Matt Rhodes

Chick-fil-A • Winston Plaza • Melrose Park, IL

Today the name Chick-fil-A is synonymous with the burgeoning chicken craze. That wasn’t the case in 2016 in Melrose Park, IL when Matt Rhodes partnered with Chick-fil-A to open a local franchise where only about 12% of the market had even HEARD of the now very popular chicken eatery. But Matt knew the culture and the opportunities that he and this operation could bring would ultimately benefit this tight-knit community.

Matt was raised in an entrepreneurial family. Always focused on caring for others, his parents started a local medical supply company where they provided hospital beds, walkers, oxygen equipment and wheelchairs for in-home care. Matt was witness to their strong work ethic and to the value they brought their local community.

Following in his parent’s footsteps, Matt was also driven to start his own business — to succeed, yes, but also to make a positive impact on the community. Matt describes his Chick-fil-A franchise as being in “the people business masked by chicken”. He’s big on team leadership and empowers his employees to create little moments of kindness, surprise and care throughout the day.

Newmark Merrill has been instrumental in supporting the Melrose Park Chick-fil-A. Struggling with initially-low Chick-fil-A brand awareness, Matt needed all the help he could get to bring customers through the door. NMC’s deep commitment to hosting ongoing community events consistently drove new business to the property. Matt knew once these newbies experienced their unique brand of customer service and tasted the chicken, they’d become fans. The NMC/Chick-fil-A combo was a recipe for success.

Today, the business is booming and Matt’s team members are thriving both personally and professionally. He’s already mentored one leader to purchase her own franchise and has three more in the pipeline to do the same. Watching his team members learn, grow and achieve is Matt’s true passion. And he’s pleased that the people of Melrose Park are clucking about Chick-fil-A, the best chicken in town.