TGI Fridays set to open Dec. 4

Monday, November 20, 2006

By Edward Husar

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Quincy's newest restaurant — TGI Friday's — will open for business Monday, Dec. 4, near 33rd and Broadway.

Developer William Torchia of East Peoria said construction is moving along on schedule.

"We've been really thrilled with the quality of the contractors from Quincy and our general contractor," he said. "It's gone very smooth."

Torchia said the hiring process has been under way for several weeks. The restaurant will employ about 100 people. Half will be full-time workers, the other half part-timers.

Job applications are being taken until Thursday at a recruiting office inside the Quincy Mall near the mall's office. Starting Friday — the day the developers take possession of the finished building — job seekers can apply inside the restaurant itself.

Torchia said the management team and the kitchen staff are already being trained at another TGI Friday's he operates in Peoria. Six managers from Peoria and 10 people from the corporation's "new store opening team" will come to town to help open Quincy's restaurant.

"We'll have plenty of trainers and extra help to get us off the ground," Torchia said.

The Quincy restaurant will have 6,000 square feet of space and a combined 175 seats in the bar and dining areas. Torchia said the restaurant will feature the newest prototype for the TGI Friday's chain.

Torchia and his wife, Cheryle, are the principal owners of WCT Properties LLC, the corporation bringing the business to Quincy.

Torchia, who has been in the Subway sandwich business for years, said he decided to open a restaurant in Quincy after consulting with his friend, Jim Fitch, who operates several Subway shops in Quincy. Fitch and his wife, Carmell, will be partners in the Quincy restaurant.

"The Fitches are going to be actively involved in this business," Torchia said. "They are local folks. They're from Quincy. We want to make sure that people understand we are partially owned by locals, and we definitely want to be involved in the local community."

Torchia describes TGI Friday's as "an American bistro" that will offer a full complement of lunch and dinner options along with appetizers.

The business will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.

Torchia said area residents may notice considerable activity around the restaurant the first few days in December while the staff does some training with invited guests. But the business will not be open to the general public until Dec. 4.

Contact Staff Writer Edward Husar at ehusar@whig.com or (217) 221-3378