Why did three local television types cross the road? To get to Chicken Kitchen, of course.

Denver's 7's sports anchor Lionel Bienvenu, weekend anchor Theresa Marchetta and executive sports producer (and Marchetta's hubby) Bobby Hayden are flying to the coop as local franchisees of Chicken Kitchen, the Florida-based fast-casual chain that serves bird in a number of ways.

While Marchetta and Bienvenu will keep their on-air jobs, Hayden will leave the ABC affiliate in April and take over chief operating officer duties for stores to be built in Douglas, Arapahoe and Denver counties.

The first Colorado unit will open in August next to the Purple Martini at the Belleview Promenade in Greenwood Village. The Denver's 7 trio have a 20-year deal with plans to open five stores in six years.

"There isn't a concept like it here, and it's really good, clean, healthy food," said Hayden, who ate at Chicken Kitchens in and around Miami, where he was born and raised.

The menu includes rotisserie chickens, salads, wraps and a signature "chop chop" dish, with saffron rice under chopped chicken. The company operates 36 stores in Florida and Houston.

"We're the furthest west," Hayden said. "The grand plan is to expand into Arizona and Nevada."

GRANT MEMORIES? As part of its annual meeting in Denver April 27-29, the Ulysses S. Grant Association is looking for families with stories or photos of Grant's four visits to Colorado.

"The first president to visit Colorado, in fact, was Grant, who signed Colorado into the Union in 1876," meeting organizer Annette Westerby wrote in an e-mail. "We know on two of his visits he was featured at large banquets with local dignitaries. We would love to find any of those local family members who might have interesting stories from those occasions."

Can you contribute? E-mail Westerby: anetwest@earthlink.net.

ON HOLIDAY: Barolo Grill boss Blair Taylor is leading 12 chefs and servers on the restaurant's annual two-week Italian odyssey. Chefs will sniff out small olive oil and cheese suppliers across northern Italy, while servers will sip offerings from 5,000 Italian wineries during the Vin Italy wine festival in Verona. The 3030 E. Sixth Ave. eatery's last supper before vacay is Friday; it reopens with molto mangia on April 6.

MUSICAL NOTE: The B.B. King Blues Festival, with both King and the most Rev. Al Green, rocks Red Rocks Sept. 1.

THE SEEN: Stand-up comedian, movie and TV star Wanda Sykes - in town for some Comedy Works gigs - dining Saturday at The Palm. Former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio, in Denver to face trial on insider trading, checking in Saturday at the Hyatt Grand Hotel.

EAVESDROPPING on a man at the Denver Athletic Club's Fight Night, during the 154-pound class boxing match: "I got hit harder than this by the nuns in high school."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.