When Emily Krouse opened her first bb.q Chicken location in Uptown Minneapolis, she wasn’t just launching a restaurant—she was answering a personal calling rooted in family, culture, and a deep respect for quality.
Emily, the owner and operator of bb.q Chicken’s Uptown, St. Paul, and Eden Prairie locations, brings an uncommon blend of corporate experience, hospitality insight, and cultural connection to the globally recognized Korean fried chicken brand.
“I didn’t think this is what I was going to be doing,” Emily shared. “But it’s exactly what I think I should be doing.”
A Personal Path to bb.q Chicken
Emily’s professional background includes a master’s degree in human resources and industrial psychology and more than a decade working in HR roles within food manufacturing and restaurant environments. After leaving
corporate America, she spent six years running bubble tea shops—still connected to food, but searching for something more meaningful.
That meaning came during a deeply personal chapter of her life, when Emily, a Korean adoptee, reunited with her biological mother in South Korea. Despite a language barrier, food became their shared connection.
“She asked me what my favorite food was, and I said fried chicken,” Emily recalled. “She kept bringing bb.q Chicken as her way of showing she cared.”
That experience, paired with bb.q Chicken’s prominence in Korean culture, stayed with Emily. When the pandemic closed her bubble tea businesses and she found herself at a crossroads, the brand continued to resurface—eventually leading her to explore bb.q Chicken as a franchise opportunity.
Running a Franchise Like a Small Business
Although bb.q Chicken is an international brand with thousands of locations worldwide, Emily approaches her restaurants with a distinctly local, small-business mindset.
“I run these stores as if they’re truly mine,” she said. “The franchise gives me the brand and the foundation, but the day-to-day experience comes from how we welcome people, how we staff, and how we operate.”
That hands-on approach, shaped by years in the restaurant industry, has set her locations apart—even among fellow franchisees. Emily emphasizes warmth, education, and intentional service, ensuring first-time guests feel supported navigating a menu that may be new to them.
Authentic Korean Fried Chicken—Made from Scratch
What truly differentiates bb.q Chicken is its commitment to quality and preparation. The name itself stands for “best
of the best quality,” and Emily says that philosophy shows up behind the scenes every day.
“We’re butchering chicken in-house, brining it for 16 hours, tumbling it, aging it, and then double-battering and double-frying it in olive oil,” she explained. “One piece of chicken has over 24 hours of prep before it ever hits the fryer.”
The result is chicken that’s light, crispy, and flavorful—never greasy—and made entirely from scratch. It’s a process that surprises many guests and reinforces why bb.q Chicken stands apart from traditional fast-food concepts.
Adapting a Global Brand for Minnesota
With roots firmly planted in Korea, bb.q Chicken remains deeply authentic—but adapting it for Minnesota hasn’t been without challenges. Emily often serves as the bridge between Korean business culture and local expectations.
“In Minnesota, people love to customize,” she said. “Half-and-half flavors, dietary needs, flexibility—those aren’t common requests in Korea.”
Beyond customization, Emily has also made thoughtful decisions to better serve the diverse communities she operates in, including sourcing certified Zabiha Halal chicken across her locations. The change reflects her commitment to inclusivity and ensuring more guests feel comfortable and welcome dining at bb.q Chicken.
Rather than turning customers away, Emily made strategic decisions to meet local preferences, sometimes choosing to “ask for forgiveness instead of permission” from the franchise. The result is a menu and experience that honors bb.q Chicken’s roots while resonating with Twin Cities diners.
Three Locations, Three Unique Communities
Each of Emily’s locations reflects the neighborhood it serves:
“What I love is that every store feels different,” Emily said. “Even our top-selling menu item changes by location. People eat differently depending on where they are.”
Looking Ahead
Emily has plans for future expansion, including the possibility of additional brick-and-mortar locations—or even a
food truck or Minnesota State Fair appearance. For now, her focus remains on strengthening her existing locations and continuing to serve guests with care and intention.
“Running a restaurant is your whole life,” she shared. “It has to be about more than money. It becomes part of who you are.”
For Emily, being a Korean American operating a Korean brand in her home state is something she carries with pride—and one that continues to shape bb.q Chicken’s growing presence in Minnesota.
bb.q Chicken is located in Uptown Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Eden Prairie. Learn more at bbqchicken.com, or stop by to experience Korean fried chicken crafted with authenticity, care, and community at its core.
