by Matthew Eadie
August 15, 2025
Kat Abughazaleh speaking at the protest in front of the planned Popeyes at Dempster and Dodge. Credit: Matthew Eadie
Democratic congressional primary candidate Kat Abughazaleh appeared Thursday afternoon at a rally of Evanston residents opposed to a planned Popeyes restaurant.
“Right now we have dozens of people out here standing up for small businesses, standing up for healthier choices and standing up for their neighbors and that’s amazing,” Abughazaleh told about three dozen people standing in what would be the restaurant’s parking lot.
The 26-year-old content creator said she was “so moved” by the protest, adding, “our leaders often ignore what we’re fighting for.”
Abughazaleh speaking with Jeff Boarini and other protesters. Credit: Matthew Eadie
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss is also among the candidates in the crowded Democratic primary seeking to succeed Jan Schakowsky in representing the 9th Congressional District.
The protestors are led by Nancy Floy, who owns the tax-exempt Heartwood Center, an alternative health center next to the restaurant site at 1830 Dempster St.
They’ve been calling on Biss to — in the words of the mural painted this week on the center’s wall — “Say no to Popeyes.”
—–
A Kat Abughazaleh volunteer collecting signatures for ballot access at the event. Credit: Matthew Eadie
When asked if she believes members of Congress or potential members of Congress should be influencing local municipal zoning decisions and if she would do so if elected, she said she thinks elected leaders should be more accessible to the community.
“A lot of people are apathetic right now so I think it would be fantastic if representatives at all levels of government tried to go where citizens are engaged,” Abughazaleh said.
Biss’ campaign declined to comment on the event.
Floy has argued that Popeyes would “not [be] in harmony with our village,” and instead suggested she be allowed to buy the property and rent it to Gabi Walker-Aguilar, owner of 4Suns Juice Bar, who plans to open a food market she says would offer healthier options than Popeyes.
The side of the building Poonja hopes to turn into a Popeyes, renting the other half to other businesses. Credit: Matthew Eadie
Walker-Aguilar said she hoped “that Mayor Biss might support two local, women-owned businesses promoting healthy options for the community instead of foreign corporate entities.”
The Popeyes would be owned by franchisee Karim Poonja of Glenview, and would be an addition to an intersection already home to Burger King, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Subway, Dunkin’ and various other chain stores and restaurants.
Opponents have said they don’t think the intersection needs another fast food spot, but at a 2nd Ward meeting this week, Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd) took issue with what she described as some people “policing what you eat.”
“I’m not going to let anybody tell Black and brown people what to eat,” Harris said. “What we will do is go through the process … but the audacity for anybody to tell anybody how to eat is a privilege.”
As mayor, Biss doesn’t have control over the city’s administrative review process, something delegated by the city manager to city staff. Only if an application appears before the City Council would the mayor and council members decide the business’s fate.
The mural calls for Mayor Daniel Biss to “SAY NO TO POPEYES” Credit: Matthew Eadie
But the protesters are taking their anger out on Biss anyway, calling on him to hold city staff accountable for what they view as stretching the rules of approving Popeyes as a Type 1 restaurant.
“Mayor Biss, are you listening?” Floy said. “We are asking you to follow the law … say ‘no’ to Popeyes and say ‘yes’ to Gabi [Walker-Aguilar], Byron (her husband) and Darlene [Cannon] and her vision.”
Under the city’s zoning code, a Type 1 or “full-service” restaurant must “require customers to order at a table, booth, or dining counter with service by a waiter or waitress at said table, booth, or dining counter” and must use “reusable (nondisposable) flatware and dishware.”
Type 1 restaurants are a permitted use in the property’s C1 zoning district and don’t require Land Use Commission or City Council approval.
Floy says she plans to appeal the city staff’s approval of Popeyes.
Her consultant, Melissa Klotz, a former Evanston zoning administrator, said Popeyes should not have been approved as Type 1.
But Klotz said that if the Land Use Commission rejected the appeal, the Popeyes owner could reapply as a Type 2, or carry-out restaurant. If that proposal was appealed, it would eventually require a city council vote.
That’s the process Ald. Matt Rodgers (8th) wants to see play out, appearing at the protest and telling Evanston Now he doesn’t believe Popeyes should be approved as a Type 1.
But Rodgers said he’d be okay with a Popeyes if it’s approved through the Type 2 process like other fast food restaurants.
Update 1:15 p.m. 8/15/25: Ald. Harris, in a statement Friday responding to the protest, said she’s “disheartened that someone new to the area with political motivations didn’t take the opportunity to hear from all parties involved. I’m equally disappointed that I was not contacted for my insight.”
Harris said she was happy the event went well and that people are empowered to speak up, but wrote, “This is about being fair, honest and doing what’s right for our community, not about political grandstanding.”
