Burger Joint Lives Another Night

Fans of filled hall on Parmelee Avenue on Friday for what could have been their final taste of the recently closed burger joint.

Long lines and a packed house at “Quilly’s Night” begged this question: What went wrong?

Patronage declined rapidly by last December, according to owner Steve Quilliam.

“The holiday season devastated us and we didn’t have the funding to keep it going.” Quilliam said. “I decided it was too much work to be struggling, so I took another job and decided to put Quilly’s on hiatus.” 

In the meantime, Quilliam plans on promoting his homemade cuisine through his “Travelling Roadshow” and possible catering outlets.

According to the state’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 16,300 New Jersey residents filed for unemployment last December. People tightened budgets in the midst of economic uncertainty and started dining at home, rather than eating out. According to a NPD Group’s Fall 2010 ReCount report, 2,122 quick-service restaurants closed last year—a one percent decline from 2009.

Former employees Tom King and Sean Trischka, however, blamed the restaurant’s misfortune on its inconvenient Route 4 location.

“A lot of it had to do with the parking lot.” Trischka said. “There was only enough parking spaces for employees of Quilly’s and the neighboring nail salon.” 

Quilliam planned on eventually relocating in March. A lack of funds, however, prevented the move and forced an early shutdown. 

A slew of other restaurants—mainly pizzerias—experienced the same bad luck at the Broadway locale, and all closed within a few months. An insurance firm will be replacing Quilly’s at 27-03 Broadway, King said. 

Staff members maintain that Quilly’s shutdown had nothing to do with its food; rather, the misfortune was a result of poor location and a struggling economy, they said. 
 
“The food was awesome,” Trischka said. “Also, we didn’t have another sliders place in town. It was a unique idea, so everybody loved it.” 
 
The event featured a menu à la carte, including 10 of the original 24 types of sliders. Quilly’s former clientele, comprised largely of hungry students, attended to show their support. Trischka and King, members of local band The George Clooney Quintet, also provided live music.

Quilly’s active Facebook page—consisting of nearly 1,500 fans—is the restaurant’s primary source of advertising. “Right now, 70 to 80 percent of our business comes from our Facebook promotions,” Quilliam said.  
 
After 20 years in the food industry, Quilliam is finally taking some time off. 

“Right now, I’m kind of taking a back seat to see how the economy and fatherhood unfolds,” said the father of 5-month-old son Cooper.   

Yet Quilliam admits that he’s going to miss the business.

“It’s the only time I feel like I’m 17 again,” he said.