Fast food seafood giant opens Louisville-based corporate office

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - When Long John Silver's separated from YUM! Brands, there was talk the company may move its headquarters out of the state. That won't happen. Instead, the seafood chain's CEO said the company is hooked on Louisville and will move into a new world headquarters on South Hurstbourne Pkwy.

City and state leaders lured Long John Silver's to stay in Louisville by offering $1.5 million in tax incentives through the Kentucky Business Investment Program.

"We were glad as a commonwealth to be able to provide the incentives to assist and support their efforts," Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson said.

The new digs at Williamsburg Plaza signals a $4-million investment in the metro.

Abramson said Louisville was competing with cities across the country. "It could've gone to a lot of other locations as it was being spun out."

A spin off from KFC YUM! Brands, Long John Silver's is now a separate company. LJS Partners took over the company in December and decided to stay in Louisville by creating 70 jobs in its new corporate offices.

"The opportunity, the roots of the brand and the founder who still remains active so close by, are very much a positive to stay here in Louisville," LJS Partners CEO and President Mike Kern said.

State and city leaders say it's a company with a global influence, based out of this East End corporate office.

"We already have a small quick serve presence in Southeast Asia, and so we think we have some building blocks to create a business model for international expansion," Kern said.

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