Mad Chicken, a locally owned fast casual restaurant specializing in chicken tenders, wings and sandwiches, officially opened its doors to the public at 2045 E. North Ave. on Friday, Jan. 10.

It's the first stand-alone brick and mortar restaurant for Mad Chicken, which was founded in 2017 as a food court concept in the Fox River Mall in Appleton, expanding to include locations at Mayfair Mall in Milwaukee as well as in Santa Ana, California.

There's something about the moment when the still silence turns to a gentle bustle at Crossroads Collective. It's the time just before the lunch or dinner rush. The air changes, awakened by energy and the chatter of friends, gathering in groups at the community tables and placing orders at vendor counters. It's lively and bright and a reminder that the East Side is alive, well, and moving swiftly into the future.

It's one of the reasons I love to visit. It's one of those places where I enjoy eating as much by myself as in the company of others. I've also grown to love each of the vendors for different reasons; it seems Crossroads has someth