly-cut open and charbroiled,” Kelly said. “And we have different levels of spiciness and sauces we want to add to the chicken.”

Sides will include fries and green beans but “with a Fiero twist,” she said. “So garlic green beans, and the fries will have an option of sea salt or rosemary, things like that.”

The hope is to open the chicken restaurant first, by November.

“The goal is to be there for folks holiday shopping since it’s busy on 41st Street,” Kelly said.

Fiero already has established a fan base. The restaurant won this year’s Argus Leader Food Falls restaurant bracket challenge during March Madness, beating 63 restaurants.

“Maybe the chicken will win next year,” Kelly said.