RETAILING

Would you swap your sushi for some catfish and fried chicken livers?

Larry Greenberg is betting that Orange County will gobble up some down-home Southern delicacies like okra, red beans and rice, and, of course, fried chicken--even if the fare hasn’t been such a hot seller elsewhere in the nation.

Five months ago, Greenberg unveiled big plans to open as many as 25 PoFolks restaurants in Orange County within the next five years. The restaurants were to be developed under a franchise agreement with PoFolks, a Nashville, Tenn.-based company that operates more than 150 of the family restaurants in 24 states.

But PoFolks recently filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy laws.

Greenberg says the filing may slow his plans, but “we’re going to continue.” A San Diego PoFolks is set to open May 1, he said last week, and “we’re continuing to look for Orange County sites as well.”

And cholesterol be darned. Greenberg said he expects folks here will swallow PoFolks’ fare. “There’s corn bread, beef pot pie . . . with affordable prices.” If coffee shops can succeed, PoFolks should be phenomenal.”