Source (Archive)
August 15, 2025
Kat Abughazaleh speaking at the protest in front of the planned Popeyes at Dempster and Dodge. Credit: Matthew Eadie
Democratic congressional primary candidate Kat Abughazaleh appeared Thursday afternoon at a rally of Evanston residents opposed to a planned Popeyes restaurant.
“Right now we have dozens of people out here standing up for small businesses, standing up for healthier choices and standing up for their neighbors and that’s amazing,” Abughazaleh told about three dozen people standing in what would be the restaurant’s parking lot.
The 26-year-old content creator said she was “so moved” by the protest, adding, “our leaders often ignore what we’re fighting for.”
Abughazaleh speaking with Jeff Boarini and other protesters. Credit: Matthew Eadie
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss is also among the candidates in the crowded Democratic primary seeking to succeed Jan Schakowsky in representing the 9th Congressional District.
The protestors are led by Nancy Floy, who owns the tax-exempt Heartwood Center, an alternative health center next to the restaurant site at 1830 Dempster St.
They’ve been calling on Biss to — in the words of the mural painted this week on the center’s wall — “Say no to Popeyes.”
—–
A Kat Abughazaleh volunteer collecting signatures for ballot access at the event. Credit: Matthew Eadie
When asked if she believes members of Congress or potential members of Congress should be influencing local municipal zoning decisions and if she would do so if elected, she said she thinks elected leaders should be more accessible to the community.
“A lot of people are apathetic right now so I think it would be fantastic if representatives at all levels of government tried to go where citizens are engaged,” Abughazaleh said.
Biss’ campaign declined to comment on the event.
Floy has argued that Popeyes would “not [be] in harmony with our village,” and instead suggested she be allowed to buy the property and rent it to Gabi Walker-Aguilar, owner of 4Suns Juice Bar, who plans to open a food market she says would offer healthier options than Popeyes.
The side of the building Poonja hopes to turn into a Popeyes, renting the other half to other businesses. Credit: Matthew Eadie
Walker-Aguilar said she hoped “that Mayor Biss might support two local, women-owned businesses promoting healthy options for the community instead of foreign corporate entities.”
The Popeyes would be owned by franchisee Karim Poonja of Glenview, and would be an addition to an intersection already home to Burger King, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Subway, Dunkin’ and various other chain stores and restaurants.
Opponents have said they don’t think the intersection needs another fast food spot, but at a 2nd Ward meeting this week, Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd) took issue with what she described as some people “policing what you eat.”
“I’m not going to let anybody tell Black and brown people what to eat,” Harris said. “What we will do is go through the process … but the audacity for anybody to tell anybody how to eat is a privilege.”
As mayor, Biss doesn’t have control over the city’s administrative review process, something delegated by the city manager to city staff. Only if an application appears before the City Council would the mayor and council members decide the business’s fate.
The mural calls for Mayor Daniel Biss to “SAY NO TO POPEYES” Credit: Matthew Eadie
But the protesters are taking their anger out on Biss anyway, calling on him to hold city staff accountable for what they view as stretching the rules of approving Popeyes as a Type 1 restaurant.
“Mayor Biss, are you listening?” Floy said. “We are asking you to follow the law … say ‘no’ to Popeyes and say ‘yes’ to Gabi [Walker-Aguilar], Byron (her husband) and Darlene [Cannon] and her vision.”
Under the city’s zoning code, a Type 1 or “full-service” restaurant must “require customers to order at a table, booth, or dining counter with service by a waiter or waitress at said table, booth, or dining counter” and must use “reusable (nondisposable) flatware and dishware.”
Type 1 restaurants are a permitted use in the property’s C1 zoning district and don’t require Land Use Commission or City Council approval.
Floy says she plans to appeal the city staff’s approval of Popeyes.
Her consultant, Melissa Klotz, a former Evanston zoning administrator, said Popeyes should not have been approved as Type 1.
But Klotz said that if the Land Use Commission rejected the appeal, the Popeyes owner could reapply as a Type 2, or carry-out restaurant. If that proposal was appealed, it would eventually require a city council vote.
That’s the process Ald. Matt Rodgers (8th) wants to see play out, appearing at the protest and telling Evanston Now he doesn’t believe Popeyes should be approved as a Type 1.
But Rodgers said he’d be okay with a Popeyes if it’s approved through the Type 2 process like other fast food restaurants.
Update 1:15 p.m. 8/15/25: Ald. Harris, in a statement Friday responding to the protest, said she’s “disheartened that someone new to the area with political motivations didn’t take the opportunity to hear from all parties involved. I’m equally disappointed that I was not contacted for my insight.”
Harris said she was happy the event went well and that people are empowered to speak up, but wrote, “This is about being fair, honest and doing what’s right for our community, not about political grandstanding.”
Source (Archive)
