Owner/Operator: Joey Hickox

I grew up in a military family living all over the world, but settling in Atlanta, Ga after my father retired. I followed in his footsteps and joined the Air Force, via the USAF Academy in Colorado, gradated and received my commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1987. From there, I went on to became a pilot and embarked on a flight career for the next 20 years, with a brief hiatus as a Professor of Psychology at the USAF Academy. I have flown as an instructor pilot in the T-37, T-38, C-5, C-21 and the TG-7 motor-glider. I accumulated about 4000 flight hours before switching career paths to become a military diplomat and attaché. I served in the US embassies of Moscow, Russia and Kyiv, Ukraine as a defense attaché. I retired as a Colonel from the USAF in 2015 after 28 years of service. Along the way I managed to start and build a large family. I met my wonderful wife, Nicki, at my first assignment in Columbus, Mississippi, and we’ve been married now for over 30 years. We have five beautiful children, Mary, Seth, Reuben, Clara and John. My journey to become a Chick-fil-A franchise owner/operator started in 2013, almost two years before I retired from the Air Force. I went through an extensive vetting process, with 11 interviews over the next 4 years. Finally, in the summer of 2017, Chick-fil-a offered me the chance to open a Chick-fil-A restaurant here on the central coast in Santa Maria. I jumped at the opportunity and we opened the restaurant in March of 2018. I now consider the Central Coast my home, albeit a long way from Atlanta. While Atlantan’s may be known for their “southern hospitality”, I find that the people living here are equally if not more hospitable. It is perhaps because there is a small town feel here, and many families come to my restaurant to eat. We certainly enjoy the weather around here and absolutely love the Central Coast. Chick-fil-A is known for its good food and customer service, something that we strive to improve on every day. Part of Chick-fil-A’s corporate purpose is to have a positive impact on all we come in contact with–whether it be our customers, our vendors, or our team members. My sincere desire is to have a positive impact on whomever I meet.