Jun. 7—DALLAS — Humford Equities Monday announced that two businesses will soon be opening in the Back Mountain.

Crown Fried Chicken and Grille in Nanticoke will open a second location at 69 Country Club Shopping Center, Dallas, in late July or early August.

The Bob Wright Farmers Insurance Agency, currently located on North Memorial Highway in Trucksville, will relocate to 23 Dallas Shopping Center, Dallas, on Aug. 1, near the office of State Sen. Lisa Baker.

Humford Equities President Robert Finlay, CLS, made the announcement.

According to Crown Fried Chicken owner Jay Ahmad, the popular fast-food restaurant is expanding and opening in the space formerly occupied by Januzzi's Pizza, which closed on May 21.

Bob Wright, owner of the insurance firm, has been in the insurance industry since 1998 and joined Farmers Insurance as an agent in 2014.

Wright is a native of Hanover Township and has lived in Sweet Valley since 1991. He holds a bachelor's degree in business management from Bloomsburg University and an MBA from Wilkes University. Married with four children, he is a school director on the Lake Lehman District School Board.

"I love living and working in the Back Mountain," Wright said. "The people in this area are very down-to-earth and appreciate personal service. We advocate for our clients and are here to serve them anyway we can."

The office includes agents Trina Rosencrans and Rebecca Wright, Bob's daughter, and offers comprehensive insurance coverage, including auto, home, commercial and life insurance.

The Bob Wright Farmers Insurance Agency is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office phone number is 570-696-5555. Additional information is available at www.nts.farmers.com.

Crown Fried Chicken opened at 75 North Market St., Nanticoke, in December 2016, and has customers from the Back Mountain who owners Aziz Khan and Jalil Ahmad said often encouraged them to expand to the area.

With a menu that centers on fried chicken, the new restaurant will continue to offer chicken fingers, popcorn chicken, chicken nuggets, and fried mozzarella sticks, as well as grilled burgers, sandwiches, fried fish and cheese steaks.

"I have always liked the Dallas area and am excited to be expanding to that area," Ahmad says. "We are happy to be bringing Crown Fried Chicken to the Back Mountain."

John O'Day, owner of Januzzi's Pizza in Dallas, cited personal health issues as the reason for closing after 16 years at the Country Club Shopping Center.

"I want to thank all my loyal customers for their support," O'Day said. "I am sad to be closing but it is time for us to move on. Business in Dallas has been great. Sales were never a problem. I am going to miss doing business in the Back Mountain." =

O'Day says he plans to take it easy for a while and take it day-by-day.

For more information on available retail space in the Dallas Shopping Center or Country Club Shopping Center, contact Robert Finlay, CLS, president, Humford Equities, 15 Public Square, Suite 302, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 at 570=822-5126; e-mail — humford@epix.net; or visit Humford Equities on the web at

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.