Kid Shelleen’s Shoots for Spring Opening in Brandywine Hundred

After more than two years of delays, Harry’s Hospitality Group is getting ready to open its second Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon restaurant in Wilmington, DE. The new location at 1812 Marsh Rd. is expected to open sometime between mid-April and mid-May.

“Kid Shelleen’s is a real neighborhood restaurant, and its demographics are everything from families with young children to singles to empty nesters,” Xavier Teixido, owner of Harry’s Hospitality Group and Kid Shelleen’s partner, told What Now Philadelphia. “There’s greater density [in Wilmington], and the demographics are similar to what we have Downtown. It’s also the epicenter of the North Wilmington Community.”

Harry’s Hospitality Group also owns fine dining restaurants Harry’s Savory Grill and Harry’s Savoy Ballroom, also in Wilmington. The original Kid Shelleen’s opened in Wilmington’s Trolley Square in 1984. Delaware Online calls it “one of the state’s most popular and well-known restaurants.” Teixido said one of the reasons for opening a Kid Shelleen’s in Brandywine Hundred is because many of his customers would comment on how they wished the restaurant was closer to their homes.

The Brandywine Hundred restaurant will have 145 seats in their indoor dining room. Their bar will have comfy, swivel chairs, which are so popular at the original Kid Shelleen’s location that people will wait in long lines just to sit and relax in them while catching the game or scooting around to talk to friends. Teixido expects the Brandywine Hundred Kid Shelleen’s to have the largest outdoor patio in North Willmington that will seat 80 and have space for people to socialize outside. The restaurant will serve the same lunch and dinner menu, which includes burgers consistently named the best in Delaware, as well as brunch on the weekend.

Teixido says that he is excited to be moving into Branmar Plaza, which is being renovated with a new modern look. There is still a fair amount of construction and outfitting work to be done before the new Kid Shelleen’s opens. He expects construction costs to be about $3 million, $1 million more than he estimates it would have cost if he started construction two years ago. Teixido says he’s also been struggling with supply chain and manufacturing issues. To avoid staffing issues, Teixido is saying he’s already working on onboarding the 65 employees needed to operate the new restaurant.

“We’re really excited. It’s an opportunity for our people to grow. I think it will give a lot of people what they are looking for. One thing we pride ourselves on is having a really broad market where parents can bring the kids out to eat with a healthy kids menu but also get a nice glass of wine, a craft beer, or a well-made Manhattan. You don’t often find that kind of range in restaurants,” Teixido says.

Learn more about Kid Shelleen’s at www.harryshospitalitygroup.com/kid-shelleens.