ALTON — Rex Encore and Heaterz Hot Chicken on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, announced plans for Heaterz at the Riverfront, a major new hospitality destination that will take over the current Flock Food Truck Park property at 210 Ridge Street in Downtown Alton beginning in 2027.
Under a five-year lease beginning May 1, 2027, Heaterz will take over the Flock property and transform the site into an integrated outdoor hospitality campus anchored by Heaterz at the Riverfront. The property is expected to reopen under its new identity in spring 2027.
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The agreement represents both a new chapter for one of Downtown Alton’s most recognizable gathering spaces and a significant expansion for Heaterz, the award-winning Nashville-style hot chicken brand founded in Alton by entrepreneur Dan King.
“Flock Food Truck Park proved that this property can bring people together, and Heaterz has the vision and operating experience to build on that foundation,” said Chad Brigham, chief operating officer for Rex Encore. “This agreement keeps an Alton-born brand at the center of the project while opening the property to year-round dining, entertainment and events.”
A New Hospitality Campus
The new destination is planned to combine Heaterz Hot Chicken, elevated drinks from a full-service bar and cantina, live music and entertainment, outdoor events, grab-and-go dining and additional food experiences across the existing Flock campus.
Designed as an inclusive, pet-friendly gathering place for families, friends and neighbors, the destination will offer programming for all ages, with details to be announced. It will also serve as a go-to setting for movie nights, watch parties for major sporting events and large community gatherings.
Plans call for the existing Flock property to be comprehensively redeveloped around several complementary experiences.
Heaterz at the Riverfront will serve as the central bar, restaurant and entertainment concept. The Heaterz Fast Lane will provide Heaterz Hot Box Meals through an on-site food truck designed for quick pickup and grab-and-go service. The existing Space Shuttle Café will remain part of the property and be integrated into the larger campus.
The ownership group also plans upgraded outdoor event infrastructure supporting live music, festivals, private events and other programming. Current plans call for the destination to operate seven days a week during its active season, including extended Friday and Saturday hours.
Heaterz LLC will serve as the lessee and contracting entity. The operating group brings together King; John Michel, founder of Soulcial Kitchen and the Soulcial Solutions Foundation; and chef Lasse Sorensen of Food is Love, combining Heaterz with established restaurant, catering, food-truck and hospitality operations. Sorensen is also expected to support Heaterz’s growing franchise network through culinary development.
An Alton-Based Brand Prepares for Its Next Stage
Founded in Alton in 2022, Heaterz has built a following around its Nashville-style hot chicken and has expanded beyond its original location as it prepares for broader growth.
In 2025, Heaterz formally launched franchise opportunities across the United States. The company has continued adding locations since then, including an O’Fallon location announced this year through a partnership with Soulcial Kitchen. The Riverfront Cantina gives the company a large-format destination in the city where the Heaterz brand began.
“Alton is home for Heaterz, and we want this to be a place people will make the trip to experience,” said Dan King, founder of Heaterz. “We’re taking what people already love about Heaterz and giving ourselves room to do much more with it. Great food, cold drinks, live music, events and a setting along the river where people can spend an entire afternoon or evening. This is a big step for our company, and we couldn’t think of a better place to do it.”
Heaterz Hot Chicken is earning serious bragging rights for its food, building a loyal regional fan base and taking home consecutive Illinois State Fair awards. The brand’s growing reputation is backed by honors including DoorDash’s "Most Loved" designation, the Advantage Readers’ Choice award, and Yelp's "People Love Us" recognition. The menu is packed with crowd-pleasers, focusing on hand-breaded chicken sandwiches, tenders, and wings served plain or tossed in varying levels of Nashville-style heat, right alongside signature sides like Nashville street corn and Sidewinder fries.
Community Impact
With over 400,000 free meals given away to date, Heaterz Hot Chicken anchors its brand in powerful, life-changing community outreach. This milestone achievement is driven heavily by a cornerstone franchise partnership with Soulcial Kitchen and their “Currency of Caring” dignified dining program, which empowers guests to directly fund meals for neighbors facing food insecurity.
Heaterz extends its philanthropic impact deep into local communities by regularly deploying its resources and food trucks to provide relief.
The brand routinely delivers hot meals to first responders, supports overnight warming centers, and backs crucial regional initiatives, including youth sports teams, high school programs, cancer and special needs charities, and animal welfare organizations like 5As. Driven by a mission to serve more than just great food, Heaterz continuously leverages its platform to actively nourish and uplift those who need it most.
Flock’s Farewell Season
Flock will continue operating through the remainder of its 2026 season, giving guests one final season to experience the food truck park before the property begins its transformation.
Created as an outdoor gathering place bringing together food trucks, drinks, entertainment and community programming, Flock helped introduce a new use to the Ridge Street property and created the foundation for its next evolution. The Heaterz agreement substantially expands it.
Community members are invited to join Flock Food Truck Park and Heaterz Hot Chicken from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tuesday, October 6, for a community gathering marking the next chapter for one of Downtown Alton’s most recognizable gathering spaces. Guests can learn more about Flock’s farewell season and the planned Heaterz Riverfront Cantina, which will bring together food, drinks, live music, events and multiple dining experiences as part of an expanded outdoor hospitality campus.
Following Flock’s final season, the property is expected to undergo a transition and improvement period from January through April, with Heaterz at the Riverfront currently planned to open in spring 2027.
About Heaterz Hot Chicken
Heaterz Hot Chicken is an Alton-born Nashville hot chicken brand founded by Dan King in 2022. The company operates a streamlined menu built around hand-breaded chicken sandwiches, tenders and wings, with restaurant, food-truck, delivery and franchise growth underway. Currency of Caring is the official charitable initiative of Heaterz and has helped serve more than 400,000 free meals through its work with Soulcial Kitchen and the Soulcial Solutions Foundation.
