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Celebrity

Shaquille O'Neal has had great success with his Big Chicken restaurants and he's now expanding to North Texas, where he's just bought a permanent residence outside of Dallas.

Published on August 31, 2022

Shaquille O’Neal, also known as Shaq, became a huge star in the 1990s and early 2000s. He played basketball in the NBA and became one of the sport‘s greatest players of all time.

These days, Shaq has retired from the court, and he is now putting effort into building a business empire. Among many things he has done, Shaq has started a fast-casual chicken restaurant. He recently expanded the chain to north Texas, where he also bought a home.

Shaq’s Big Chicken restaurants have been a hit with customers

In 2018, Shaq co-founded the restaurant Shaq’s Big Chicken, which sells various chicken dishes.

“Big Chicken fuses O’Neal’s home-cooked childhood favorites with today’s trending flavors,” the Big Chicken website states. “From crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders to Cheez-It crusted mac n’ cheese and hand-crafted ice cream shakes, each menu item tells a story all while offering guests an inside look into the life and personality of Shaquille O’Neal.”

The first location opened in Las Vegas, but the brand has since expanded to many other places around the country. It even delivers meal kits to customers who don’t live near a Big Chicken location.

Shaquille O’Neal bought a home outside of Dallas

It seems Shaq will soon be bringing his chicken empire to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In late June, it was reported that Shaq had bought a home in Carrollton, Texas, which is 25 miles away from downtown Dallas.

According to Dirt, the home is a 5,300-square foot, European-inspired mansion with five bedrooms and five bathrooms. It also has a three-car garage, a swimming pool, and a home theater. There are also high ceilings, which no doubt are fitting for the 7-foot-1 basketball legend.

It is unclear how much Shaq paid for the home, but it was last listed at around $1.2 million. 

Shaquille O’Neal has been spotted around north Texas

Some fans in north Texas have been running into the basketball legend and even got a taste of his generosity.

According to Page Six, in early July, Shaq went into a Best Buy in Dallas to look at electronics. There, he met a young couple who was shopping for a new washing machine. Shaq ended up buying the washing machine for them and added in a 70-inch TV as a bonus. When asked about it, Shaq shared, “I just want to make people happy.”

Not long before this incident, Shaq was spotted in New York City, where he reportedly paid the bills for 40 tables at Jue Lan Club. Shaq also left the wait staff a very big tip.

Shaq once told Showbiz Cheat Sheet that his generosity comes from his mother, whose difficult life inspired him to lend a helping hand to other people.

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