Business Owner of the Week: Derek Delorey of Moe's Southwest Grille

Welcome to Business Owner of the Week, a weekly column where we get to know a local business owner a little better. Are you a business owner who would like to be featured in this column? E-mail  krista@patch.com.

Q: How long has Moe's been open?

A: We have been open for a little over 3 years, opening on Dec. 18, 2008.

Q: Why did you choose to open in Chelmsford?

 A: When we first spoke with the people at Moe’s, they already had this location selected, but there was someone already interested in opening a Moe’s in this location.  We looked around at other areas for a while, but then Moe’s contacted us to let us know that the person who had been interested in this location decided it was too far from where they lived, so we took it.  I grew up in Chelmsford, and live here in town, so it was perfect for me.

Q: Describe the atmosphere of Moe's.

A: The first thing you'll hear when you walk into the restaurant is an enthusiastic "Welcome to Moe's!" It's more than a greeting; it's a way of life for the folks who customize each meal fresh to order right in front of the guest.

Food quality, safety and customer service are no joke, but aside from that, Moe's tries not to take itself too seriously. For fun, the folks at Moe's gave each menu item a unique name like The Funk Meister taco, Homewrecker burrito and Billy Barou nachos, to name a few, just to keep things interesting.

And the music at Moe's is also a good conversation starter. If you listen closely to the tunes playing at any Moe's restaurant, you'll notice all of the songs are performed by dead musicians to honor the sweet sounds of the artists who left us too soon.

Q: If you had to eat one thing on the menu for the rest of your life, what would it be?

 A: I would probably have a John Coctostan quesadilla with pulled pork, cheese, rice, and mushrooms on it … lots and lots of mushrooms!

Q: Have you had many positive experiences as a Chelmsford business owner?

A: Yes.  Having grown up in Chelmsford, it has been great seeing people that I went to school with many years ago coming in to the restaurant.  In most cases, I hadn’t seen them since we graduated from High School.  I’ve also seen teachers I recognized from school and people who worked at other buildings where I used to work years ago.

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Are you a business owner who would like to be featured in this column? E-mail  krista@patch.com.