Franchisee Profile: Peter Spagnuolo from White Plains, NY

Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I live in White Plains now and grew up in Hastings, which is along the Hudson River.

Q: Before Franchising, what were you involved with?
A: I am attorney, still practicing. I’ve been practicing law for 19 years in the bankruptcy and real estate sectors. About three years ago, I started looking at ways to expand my portfolio. I am an entrepreneur at heart and I wanted to grow a business that was my own. I took over the Desert Moon in White Plains in 2008 after I found out it was for sale. I thought Mexican food would be a great segment to be involved with as it’s one of the fastest growing food segments in the nation and Desert Moon was my niece’s favorite restaurant. Since purchasing Desert Moon, I have added two other food concepts to my portfolio.

Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?
A: It all came down to the quality and freshness of the food. When you have a good product, people will naturally come and I felt passionate that Desert Moon was the right choice based on that criteria. Fortunately my gut instinct was right. My location is in the mall and it is one of the most popular choices among mall shoppers. People often reference how fresh our food is compared to other mall food court options. Desert Moon gives mall shoppers a healthy alternative. This year we will probably install the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, which will offer customers a wide selection of beverage options. Desert Moon corporately is also focused on helping its franchisees explore new innovations for their locations, which was another reason I felt comfortable being a franchisee with the brand.

Q: How do you see the brand connecting with your local community?
A: I make it a point to contribute to local nonprofits that approaches us for a donation. I believe it’s valuable for Desert Moon to be ingrained in the community and for Desert Moon to be synonymous with community involvement. I plan on sponsoring a little league team this year as well.

Franchisee Profile: Purvang Patel of Franklin Park, NJ

Location: Franklin Park, NJ/ lives in Piscataway

In 1988, Purvang Patel emigrated from India with his family when he was just nine years old. They came to the United States to find better opportunities. Decades later, Purvang has achieved business ownership through Desert Moon. He, along with his two friends and business partners Mital and Tejas, opened their first location in October 2010.

Q: Before Franchising, what were you involved with?
A: After college graduation, I went into the IT field. I worked in IT for about six years before I started looking for an entrepreneurial opportunity where I could work for myself. You could say that I am always looking for the next best opportunity. It’s ingrained in me. I am good at IT, but really wanted to do something that had unlimited growth potential and, ultimately, I decided that was by owning my own business. I landed on franchising because of the brand recognition you get through a national franchise. Purvang’s Mexican Restaurant doesn’t mean as much as Desert Moon. I believe that people will come to my location based on the name itself.

Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: A good friend of mine owns a Desert Moon location in a nearby city. I experienced the food there and loved it. You know right when you taste it that the food is better than anywhere else. The freshness and quality is unrivaled. In addition, the Mexican fast casual dining segment is growing tenfold and I thought that fact alone would give me ammunition to continue growing, especially since the ingredients at Desert Moon are extremely healthy. You can make many meals at our restaurant for less than 500 calories.

Q: What have been some career milestones for you/your business?
A: We are concentrating on getting our first location settled here in Franklin Park. We are spreading the word among our friends and residents in close proximity to our location. We are going to be getting heavily involved in the community as well through school programs, fundraisers, etc. We want our community to know that we are committed to being a community partner.

Desert Moon supports American Cancer Society Relay for Life

On Friday, May 21st, Desert Moon will be supporting the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Through our Email Loyalty Club and Social Media Sites we will be inviting guests into all restaurants to help support the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Desert Moon customers can donate 10% of their check total by simply presenting the coupon below!

Desert Moons guests may also contribute additionally that day by filling out one of our Loyalty Club Email sign-up sheets in their local restaurant. By doing this, they can be informed of future charitable opportunities through Desert Moon. So stop by this Friday, and help out a great cause!

Desert Moon's Cinco De Mayo Festivities!

Come join the Cinco De Mayo Fiesta at Desert Moon! Perfect for lunch and dinner, as well as your headquarters for your Cinco De Mayo celebration this upcoming Wednesday, May 5th! Be sure to go to our website to find your nearest Desert Moon location. We hope to see you on Wednesday!

Desert Moon's Cinco De Mayo Celebration! by Desert Moon Grille