Come all without, come all within, Long Island City is about to get a Mighty Quinn’s.
Married couple Mike and Paula Dolan signed one of the New York-based barbecue chain’s first franchising deals to develop four restaurants in Queens. Now they’re looking for the right spot.
“We want to plant the flag in the right part of town. We cater to the lunch and dinner crowd and Might Quinn’s is somewhat of a destination so we really want to find the right area,” said restaurant co-founder Micha Magid.
The first Mighty Quinn’s flagship started in the East Village in 2012. Its artisanal, wood-fired barbecue in a fast casual setting vaulted the restaurant into being a name brand and critical favorite. After winning the 2013 Zagat award for best new restaurant in New York, it expanded to 10 locations, finally gaining the scale where its brand was ready for franchising.
So far Mike Dolan says he’s limited his search for the first location of his franchise to Long Island City, adding that he’s hunting for a healthy portion of atmosphere. He’s still deciding whether he wants to cater to the corporate clientele in Queens Plaza or Court Square or whether he wants to chase a trendier location along Vernon Boulevard.
Dolan and his wife, who grew up in Queens, are looking forward to contributing to the borough’s infusion of food capital.
“I think the people of Queens will really embrace it,” said Dolan. “Long Island is my home and I can’t wait to be a part of the maturation process of Queens.”
