Moes exploding with more East cost locations

Moes exploding with more East cost locations
Tags: Fresh Mex
September 23, 2004

September 24, 2004Video King co-founder Larry Wilson is setting his entrepreneurial sights again on the Vestal Parkway, where he opened his first video store about two decades ago. But this time, he's offering consumers Southwest cuisine instead of video rentals. Wilson, who owns and operates six Video Kings in Pennsylvania, said he and his partners will open five Moe's Southwest Grill franchises in the next two years, including one at an undisclosed location on the Vestal Parkway and others in Syracuse and Ithaca. The Vestal restaurant is expected to open by late summer 2005, he said. Wilson also said he plans on opening five additional locations in the next four years. Upper Front Street in the Town of Chenango is a possible site, he said. Wilson's restaurants are just a few of the rapidly growing number of Moe's franchises expected to open this year. Since the restaurant's founding in December 2000, about 160 Moe's have opened across the nation, with 150 locations expected to open this year, according to the Raving Brands! Web site. Moe's is part of Raving Brands!, which also franchises Mama Fu's, Planet Smoothie, PJ's Coffee and soon to open Doc Green's Gourmet Salads. "I looked for 25 to 30 months at many different concepts," Wilson said. "When I found Moe's, I fell in love." The Atlanta-based Tex-Mex, fast casual concept features burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, fajitas, salads and other items that are prepared fresh daily. No freezers or microwaves are at any of the restaurants. "Fresh and healthy are the future," Wilson said. "People want convenience. They want good, healthy food." Moe's locations are decorated with pictures of Jerry Garcia, Jim Morrison and other rock and roll icons, according to the restaurant's Web site. The menu also has other pop-culture references, such as The Ugly Naked Guy taco, named after a character on Friends; the Art Vandalay burrito, a fake identity Seinfeld character George Costanza created; and the Close Talker salad, named after a character on Seinfeld. Wilson's locations will not have drive-throughs, though 20 percent of Moe's restaurants offer the feature. Wilson's restaurants will offer catering, he said. It costs about $350,000 to open a Moe's, said Wilson, who is partnering with his wife Kellie Wilson and an undisclosed local resident to open the restaurants. Each location will employ about 20 people, he said.