Flying the Coop

Summer is a cheery time of year. So to create a bit more balance in everyone’s lives, here’s the non cheery thought for the day.

Everything ends.

Now sure, I may be feeling a bit extra melancholy because I’m coming to the conclusion of The Blacklist’s third season. No spoilers. But it’s looking pretty bleak. On the plus side, I just had a lovely Independence Day with the family, my mother is coming to visit for her birthday today, and next week I’ll be sharing some rental house with old friends.

Still, it’s important to remember that part of the what makes everything so special is the knowledge it won’t be here forever. The universe is in a constant state of change. Which means not only do we have to keep adapting, but we have to take time in the present and enjoy the good things we’ve got.

Case in point. Tomorrow is National Fried Chicken Day. And you can celebrate it at a bunch of places. But Friday, July 7 will be the last day for The Flying Chicken in Troy.

There is at least a little bit to be thankful for in this inevitabile conclusion.

For starters, those who love this restaurant will have a chance to say goodbye. Because often when restaurants close, the owners do so without notice. There is no plan. One day it’s open. The next nothing.

Props to Ian for having the foresight of a planned exit.

His original goal for The Flying Chicken was for it to grow. But in its current format, that hasn’t happened. Still, Ian plans to take the learnings from these past several years, and hopefully bring The Flying Chicken back in a different form down the road.

This whole project came to life in July 2012. I first wrote about it for All Over Albany about two months later. The Flying Chicken is where I first met Josh Coletto who was bringing some of his recipes for southern food to life in Troy.

And I’ve returned a handful of times over the years. Last November Ian hosted the Yelpsgiving event for Yelp Elites to show off his amazing deep fried turkey. And who could forget the doughnut battered fried chicken he brought out to the Yelp Event at Cider Belly?

Just last week, I had to get in and have another Fathead Sandwich just in case I wasn’t able to get back in this week. Diet be damned. Man, was that good. Here, let me show you.

Sometimes the last couple of days of a business can be a gloomy affair. Don’t let it. This is a smart play for Ian and for the potential return of The Flying Chicken. But you never know how things are going to play out. So get in there, enjoy that signature brine, that crispy fry, and those flaky biscuits.

The clock is ticking. The clock is always ticking. The only difference is that now you know.