A cold and overcast May 23rd morning welcomed the Schivley family to the La Mirada community during the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Chick-fil-A‘s new La Mirada location. With corporate staff, their new employees, and local dignitaries and businesses on hand, Chris Schivley was finally realizing his entrepreneurial dream.
Schivley graduated from Long Beach State University in 2002 with a degree in criminal justice and went on to earn a master’s degree in public policy and administration in 2006. Schivley, who grew up in the Los Angeles County area, spent the first 20 years of his career in law enforcement. His first Chick-fil-A experience came a few years ago when his family began a weekly “date night” tradition of visiting the local Chick-fil-A in Long Beach.
After learning about the Chick-fil-A franchise owner opportunity from a colleague, Schivley’s interest was piqued and it didn’t take long before he realized the brand’s focus on serving freshly prepared food and mentoring young people matched his entrepreneurial goals. By the end of 2018, Schivley left his police department job to pursue his dream of becoming an Operator and was thrilled when he was selected for the new La Mirada restaurant.
Becoming an Operator is no small feat as the chain receives nearly 60,000 applications each year for approximately 100 franchise opportunities. He and his wife, Alisa, and their two children are thrilled to open the new La Mirada restaurant so close to their home in Long Beach.
“I am excited to bring Chick-fil-A’s signature handcrafted menu items and personalized customer service to the La Mirada community,” he said. “I am committed to developing my Team Members as together we provide a remarkable experience to our guests.”
Chick-fil-A opened its first metro-Los Angeles restaurant at Santa Monica Place in 1980. Today, there are 49 Chick-fil-A restaurants within 50 miles of Los Angeles.
During the grand opening celebration hosted by the City of La Mirada and the La Mirada Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Steve De Ruse expressed his delight in Chick-fil-A selecting La Mirada as one of their new locations in Southern California. After receiving certificates of appreciation from the city and the Chamber, the Shively’s, already actively involved in the La Mirada Chamber, expressed their excitement about becoming a closer part of the La Mirada community.
The Chick-fil-A is located at 14303 Firestone Blvd, La Mirada, California.
Source: Chick-fil-A | La Mirada Chamber of Commerce
Photo credit: Joe Flores