Moe’s to open next week
Published 7:45 pm Thursday, July 11, 2013
Suffolk residents who called, emailed, pleaded and cajoled with Moe’s Southwest Grill officials to bring a restaurant to the city will have their wish come true next week.
Todd Tillery, who owns the new Moe’s location on North Main Street along with business partner Chip Kimnach, said customer demand drove the decision to open their fifth Moe’s restaurant.
“Suffolk’s always been on the radar,” he said. “But we got so many inquiries — ‘When in the world is a Moe’s going to open up in Suffolk?’”
The new restaurant at 1217 N. Main St. will open Thursday with a ribbon-cutting at 10:30 a.m. The 2,400-square-foot restaurant will feature an outdoor seating area and a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine that offers more than 100 varieties of beverages, in addition to the burritos, tacos and other food items that have put Moe’s on the culinary map.
Tillery said the location was a great find, with close proximity to neighborhoods and the downtown area and directly across the street from Walmart.
“We like to situate our restaurants where it draws lunch and dinner crowds,” he said.
He also said it has “great co-tenancy” with Panera Bread and sweetFrog in the same location.
Moe’s prides itself on making its food with fresh and responsibly sourced ingredients.
“We’re very conscientious about getting the best food in front of the customer,” he said.
As a “fast-casual” chain location, the new Suffolk restaurant also will aim to get everyone through the line in three and a half minutes, Tillery said.
Tillery said the franchise has hired 35 people from more than 100 applicants.
“We’re excited to be out here,” Tillery said.