Cock Fight
Austin fried chicken favorite seeks huge investment to save business
Ms P's Electric Cock is more than just a clever name: The South Congress trailer has been serving up acclaimed fried chicken since 2010. But after a dicey business decision, the hot spot is looking for a big investment.
On February 23, Ms P's Electric Cock will appear on CNBC's Restaurant Startup with a big ask. Owner Perry Ray and Chef Seth Helmey will vie for funding from Chef Tim Love (of the future Lonesome Dove Austin) and restaurateur Joe Bastianich.
The pitch? A $300,000 investment for a 40 percent stake in the business. With that chunk of change, Ray says, Ms P's could create a brick-and-mortar space, cementing it as an Austin institution. "Brick-and-mortar would solve a huge problem for us, and that's the elements," she says on the show. Her dream is to open multiple Austin locations and possibly franchise outside of the city.
While the joint was once wildly successful, Ray admits that building out a second trailer too close to the original South Congress spot doubled her overhead and slashed profits. That second trailer was listed on Craigslist last summer with a whopping $149,000 price tag.
Ms P's will go up against another fried chicken concept on the CNBC show. Tune in Tuesday at 9 pm to see if their pitch can, as Tim Love says, "bring Ms. P's back to the glory days."
